Best Schools in North London, Ontario: A Family's Guide to Masonville, Sunningdale & Stoney Creek

by Gloria Roman

If you're house-hunting with school zones on your mind, the best schools in North London, Ontario are concentrated in the Masonville, Sunningdale, and Stoney Creek areas — a stretch of the city known for newer subdivisions, walkable parks, and easy access to Western University and University Hospital. As a REALTOR® with Century 21, First Canadian who works with families across London and Middlesex County every week, I get school-zone questions on almost every buyer consultation. This guide breaks down what the data actually shows, which boards serve the area, and how to confirm your exact zone before you write an offer.

Key Takeaways

North London's public elementary schools include Masonville Public School and Jack Chambers Public School, both rated in the Fraser Institute's top tier for Ontario elementary schools using 2023/24 results.
Families have a choice between the Thames Valley District School Board (public) and the London District Catholic School Board (Catholic) — St. Kateri Catholic School serves the Catholic elementary population in north London.
School zone boundaries can change and can also split a single subdivision between two schools, so always confirm your specific address before assuming a zone.
A.B. Lucas Secondary School, at the north end of the city, is the area's public high school option.
Ratings and boundaries are a starting point, not a guarantee — always verify directly with the school board before making a purchase decision based on a specific school.

Why North London's School Zones Matter for Home Buyers

North London — the Masonville, Sunningdale, Stoney Creek, and Uplands area — has grown steadily over the past decade, and a lot of that growth is families moving from other parts of London or relocating from out of town. When I sit down with buyers who have kids, or who are planning to, school zone almost always makes the shortlist of questions right alongside commute time and lot size.

It's worth understanding upfront that in Ontario, school assignment is based on your home address, not your preference. Two houses on the same street can occasionally fall into different zones depending on how a board has drawn its boundary lines. That's a detail that matters far more than a general "this neighbourhood has good schools" reputation, so I always encourage buyers to check the specific address before they get attached to a listing.

Top-Rated Elementary Schools Serving Masonville and Sunningdale

Masonville Public School

Masonville Public School, part of the Thames Valley District School Board, received a rating of 9.2 out of 10 in the Fraser Institute's Report Card on Ontario's Elementary Schools, which is based on 2023/24 provincial test results. That places it among the stronger-performing public elementary schools in the city.

Jack Chambers Public School

Also serving the North London area, Jack Chambers Public School posted a 9.1 out of 10 in the same Fraser Institute report. Both Masonville and Jack Chambers draw from the newer subdivisions that have gone up around Fanshawe Park Road and Richmond Street over the past several years.

St. Kateri Catholic School

Families looking for a Catholic education option in the north end are typically zoned to St. Kateri Catholic School, part of the London District Catholic School Board. The LDCSB serves London, St. Thomas, Woodstock, and the surrounding counties of Elgin, Middlesex, and Oxford.

I want to be upfront about something here: rankings like the Fraser Institute's are built from standardized test data, and they're a useful data point — not the whole picture. Class size, program offerings (French immersion, arts, athletics), and simple logistics like walkability and before/after-school care matter just as much to most of the families I work with. I always tell clients to tour the school in person if a specific school is a priority for their move.

Secondary School Options for North London Families

A.B. Lucas Secondary School sits at the northern edge of the city and is the public high school that typically serves students coming out of the Masonville and Sunningdale elementary zones. It offers a full range of academic programming along with athletics and extracurricular options. For families weighing a move based partly on the path from elementary through high school, it's worth mapping out the full feeder pattern — not just the elementary school — since a subdivision's elementary zone doesn't always map directly onto the secondary zone next door.

Thames Valley Public vs. London District Catholic: What's the Difference?

Ontario funds two public school systems side by side: the Thames Valley District School Board (non-denominational public) and the London District Catholic School Board (publicly funded Catholic). Both are free to attend for Ontario residents, and enrollment in the Catholic system generally requires at least one parent or guardian to be a baptized Catholic, though policies can vary by board — it's worth confirming directly with LDCSB registration staff if that applies to your family.

Both boards publish official school locator tools, and I strongly recommend using them directly rather than relying on general neighbourhood reputation:

Thames Valley District School Board: use the Find My Local School tool to confirm your exact public school zone by address.
London District Catholic School Board: contact LDCSB directly or check their school boundary maps for Catholic elementary zoning.

How to Confirm Your School Zone Before You Buy

Here's the process I walk every school-focused buyer through:

Shortlist the address, not just the neighbourhood name — zones can split mid-block.
Run the address through the TVDSB locator (link above) for the public zone.
If Catholic education matters to your family, contact LDCSB directly to confirm the boundary for that specific address.
Cross-check the current Fraser Institute rating for the assigned school at compareschoolrankings.org, understanding that rankings shift year to year as new test data is released.
If possible, visit the school directly or attend an open house — data doesn't tell you about culture, class size that year, or program availability.

This is one of the areas where having a local agent in your corner actually saves you from a costly mistake. I've had clients fall in love with a home only to discover, mid-offer, that it sits one street outside the elementary zone they assumed it was in. Confirming this before you write an offer — not after — is always the better order of operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best elementary school in North London, Ontario?
Based on the Fraser Institute's most recent Report Card on Ontario's Elementary Schools, Masonville Public School and Jack Chambers Public School are among the top-rated public elementary schools serving the North London area, both scoring above 9 out of 10 on 2023/24 test data.

Which school board serves Masonville and Sunningdale?
Public elementary and secondary students in Masonville and Sunningdale are served by the Thames Valley District School Board. Families seeking Catholic education are typically zoned to schools within the London District Catholic School Board, such as St. Kateri Catholic School.

Can I choose which school my child attends in London, Ontario?
Generally no — Ontario school boards assign students based on home address and published boundary maps. If a specific school matters to your home search, confirm the boundary for that exact address using the board's official locator tool before making an offer.

Is North London a good area for families based on schools alone?
North London has several highly rated elementary schools and a public high school at the north end of the city, but school ratings are only one factor. I'd encourage families to also weigh commute, housing type, and access to parks and recreation alongside school data.

Do school zone boundaries in London change?
Yes, school boards periodically review and adjust boundaries as enrollment shifts and new schools open. Always confirm current boundaries directly with the board rather than relying on boundary maps from a prior year.

Ready to Find a Home in the Right School Zone?

School zone research is one of the most important — and most overlooked — parts of a family home search in London. If you're planning a move to Masonville, Sunningdale, Stoney Creek, or anywhere else in North London and want a REALTOR® who will help you confirm zoning before you fall in love with a listing, I'd be glad to help. Call or text me at (647) 883-7135, or schedule a free consultation and let's map out a search that fits your family's needs.