"Banbury Crossroads Academy serves students with diverse learning needs through a unique, student-paced program. Class sizes of 8:1 guarantee personalized attention. Our inclusive approach integrates Academy students with Banbury Crossroads School peers for field trips, physical education, and events, promoting community and inclusion. Specialization is achieved via distinct curricular classrooms and tailored resources, enhancing every student's educational path. Become Your Best, with Banbury Crossroads Academy!"
Social development, and emotional self-regulation skills
Uniquely low class sizes, averaging 8 students per 2 education staff
Teacher-guided, flexible pacing encourages students to reach their maximum potential
Targeted, individualized supports and accommodations
Specializing in supporting neurodivergence, learning challenges, and diverse needs
Distinct curricular classrooms with a teacher supported by a specialized educational assistant
Graduates earn their Alberta Diploma or the Alberta Certificate of Achievement
Promotes connecting to a student's intrinsic motivation, genuinely enabling learning to be fun
Become Your Best!
What do you do differently and uniquely well?
"At Banbury Academy we make sure not to leave any student behind. We accomplish this by having topics and concepts introduced by the teacher and then allowing students to work at their required pace to guarantee optimal understanding. Through support from the teacher and Educational Assistant, we ensure that students complete work and meet deadlines. We also have class sizes of 6:1 meaning we can support students in a way that emulates 1:1 tutoring.
We also pride ourselves on our mentoring system, which allows us to build strong relationships with students. Each student will have a mentor teacher that they meet with every morning to set daily goals with, and once a week for an in-depth chat to discuss how they are progressing in all their subjects, as well as any social and emotional issues, or areas they feel they need support in. Our teachers are adept at suggesting and supporting any strategies or resources they feel might be appropriate."
What tradeoffs has your school made to serve families in this way?
"At Banbury Crossroads, we prioritize personalized education and small class sizes over expansive campus facilities. By not having our own gym, we utilize Calgary's excellent local pools and gyms, integrating our students into the community and providing real-world learning opportunities. This strategic choice supports a focused allocation of resources towards nurturing each student's unique talents and interests in a supportive environment."
What key junctures in your school's history have most shaped its present?
"Banbury Crossroads has been supporting the educational achievements of students looking for a more personal education system for over 40 years now. Recently we have found that many of our students who prefer our small class sizes also have diverse learning needs, making self-direction challenging. Recognizing the need to support these students with their diverse learning needs, we developed the Banbury Academy. 2024-2025 will be its inaugural year and we are very excited to support these students, making learning fully inclusive and accessible, and to see them meet their full potential."
What type of student is a good fit for your school?
"We offer incredibly small class sizes (6:1) to ensure personalized support. Our teacher guided approach of introducing concepts and theories while then allowing students to work at their own pace ensures students can take the time they need to work to the best of their ability. We are able to work with students in a tutoring style to assist them as necessary. Our teacher guidance also helps with organization and executive functioning skills to make sure no one is left behind. This model is wonderful for students requiring extra support for executive functioning skills, anxiety, or needing direct instruction to aid their learning. Our aim is for all students to graduate with a High School Diploma or Certificate of Achievement at the completion of high school. When you join the Banbury Academy, you join an extended family. Through mentoring and our small class sizes, we get to know all our students and advocate for them and their individual needs to support them being as successful as th"
Under what conditions would you advise a family against choosing your school?
"While we are an Academy for diverse learning needs, we do not have the resources to support students with severe physical disabilities due to our facility. We are also unable to manage severe behavioral challenges, violent outbursts, or students who might be a flight risk, due to the design of our learning spaces and frequent field trips.
Due to being an academically oriented program supporting students to graduate with a High School Diploma or Certificate of Achievement, we are unable at this time to provide for students and families looking for a program to develop life skills."
To your knowledge, why do families choose your school over others?
"Families have told us they find our small class sizes and relationship building approach to supporting students fosters a welcoming and encouraging environment where students can open up and be themselves.
We also don’t target any specific diverse learning need, as everyone is different and unique in their own way. Instead we look at the student as a whole person, where their learning need is just one aspect of them and certainly not their defining characteristic."
How would you characterize your school's image amongst the public?
"Historically Banbury Crossroads was synonymous with self-directed learning. However, the Banbury Academy will not be self-directed. We will have direct and explicit instruction to support the needs of our learners, while also allowing students to work at their own pace to ensure understanding to the best of their ability. We have a wonderfully supportive mentoring system and personalized approach to teaching and learning. Banbury Academy will become known for its personalized learning and caring environment, supporting students to graduation."
What aspect of your school is underappreciated?
"Our mentoring system of meeting with students 1:1 on a weekly basis allows us to build strong relationships with our students and ensures all students have someone within the school who advocates for and with them to support and celebrate their successes, as well as being a direct point of contact for parents."
What might families find surprising about your school?
"All our teachers genuinely care about our students and will not only get to know the students but will also use this information to adapt tasks where possible, making learning more engaging and relevant."
What improvements or changes has your school made recently?
"For 2024-2025 we have started Banbury Academy. This is to meet the needs of our growing population of students with diverse learning needs who appreciate our small class sizes and supportive environment, while wanting more direct and explicit teaching mixed with self-paced work. If you excel at something we won’t hold you back, if you need a bit more support in a subject, we are here to help!"
How will your school change in the next 5 years?
"Continued Expansion: The school aims to further expand both its physical space and its student body, adapting to growing demand while maintaining its commitment to small class sizes and personalized education."
