Trafalgar School for Girls

"Traf" redirects here. For the proteins, see TRAF.

Trafalgar School for Girls (abbreviated as Traf) is an all-girls independent school located in Downtown Montreal, Quebec. The school serves students at Secondary I – V levels, i.e. ages 11–12 to 16–17. The total enrollment is 200, the student-teacher ratio is 8:1, and the average class size is a range from 10 to 20.^[1] The current Head of School is Katherine Nikidis.

Trafalgar School for Girls
Address
3495 Simpson Street Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Coordinates	45.4988°N 73.5841°W / 45.4988; -73.5841
Information
School type	Independent day school
Founded	1887; 138 years ago (1887)
Purpose	College-preparatory school
Gender	Girls
Language	English
Website	trafalgar.qc.ca

Background

The site is within the Golden Square Mile, which was the richest neighbourhood in Canada when the school opened in 1887.^[2] The idea came from a wealthy merchant named Donald Ross. The institute received funds from Anne Scott and Donald Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal, as well as other prominent residents of Montreal.^[2][1] The school's curriculum was designed to prepare girls for higher education, although only a small minority actually went to university.^[3]

The Montreal Hoshuko School, a weekend Japanese school, rents classroom space there.^[4][5]

Trafalgar announced the sale of its Simpson St. building in 2019. In September 2020, it was announced that Trafalgar and McGill University would be partnering on the CoLab, which will integrate teacher training, classroom practice and research in one place.^[6] Trafalgar will be situated at Purvis Hall at the corner of Peel Street and Pine Avenue, close to the McGill campus.^[7]

Notable alumna

• Christine Ayoub, mathematician^[8]
• Nora Collyer, painter
• Caryl Churchill, playwright^[9]
• Jessalyn Gilsig, actress^[10]
• Vivien Law, linguist and academic
• Carolyn Taylor, writer actor and comedian^[11]
• Cairine Wilson, politician
• Rhona and Rhoda Wurtele, Olympic skiers