Ivy Compass

Our signature program fosters personal growth, leadership and engaged citizenship through real-life experiences inside and outside the classroom and prepares girls to navigate life with confidence

Our unique Ivy Compass Program, offered from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12, goes beyond the BC curriculum by integrating enriched learning opportunities that broaden girls’ horizons and deepen their understanding of the world and their role within it. Ivy Compass fosters curiosity and encourages girls to ask big questions and take purposeful action.

All aspects of Ivy Compass are thoughtfully integrated into the curriculum across the whole school, putting girls at the centre of their learning by giving them the time, support and opportunities to discover their strengths and to become socially and environmentally responsible leaders. Through Ivy Compass, our girls get involved in the community outside of Crofton House School at an early age so when they graduate, they’re ready to make a difference.

The Journey

Like a compass, the Ivy Compass program has four directions. Each area exposes girls to age-appropriate experiences that guide them on their personal journey.

North East South West Needle

North

New Horizons

Developing a strong sense of self

East

Environmental Learning

Fostering environmental stewardship

South

Service Learning

Learning through community engagement

West

World Citizenship

Becoming socially responsible citizens

Junior School
Senior School

Junior School

Opening girls up to new perspectives

Beginning in the early grades, we connect our curriculum to impactful life lessons for our youngest learners with hands-on, age-appropriate activities.

From learning in the garden in Junior Kindergarten to researching a global issue such as plastics in the ocean or homelessness for their Grade 7 Impact Project, Ivy Compass helps girls make connections between what they are learning in the classroom and activities that develop a sense of agency.

Outdoor education is a hallmark of the Ivy Compass experience and from Grade 3, girls participate in fun and formative overnight trips that are designed to progressively develop leadership, self-reliance, confidence and environmental stewardship.

Crofton House girls start to understand at an early age how they can have a positive impact – in their peer groups, in their classrooms, in the natural world and in their community.

“Through Ivy Compass, we learned about leadership skills – being inclusive and striving for a supportive environment. Now we are trying to implement what we learned at Crofton House.”

Gigi ’23 | CHS Student

Senior School

Turning ideas into action

By Senior School, Crofton House girls apply their Ivy Compass learning to real-life experiences in the workplace, on major trips, in volunteer roles and in nature.

Through Ivy Compass girls have the opportunity to expand their leadership skills through activities such as organizing a blood drive with Canadian Blood Services or a citizenship ceremony for new Canadians.

As part of the Ivy Compass Program, girls in the Senior School take part in multi-day outdoor education trips designed to develop leadership, self-reliance, confidence and environmental stewardship.

All these experiences equip girls for post-secondary experiences and prepare them to lead with valuable skills such as the ability to critically analyze issues, reflect, make connections, collaborate and adapt.

With a deep understanding of who they are and what they stand for, girls in Senior School are ready to make their mark on the world – in whatever path they choose.

"Ivy Compass gives me opportunities to try new things in a safe environment that still pushes me to grow."

Lucy ’20 | CHS Student

Learning Beyond the Classroom
Many students participate in our Work Experience Program in Grades 11-12, with support from School staff. For a minimum of 20 hours, students experience a profession they’re interested in, which helps them make informed decisions about their futures. Students have participated in work placements in a range of industries, from film to business to medical, and many go on to work with reputable organizations like Teck Resources Limited, the University of British Columbia, Glotman Simpson and Kids Physio Group.

Citizenship in Our Community
Throughout Junior School, girls take part in age-appropriate service projects in Vancouver to benefit other children in the wider community. Crofton House students have participated in projects with Canuck Place, UNICEF, the YWCA and local food banks.

Global Exchanges
Crofton House School offers a global exchange program designed to expose students to new perspectives, places and cultures. Girls can participate in fun, challenging and transformative exchanges as they practice independence, decision-making, social adaptability, resilience and courage. Exchanges take place in Australia, New Zealand, and London.

Unique Experiences
Ivy Days are woven into the year for Grade 8 to 12 students. On these days, time is invested in learning valued by the School such as leadership, citizenship, service to others, and self-awareness and resilience. Students take part in hands-on activities on or off campus, like a Musqueam First Nations blanket exercise (pictured) representing the thousands of Indigenous children across Canada who were unwillingly taken from their homes and families and placed in residential schools.

Environmental Awareness
From Junior Kindergarten, girls are learning in the garden, exploring the Mini Woods and making connections between what they’re learning in the classroom and activities that develop a sense of agency in their community, such as participating in a fundraiser for a roof for a school in Africa or painting the storm drains around the school.

“Ivy Compass teaches girls to be better citizens. Through volunteering and hands-on activities, like making food for people in need, it shows them that what you do to help has an impact.”

CHS Parent | Senior School