How to register your child

Whether your child is just entering kindergarten for the first time or transferring from another school, we’re happy to help you register your child for school with the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Use our online school locator to find your child’s home school based on your residential address. Then, use the tools on this page to plan for your child’s educational journey with the OCSB. If your child will be 4 years old by December 31, 2018, then they are ready to start kindergarten in September 2018.

September to June – Call or visit your home school to register your child.
January – Take advantage of our special Kindergarten Registration Week at all OCSB elementary schools.
July and August – Register your JK to Grade 6 child at our Summer Registration Centre, located at 570 West Hunt Club Road in Nepean. Register your Grade 7-12 student at your local high school.

Registration forms and required documents

We’ve made PDF registration packages for you to print yourself before you visit us to register. The following registration packages can be completed electronically, but cannot be saved to your computer, so make sure that you are able to print the package as soon as you have finished filling in the forms. You will also need to bring in specific identity documents to register your child for school. We’ve provided examples of the most common documents we accept, although we may accept others, if necessary. Download your registration package, collect your documents, and visit us today!

Catholic students and space availability

Children who are baptized Catholic, or have a parent who is Catholic, are automatically eligible for registration in their community OCSB school. Non-Catholic children will be welcomed on a space availability basis. At this time, there is space available in all of our schools for non-Catholic children.

Immunization records

Don’t forget the important step of updating your child’s immunization records with Ottawa Public Health (OPH). While immunization records are not required to register your child in school, students are required to be vaccinated against nine diseases or have a valid exemption. Every year, OPH reviews the immunization records of all 150,000 students attending schools in Ottawa to make sure the information is up-to-date. Updates on immunizations are crucial to protect the health of students during an infectious disease outbreak. Parents are required to report all immunizations done at the doctor’s office to Ottawa Public Health. Learn more about how to report your child’s vaccines before you register your child in an OCSB school. 

Keep kids in school with the CANImmunize App

CANImmunize is a digital tool for Canadians that securely stores your vaccination records and helps you get vaccinated on time. Avoid school suspensions with vaccination reporting to Ottawa Public Health.

Validating guardianship

If you are serving as the temporary guardian of a child and would like to register them in one of our schools, you will need to submit a Guardianship form. The document must be dated and signed by the child’s parent, and the temporary guardian. If the child’s parent lives outside of Ontario, please contact the Admissions Department to make an appointment. The following wording is required in the Guardianship form prepared by the parent:

The temporary guardian of this minor student must be over 19 years of age and named to assume daily care and responsibility of the student. The minor student must reside at the temporary guardian’s residence. This temporary guardianship letter will serve as a legal document that will allow the guardian to act in place of the parent(s) in times of emergency as well as day to day care and supervision of the student including attendance issues, discipline, and academics. The parent maintains all custodial rights and may terminate this agreement at any time.