Families often ask about the role of testing at Hudson. Aside from age-appropriate assessments like spelling tests and math quizzes, all students complete regular Developmental Reading Assessments (JK–Grade 4); the Canadian Test of Basic Skills (Grade 3–8) each fall; and the University of Waterloo’s Gauss Mathematics Contest (Grade 7–8) in the spring.
Here, our Lower School Principal and Head of Curriculum Rose Bastien reflects on our 2025 CTBS results and what they say about Hudson’s academic program.
Every October, our Lower School students in Grades 3 through 8 sit down to take the Canadian Test of Basic Skills (CTBS)—a standardized assessment that measures foundational academic abilities in reading comprehension, language usage, and mathematics.
At Hudson, we’re not big on teaching to the test. We don’t drill students on test-taking strategies or pause our regular curriculum to cram. Instead, we focus on building genuine understanding and strong foundational skills every single day. The CTBS simply gives us a snapshot of how that approach is working.
This year’s results tell a compelling story about what happens when students experience consistent, high-quality instruction year after year.
Before we dive into the numbers, let’s clarify what Grade Equivalent (GE) scores actually mean. A GE score is a comparative measure, not a mastery indicator.
If a Grade 6 student receives a GE score of 8.5, it doesn’t mean they’re ready to jump into Grade 8 coursework or that they’ve mastered all Grade 8 material. What it does mean is that this student answered the same number of questions correctly on their Grade 6 test as an average Grade 8 student (in the fifth month of school) would have answered correctly on that same Grade 6 test.
In other words, GE scores show us how our students perform relative to students in other grades across Canada—a useful benchmark for understanding where our students stand academically.
The pattern is clear: as students progress through our program, their grade equivalency scores accelerate. By the time our students reach Grade 8, they’re performing well above their current grade level across all three areas.
The mathematics results are particularly striking. Grade 3 students score at a 4.4 GE—already 1.4 grade levels ahead. By Grade 8, students achieve a 13+ GE, meaning they're performing five full grade levels above the average Canadian student.
This isn’t luck. It’s the result of Saxon Math, a program we use from the earliest grades. Saxon introduces foundational skills starting in Junior and Senior Kindergarten, building mathematical thinking systematically through incremental development and continuous review. Students don’t just learn procedures—they understand concepts deeply and retain them over time.
The trajectory speaks for itself. Each year, students build on a strong foundation, and the gap between their actual grade and their performance level widens. That’s what sustainable mathematics education looks like.
Our reading comprehension scores follow a similar upward trajectory. Grade 3 students begin slightly above grade level at 3.6, and by Grade 8, students reach an 11.4 GE—more than three grade levels ahead.
These results reflect our emphasis on not just reading, but discussing texts to foster critical thinking. Students go beyond simply decoding words or summarizing plots. They analyze, infer, make connections, and defend their interpretations. They engage with diverse texts across genres and learn to approach reading as an active, meaning-making process.
When students spend years in an environment where reading is both rigorous and engaging, the outcome is students who can tackle complex texts with confidence.
Language arts scores—measuring grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and writing mechanics—show our Grade 8 students performing at a 10.0 GE, two full grade levels ahead.
This growth stems from our focus on writing as a practiced skill. Through the Language Power series, direct instruction, regular editing practice, and individual writing conferences, students develop a command of language conventions that becomes second nature.
Writing is something we spend time on every single day. It’s woven throughout the curriculum, with teachers providing specific, actionable feedback that helps students internalize strong writing habits. By Grade 8, the results of this sustained attention are clear.
The CTBS isn’t just an annual ritual—it's a diagnostic tool that informs our teaching. We use these results in three key ways:
1. Supporting individual student needs
When results reveal specific learning gaps in reading, language usage, or mathematics, we can intervene early and target those areas precisely. No student slips through the cracks.
2. Benchmarking against national standards
The CTBS shows us where our students stand relative to peers across Canada in areas of curriculum that are similar. It confirms whether our instructional approach is working—and where we might need to adjust.
3. Guiding professional development
Results inform our decisions about teacher training and instructional priorities. If we see patterns across classes or grade levels, we can focus professional development where it will have the greatest impact.
Standardized test scores are just one measure of student learning, but they’re a meaningful one. They provide objective evidence that our approach—emphasizing foundational skills, deep understanding, and consistent practice—produces students who are genuinely prepared for the academic challenges ahead.
More importantly, these results reflect something less tangible but more valuable: a school culture where learning builds on learning, year after year. Our students can exceed grade-level expectations because they’ve been given the tools, instruction, and support to do so from the moment they join Hudson.
When Grade 3 students begin their CTBS journey already performing above grade level, and when Grade 8 students finish performing multiple grade levels ahead, that’s not a one-year achievement. That’s the cumulative result of multiple years of excellent teaching, engaged learning, and a curriculum designed to help every student thrive.
Hudson College is a coed, non-denominational private school in Toronto, serving students from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12. Wondering how your child would thrive at Hudson? Book a visit to see our school in action!
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