The Independent and Private School Forum (IPSF) is a professional network supporting school leaders, owners, and administrators across Canada’s private and independent education sector. We provide strategic support through professional development, accreditation guidance, policy resources, and peer-to-peer collaboration.

Membership is open to principals, heads of school, executive directors, and administrators from private and independent schools of all types—faith-based, Montessori, IB, online, or progressive. If you’re leading a school or part of its senior leadership team, IPSF is for you.

IPSF members gain access to:

-High-quality professional development

-Exclusive networking events and forums

-Templates, tools, and policy samples

-Accreditation support with Cognia, the world’s largest accrediting body

-A peer network of forward-thinking school leaders

-Ministry compliance resources

-Invitations to leadership roundtables and advisory groups

IPSF is the exclusive Canadian partner of Cognia, and we guide member schools through the full accreditation process—from readiness to accreditation review. We provide tools, mentoring, and support to help your school meet international standards of quality and continuous improvement.

We offer a range of learning experiences, including:

-Forums for school leaders on timely topics

-Virtual workshops and webinars

-Special sessions on curriculum, compliance, marketing, and governance

-Personalized PD options for school leadership teams

No. IPSF is a professional forum—not a regulatory agency. We don’t license or certify schools, but we work to empower school leaders through support, resources, and advocacy within the education sector.

Annual IPSF membership is $1,975 + tax per school. Schools can add Cognia accreditation support for an additional $1,975. This investment includes access to all members-only events, templates, portal resources, and leadership support.

Click the Join Now button on our homepage to get started. Once your membership is confirmed, you’ll receive a welcome package and access to our onboarding survey, events calendar, and member portal.

Absolutely! While your school holds the membership, we encourage your entire leadership team to engage in IPSF events, webinars, and forums. Many schools involve 2–6 staff in our programming throughout the year.

Yes! Accreditation is one of many services we offer. You can join IPSF to access resources, events, and the leadership network regardless of your accreditation plans.

Email us anytime at info@ipsf.ca or use the contact form on our website. You can also subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn for updates.