Founded to raise a generation rooted in faith, fluent in Arabic, and ready for the world.
QAF, the Qabas Academic Foundation, is an Islamic Junior and Senior Kindergarten in Ottawa, serving families who want their child’s earliest years of formal learning to be shaped by faith, language, and purposeful play.
Our Story
QAF was founded in 2021 by Ottawa families who wanted something their city did not yet have: a kindergarten where children would be surrounded by Arabic every day, where Islamic identity would be woven into the rhythm of the classroom, and where learning would be shaped by the best of modern pedagogy, including the Montessori method.
We started small. One classroom, a handful of families, and a clear conviction: that the years between 4 and 5 are among the most formative in a child’s life, and that the language, environment, and values a child absorbs in those years stay with them forever.
Since then, QAF has grown into a warm community of families from across Ottawa. We remain intentionally small, because knowing every child by name is not a feature; it is the entire point.
Our Philosophy
Tarbiyah, in a prepared environment
We believe every child arrives with fitrah, a pure, natural disposition toward truth, beauty, and their Creator. Our job is not to fill a child with information but to prepare an environment where that fitrah can unfold.
That is why our approach is Montessori-inspired. Maria Montessori’s insight, that children learn best through purposeful, hands-on engagement with thoughtfully chosen materials, aligns deeply with the Islamic tradition of tarbiyah: the patient, holistic nurture of body, mind, heart, and soul.
We say Montessori-inspired, not Montessori-pure, because we also teach to Ontario’s Kindergarten Program, and we integrate Islamic Studies, Quran, and Arabic in ways the classical Montessori curriculum does not include. What we take from Montessori is the respect for the child, for the environment, and for the belief that children are not empty vessels to be filled but whole people to be nurtured.
Four principles that shape every day
Faith first
Every routine and interaction reinforces love for Allah, the Prophet ﷺ, and the Quran.
Respect for the child
We observe before we instruct. We guide before we correct. We never shame.
Arabic as a living language
Children hear it, speak it, sing it, and absorb it, not as a school subject but as a daily companion.
Ontario-aligned rigor
Every child leaves QAF meeting or exceeding Ontario’s Kindergarten Program expectations, ready for Grade 1.
A Glimpse Inside QAF
Meet Our Team
Our educators are what make QAF, QAF. Each one is chosen not just for their credentials but for the warmth they bring to our classroom.
Educator Name
Role · RECE
Languages: English, Arabic
Educator Name
Role · RECE
Languages: English, Arabic
Educator Name
Role · RECE
Languages: English, Arabic
Educator Name
Role · RECE
Languages: English, Arabic
Staff profiles coming soon. Please check back or visit us during a tour to meet the team in person.
Our Facility
Our classroom is designed for 4- and 5-year-olds, with child-sized furniture, materials within reach, natural light, and clear zones for quiet work, circle time, and movement. Safety standards meet or exceed Ontario requirements.
Our outdoor play area is fenced, age-appropriate, and supervised at all times. QAF is a nut-free facility and all food must be halal.
Parents stay connected to their child’s day through ClassDojo, where they receive photos, videos, and progress updates directly from our educators.
Now that you know us, come meet us.
Book a tour, walk through our classroom, and see whether QAF feels like the right first school for your child.
Book a Tour →