British Columbia offers a wide variety of highly regarded private and independent high schools. Because private schools offer numerous distinct advantages, such as smaller class sizes, they will prepare your child for the world beyond high school. Read more
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The Unisus School is the Okanagan’s most innovative independent school,
offering a pre-K through 12, inquiry-based education that is tailored to
each student’s unique abilities and interests.
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Independent K-12 boarding & day school in Victoria, BC, Canada focusing on university prep. Find out how a SMUS education can benefit your family.
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Brookes School Canada, an IB World School on beautiful Vancouver Island, offers grades 6 to 12 for both day and boarding students with an average class size of 12 students.
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Meadowridge is an IB Continuum World School that supports the development of the whole child in a safe, supportive and challenging environment.
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Glenlyon Norfolk School, an independent school in Victoria, BC, provides International Baccalaureate programs from JK to Grade 12. GNS offers 5- and 7-day Family Boarding for students who are not residents of Victoria.
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Venture Academy is a therapeutic treatment and education program for students who may be struggling with ADHD, learning challenges, underachieving, behavioural issues, and a variety of clinical diagnoses.
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Brentwood is a truly co-educational, progressive boarding school for Grades 9 to 12 located on an oceanfront campus on Vancouver Island, BC. Tuition runs from $25,700 to $66,000.
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Shawnigan Lake School is the largest boarding school in Canada. Located in Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island, we offer a comprehensive program to 500 young men and women in grades 8-12.
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St. George's School in Vancouver offers university-preparatory program to Canadian and International boarding students from Grade 8 to 12. The School's mission: Building Fine Young Men. One Boy at a Time.
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Mulgrave School offers programmes from Preschool to Grade 12 in West Vancouver. Its average class size is 20 students with teacher to student ratios of 1:8.
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With over 120 years of excellence in all-girls’ education, our rigorous academic program is complemented by strong arts, design technology and athletic programs. Financial assistance is available.
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Alexander Academy is a private World IB School offering the Diploma Programme and approved to offer the BC Ministry of Education curriculum in a culturally rich and academically challenging environment for Grades 8 - 12.
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BC Christian Academy offers Christian education from Preschool to Grade 12. Our dedication to academic excellence, strong Christian and moral values and a community built on compassion equip our students for the future.
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Westside's unique approach combines the best practices of Canadian and European education. Students are known, valued and understood as they prepare for admission to the top 50 universities and contributing lives beyond.
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Brockton School is an independent, co-ed, non-denominational, IB World School.
Brockton hosts an Early Learning Years program, a Junior School, and a Senior School, with students from Junior Kindergarten to grade 12.
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Focus Foundation is a world-class educational and therapeutic learning institution, described by Dr. Charles Huffine, former President of the American Association of Community Psychiatrists.
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Bodwell High School in North Vancouver is a boarding school that enrolls 650 students. Tuition starts at $26,575. We provide Education for a Changing World. The school's motto is "Strength in Diversity."
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Queen Margaret's School is an independent day/boarding university preparatory school in Duncan, BC.
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The UWC National Committee of Canada and Pearson College UWC represent the United World Colleges in Canada. We are seeking daring young Canadians who aspire to make the world a better place.
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ArtsCalibre Academy empowers students through creativity, mindfulness and leadership. We offer Preschool to Grade Eight in 2017/2018, adding one grade per year through to Grade 12.
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KGMS/Maplewood provides supportive individual and small group instruction for students with learning differences.
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St. Margaret's School (est. 1908) is an independent school in Victoria, BC, offering empowering education for girls from JK to Grade 12. At SMS, girls don't just get equal opportunity; they get every opportunity.
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In British Columbia, private and independent schools are a popular choice for parents. Approximately 12.1% of the province's student population attend a private or independent school (source: Measuring Choice and Competition in Canadian Education, the Fraser Institute, February 27, 2014).
Some popular schools in BC include boarding, special needs, boys, girls, and faith-based (such as Christian, Jewish, Catholic, and Islamic). BC also has schools featuring an alternative curriculum, such as Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia.
Many British Columbia private high schools offer enrichment programs including Advanced Placement (AP) International Baccalaureate (IB), and gifted programs. AP refers to courses administered by the College Board. If your child scores a 4/5 or a 5/5 on an AP exam, he or she may receive a university course credit that applies to their university transcript. IB is a comprehensive program that is more challenging than the regular high school curriculum. The IB diploma program requires students to take courses in six subject areas and complete more community service than the province mandates. The schools seek to foster citizens of the world, rather than mere students.
Many private schools exceed the requirements of the provincial curriculum, as they try to make high school as much like university as they possibly can. Many BC private high school listed below have superb track records in university placement.
Extracurricular activities are an important part of learning outside of the classroom. Many universities and employees look for well-rounded students. British Columbia's private and independent secondary schools offer diverse extracurricular options.
High school is a big jump from middle and elementary school. To avoid falling behind, your child might need special assistance outside of the classroom. Private schools in British Columbia are known to have dedicated teachers who will spend extra time with your child to ensure that he or she understands the material.
If British Columbia's government determines that a private school has substantially contributed to the province, it will receive a provincial grant. Schools collect grants according to the number of enrolled students. The province pays full grants for students who are "enrolled for a minimum of 600 hours from July 1 to May 15 of the school year." Schools qualify for partial grants for students who "receive less than 600 hours of instruction."
B.C. also offers special education grants to aid schools in "meeting the expenses associated with adapting or modifying the educational programs for students who qualify for special education grants." BC Education has additional information about independent school funding classifications.
In British Columbia, the Office of the Inspector of Independent schools enforces all aspects of the province's School Act, which establishes every school's duties. Even if a private school is not funded, it is still subject to strict regulations and inspections. However, the more a school is funded, the more requirements it must meet. While independent schools have freedom in their teaching styles, educational philosophies, and curricula, they are still required to meet provincial standards, such as educating students in English language, math, science, social studies, and French. Of course, private schools are very likely to greatly exceed standards set by the province.
Meet with British Columbia's top ranked private schools and the best boarding schools across Canada at the Vancouver Private School Expo in November. Learn about schools in Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, and elsewhere. This one-day event is a must for any parent or student considering an alternative education.
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