Below are OUR KIDS' rankings of private schools in British Columbia. Any attention you give these or any other ranking lists should be tempered by consideration of much more important factors.
Explore the complete list of BC private schools on OUR KIDS, the guide families trust to make the right choice.
A deeply thought-out decision process should be guided by the best advice, fully informed of all your options, with the goal of finding the school that's the best fit for your child(ren). Focusing on a school that other people call the best (for any reason) could lead you to make a regrettable decision. Along with schools themselves, OUR KIDS encourages families to take into account all aspects of schools, including admissions, academics, pedagogy, extracurriculars, special needs support (if needed), gifted programming, and other factors crucial to the long-term success of your child.
Used properly, rankings can be of some help to families at key points in their research. The lists below can help you discover top schools that may not have been on your radar before. Survey the landscape to understand how the schools you're most interested in fit into a bigger picture. OUR KIDS' ranking lists are the product of a long relationship with private schools in British Columbia, including the best private schools in Vancouver. We work closely with schools to help them fully detail their uniqueness, so you can discover the school that most closely matches your needs and those of your children. Use these lists in that spirit.
We also have a separate list of British Columbia boarding school rankings.
Competition to get into a school can indicate its high academic standards, and imply that it's sought out by top students, and turns away applicants who don't meet its standards. However, other mitigating factors affect schools' acceptance rates, including their marketing efforts, location, perceived prestige, and other factors. Many excellent private schools with a 100% acceptance rate turn out exceptional graduates. It's far more important for families to find the school that best fits the most pressing needs of children.
| School | Location | Grades | Acceptance rate |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology | Vancouver, BC | 8 to 12 | 30% |
| 2 | Crescent Heights Academy | Surrey, BC | K to 12 | 32% |
| 3 | Chaoyin Bilingual School | Richmond, BC | K to 7 | 45% |
| 4 | Pear Tree School | Vancouver, BC | K to 9 | 50% |
| 5 | Unisus School | Summerland, BC | PS to 12 | 70% |
| 6 | Bodwell High School | North Vancouver, BC | 8 to 12 | 75% |
| 7 | Madrona Independent School | Vancouver, BC | K to 8 | 75% |
| 8 | Lowell High School | Vancouver, BC | 10 to 12 | 80% |
| 9 | Westmont Montessori School | Victoria, BC | PS to 12 | 80% |
| 10 | Brookes Westshore | Victoria, BC | 4 to 12 | 95% |
Below, find private schools ranked in terms of the average class size they report to Our Kids. Many parents in BC and elsewhere feel that small class sizes and a lower teacher-to-student ratio mean a better school. It's only one aspect, though, and many different elements of a school's life can promote children's success. Many private schools with standard class sizes offer an excellent education
| School | Location | Grades | Avg. class size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whytecliff Agile Learning Centres | Langley, BC | 8 to 12 | 3 to 6 |
| 2 | Whytecliff Agile Learning Centre - Burnaby | Burnaby, BC | 8 to 12 | 3 to 6 |
| 3 | Madrona Independent School | Vancouver, BC | K to 8 | 6 to 10 |
| 4 | Lowell High School | Vancouver, BC | 10 to 12 | 10 to 12 |
| 5 | Chaoyin Bilingual School | Richmond, BC | K to 7 | 10 to 18 |
| 6 | Columbia Academy | Vancouver, BC | K to 12 | 12 to 15 |
| 7 | Brookes Westshore | Victoria, BC | 4 to 12 | 12 to 18 |
| 8 | Coast Mountain Academy | Squamish, BC | 7 to 12 | 12 to 20 |
| 9 | Cousteau, The French International School of Vancouver | North Vancouver, BC | PS to 9 | 12 to 24 |
| 10 | Children of Integrity Montessori Academy | Coquitlam, BC | PS to 7 | 14 to 18 |
Below, we provide a list of BC private schools that have recently graduated the most students to 12 of the world's top universities (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, University of Chicago, Oxford, and Cambridge. Consult school reports to learn more about schools' placement in other Canadian and American schools. While university placement is understandably important, weigh this against many other facets of schools.
| School | Location | Grades | Grads in Top US/UK Schools (5 yrs) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bodwell High School | North Vancouver, BC | 8 to 12 | 10 |
| 2 | Brentwood College School | Mill Bay, BC | 8 to 12 | 7 |
| 3 | Crescent Heights Academy | Surrey, BC | K to 12 | 3 |
| 4 | St. John's Academy Shawnigan Lake | Shawingan Lake, BC | 4 to 12 | 1 |
| 5 | Brookes Westshore | Victoria, BC | 4 to 12 | 0 |
| 6 | Brockton School | North Vancouver, BC | JK to 12 | 0 |
| 7 | Coast Mountain Academy | Squamish, BC | 7 to 12 | 0 |
| 8 | Lowell High School | Vancouver, BC | 10 to 12 | 0 |
| 9 | Westmont Montessori School | Victoria, BC | PS to 12 | 0 |
| 10 | Columbia Academy | Vancouver, BC | K to 12 | 0 |
Sports is a big part of life for many young teens. There are many different ways of ranking schools for athletics. The list below focuses solely on the number of sports programs offered as an objective measure that avoids bias.
| School | Location | Grades | Total sports programs |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. George's School | Vancouver, BC | K to 12 | 56 |
| 2 | Aberdeen Hall Preparatory School | Kelowna, BC | PS to 12 | 37 |
| 3 | Bodwell High School | North Vancouver, BC | 8 to 12 | 33 |
| 4 | Brockton School | North Vancouver, BC | JK to 12 | 32 |
| 5 | Brentwood College School | Mill Bay, BC | 8 to 12 | 29 |
| 6 | Cousteau, The French International School of Vancouver | North Vancouver, BC | PS to 9 | 25 |
| 7 | Coast Mountain Academy | Squamish, BC | 7 to 12 | 21 |
| 8 | Whytecliff Agile Learning Centres | Langley, BC | 8 to 12 | 20 |
| 9 | Pear Tree School | Vancouver, BC | K to 9 | 17 |
| 10 | St. John's Academy Shawnigan Lake | Shawingan Lake, BC | 4 to 12 | 15 |
High tuition doesn’t always mean a better education. In Vancouver and across B.C., school costs vary due to regional differences, for example. Many excellent schools charge moderate fees. While top-priced schools often offer outstanding facilities, staff, and programs, great value can also be found in more affordable options. The key is finding the right fit for your child. Use the list below as a reference, but keep an open mind and focus on what truly matters in your school search.
| School | Location | Grades | Tuition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brentwood College School | Mill Bay, BC | 8 to 12 | $32,000 to $96,300 |
| 2 | St. George's School | Vancouver, BC | K to 12 | $33,300 to $94,800 |
| 3 | Brookes Westshore | Victoria, BC | 4 to 12 | $10,920 to $67,053 |
| 4 | St. John's Academy Shawnigan Lake | Shawingan Lake, BC | 4 to 12 | $13,175 to $65,550 |
| 5 | Unisus School | Summerland, BC | PS to 12 | $14,800 to $59,480 |
| 6 | Aberdeen Hall Preparatory School | Kelowna, BC | PS to 12 | $7,290 to $57,950 |
| 7 | Bodwell High School | North Vancouver, BC | 8 to 12 | $25,000 to $45,000 |
| 8 | Madrona Independent School | Vancouver, BC | K to 8 | $32,500 to $40,000 |
| 9 | Pear Tree School | Vancouver, BC | K to 9 | $25,092 to $32,607 |
| 10 | Westmont Montessori School | Victoria, BC | PS to 12 | $9,565 to $32,000 |
The age of a school lends it some prestige, especially in the world of private education. However, we urge parents to question such assumptions. Many newer private schools may take a more progressive approach to education. Avoid emphasis on any ranking in favour of a more holistic-minded approach when deciding which school is best for your kids.
| School | Location | Grades | Founded | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brentwood College School | Mill Bay, BC | 8 to 12 | 1923 |
| 2 | St. George's School | Vancouver, BC | K to 12 | 1930 |
| 3 | Westmont Montessori School | Victoria, BC | PS to 12 | 1954 |
| 4 | Gatehouse Montessori School | West Vancouver, BC | PS to K | 1979 |
| 5 | Bodwell High School | North Vancouver, BC | 8 to 12 | 1991 |
| 6 | Madrona Independent School | Vancouver, BC | K to 8 | 1993 |
| 7 | Whytecliff Agile Learning Centres | Langley, BC | 8 to 12 | 1993 |
| 8 | Whytecliff Agile Learning Centre - Burnaby | Burnaby, BC | 8 to 12 | 1993 |
| 9 | North Star Montessori Elementary School | North Vancouver, BC | PS to 7 | 1996 |
| 10 | Cousteau, The French International School of Vancouver | North Vancouver, BC | PS to 9 | 1997 |
| School | Location | Grades | Endowment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. George's School | Vancouver, BC | K to 12 | $25,000,000 |
| 2 | Brentwood College School | Mill Bay, BC | 8 to 12 | $20,000,000 |
Find private schools in BC ranked by which have produced the most alumni with entries on Wikipedia. This is a reasonable indicator of influence in today's world, although it's also simplistic. Similarly, it's simplistic for parents in the school search process to favour one school over another because it has more notable alumni. Please review the other research tools linked above.
| School | Location | Grades | Notable alumni |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. George's School | Vancouver, BC | K to 12 | 6 |
| 2 | Brentwood College School | Mill Bay, BC | 8 to 12 | 4 |
| 3 | Bodwell High School | North Vancouver, BC | 8 to 12 | 1 |
| School | Location | Grades | Tuition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whytecliff Agile Learning Centres | Langley, BC | 8 to 12 | $8,900 to $19,500 |
| 2 | Whytecliff Agile Learning Centre - Burnaby | Burnaby, BC | 8 to 12 | $8,900 to $19,500 |
| 3 | Saplings Nature School | North Vancouver, BC | PS to 6 | $9,060 to $9,950 |
| 4 | Westmont Montessori School | Victoria, BC | PS to 12 | $10,600 to $14,945 |
| 5 | Brookes Westshore | Victoria, BC | 4 to 12 | $10,920 to $18,835 |
| 6 | Crescent Heights Academy | Surrey, BC | K to 12 | $11,315 to $13,460 |
| 7 | Gatehouse Montessori School | West Vancouver, BC | PS to K | $11,950 to $18,720 |
| 8 | Children of Integrity Montessori Academy | Coquitlam, BC | PS to 7 | $12,000 to $13,512 |
| 9 | St. John's Academy Shawnigan Lake | Shawingan Lake, BC | 4 to 12 | $13,175 to $18,950 |
| 10 | Unisus School | Summerland, BC | PS to 12 | $14,800 to $17,980 |
| School | Location | Grades | Students | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology | Vancouver, BC | 8 to 12 | 50% |
| 2 | Unisus School | Summerland, BC | PS to 12 | 30% |
| 3 | Brentwood College School | Mill Bay, BC | 8 to 12 | 27% |
| 4 | Whytecliff Agile Learning Centres | Langley, BC | 8 to 12 | 25% |
| 5 | Coast Mountain Academy | Squamish, BC | 7 to 12 | 11% |
| 6 | Brookes Westshore | Victoria, BC | 4 to 12 | 10% |
| 7 | Madrona Independent School | Vancouver, BC | K to 8 | 10% |
| 8 | St. George's School | Vancouver, BC | K to 12 | 8% |
| 9 | Crescent Heights Academy | Surrey, BC | K to 12 | 7% |
| 10 | Saplings Nature School | North Vancouver, BC | PS to 6 | 5% |
| School | Location | Grades | Enrollment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. George's School | Vancouver, BC | K to 12 | 1202 |
| 2 | Crescent Heights Academy | Surrey, BC | K to 12 | 730 |
| 3 | Aberdeen Hall Preparatory School | Kelowna, BC | PS to 12 | 700 |
| 4 | Brentwood College School | Mill Bay, BC | 8 to 12 | 550 |
| 5 | Urban Academy | New Westminster, BC | JK to 12 | 445 |
| 6 | Bodwell High School | North Vancouver, BC | 8 to 12 | 400 |
| 7 | Brockton School | North Vancouver, BC | JK to 12 | 345 |
| 8 | Brookes Westshore | Victoria, BC | 4 to 12 | 300 |
| 9 | Westmont Montessori School | Victoria, BC | PS to 12 | 290 |
| 10 | St. John's Academy Shawnigan Lake | Shawingan Lake, BC | 4 to 12 | 235 |
Are British Columbia private schools good?
We interviewed both parents and students. You can read reviews about British Columbia private schools on this page.
What is the most expensive British Columbia private school?
Brentwood College School has the highest tuition fees from $32,000 to $96,300 per year with an average tuition of $64,150 per year.
Which British Columbia private school has the lowest acceptance rates?
The British Columbia private school with the lowest acceptance rate is Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology. The school has an overall accepance rate of 30%.
What is the oldest British Columbia private school?
Brentwood College School is the oldest British Columbia private school. The school was founded in 1923.
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