On this page, we cover private and independent schools in Vancouver, BC that offer gifted programs and support. This includes gifted schools in North, West, and Downtown Vancouver, Yaletown, Gastown, and the Tri-Cities. It also includes schools in Metro Vancouver, such as Surrey, Richmond, Delta, Langley, Maple Ridge, and White Rock.
For a more complete guide to gifted education, including a discussion of gifted testing and assessment, start with our introductory guide.
Listen to the Our Kids gifted programs podcast38:22 |
Private schools are not obligated to support gifted learners with special programs. Many private schools don't—even ones with strong academic reputations. The schools listed on this page, however, do. We organize the schools into groups: dedicated gifted schools, schools with dedicated gifted classes, and schools offering in-class gifted support. Then, in the fourth group, we identify schools that don't offer formal gifted support but have accelerated curricula for all their students.
These schools have a separate, dedicated class (or classes) where 100% of the students are gifted. These gifted classes can be either full-time or part-time, and exist in parallel to regular, non-gifted classes.
School Name | Pace | Cost | |
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Southpointe Academy (est. 2000)
Delta, British Columbia Southpointe Academy is one of the few schools in Canada delivering the full IB Continuum Programme from Kindergarten to Grade 12, Moving from AP to the IB Diploma Programme for Grades 11-12 in 2023. View profile |
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$20,000 to $39,650
View profile |
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada (est. 2017)
Richmond, British Columbia MLWS-KPU offers a truly unique high school experience. Students receive the support and community of small high school classes along with the academic opportunities of learning within world-class university facilities. View profile |
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$22,000 to $37,950
View profile |
These schools offer support for gifted students within the regular classroom. Gifted students stay with regular learners, while receiving special, individualized programming.
School Name | Pace | Cost | |
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Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School (est. 1973)
North Vancouver, British Columbia Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School is a centre of excellence in developmentally informed instruction that empowers children with learning disabilities in a passionate, progressive and inspiring learning environment. View profile |
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$29,900 to $30,900
View profile |
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The Maria Montessori School (est. 1991)
Surrey, British Columbia Authentic Montessori Preschool. Students completing our 3 year program at The Maria Montessori School test extremely well. We balance academics, exploration and skills guided by your child's natural interests. View profile |
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$2,500 to $4,000
View profile |
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Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology (est. 2022)
Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver's only dedicated STEM high school, VISST offers the full BC curriculum with accelerated & enriched STEM including computer science starting from Grade 8. Students will learn from domain experts and PhDs. View profile |
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$22,500
View profile |
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Mulgrave School (est. 1993)
West Vancouver, British Columbia By inspiring excellence – the continuous pursuit of personal best - in education and life, Mulgrave strives to equip lifelong learners to thrive in a diverse and interdependent world. View profile |
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$25,000 to $28,000
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Island Pacific School (est. 1995)
Bowen Island, British Columbia Our four year program is developed to equip and inspire students to cultivate their humanity. We are distinctly different: a small IB middle school that fosters intellectual engagement, citizenship and leadership. View profile |
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$20,925 to $26,507
View profile |
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Alcuin College (est. 2012)
North Vancouver, British Columbia Our rigorous, personalized programme and strong teacher-student relationships enable us to cultivate each student's talents, helping them build on strengths and discover the joy of learning. View profile |
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$20,000 to $23,000
View profile |
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Brockton School (est. 2004)
North Vancouver, British Columbia Brockton School is an independent, co-ed, non-denominational, IB World School inspiring the growth of outstanding humans, from JK to Grade 12. View profile |
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$22,600 to $25,100
View profile |
These schools offer no formal program for gifted students, but have an accelerated baseline curriculum. This means all students—gifted or not—do the work of older peers at other schools. For highly gifted learners (those in the 99th percentile), this alone is likely not enough to support their needs.
School Name | Pace | Cost | |
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Pythagoras Academy (est. 2013)
Richmond, British Columbia We emphasize critical thinking, as well as innovation, joy, and curiosity. View profile |
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$20,700 to $33,400
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Meadowridge School (est. 1985)
Maple Ridge, British Columbia Meadowridge is an IB Continuum World School that supports the development of the whole child in a safe, supportive and challenging environment. View profile |
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$25,925 to $35,925
View profile |
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Glarea Elevated Learning (est. 2020)
Surrey, British Columbia We understand the importance of developing a well rounded individual. Our Tech, Art and Sport Expert Streams are integrated with the Academic curriculum to amplify our students’ growth into capable and confident adults. View profile |
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$17,000 to $18,250
View profile |
Our gifted education guide has advice specific to finding gifted programming. For insights that are more general (on how to evaluate school options), we recommend you review our hub on choosing a school as well as great expert advice on school-choice. You can also read our guides to questions to ask private schools and questions students get asked at school interviews.
Private school expos are ideal launching pads for your school-finding journey. The Vancouver private school expo allows you to speak with 10+ of the leading Vancouver private schools — all in one place. Find a gifted school near you.
Word-of-mouth is another powerful tool in your school-finding arsenal. The Our Kids parent discussion forum allows you to discuss your options and debate topics about gifted education. You can use our community of parents, educational experts, alumni, and school officials to help answer your questions and stimulate your thinking.
Attending open houses is a great way to learn more about a school and get a feel for the environment. For some general advice on open house visits, go here. For questions to ask that are specific to gifted programs, check out our main gifted education guide.
School name | Date | Location |
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Island Pacific School | February 15, 2023 6:15 pm | Island Pacific School 671 Carter Road, Box 128 Bowen Island British Columbia V0N 1G0 |
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | April 03, 2023 9:00 am | Maple Leaf World School - KPU 8771 Lansdowne Road Richmond British Columbia V6X 3X8 |
Island Pacific School | April 18, 2023 12:00 am | Island Pacific School 671 Carter Rd Bowen Island BC VON 1G0 |
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | May 12, 2023 9:00 am | Maple Leaf World School - KPU 8771 Lansdowne Road Richmond British Columbia V6X 3X7 |
Broadly speaking, the cost of gifted schools in Vancouver reflects private school tuition in general. Private schools can range from $5,000 to over $30,000 per year for day students.
There are quite a few affordable private and independent schools for gifted kids. Inexpensive schools can often provide an excellent education by focusing on the classroom basics. You don't need to spend a fortune on bells and whistles: the key is getting your child individualized support. Having said that, the pricier schools will tend to provide a wider breadth of in-class and extracurricular opportunities. They will also tend to be larger and more established. Nonetheless, for most schools, the largest operating expense is usually teacher salaries.
Many schools offer financial aid (also known as "bursaries", "tuition relief", or "tuition assistance") and scholarships. Financial aid is needs-based, while scholarships are given for some measure of merit (whether it be academic, athletic, or something else). You can read more about financial aid and scholarships in our dedicated guide. Generally speaking, the larger and more expensive private schools provide the most aid. Even comfortable middle-class families can be eligible to receive aid, so don't be afraid to ask a school about it—whatever your financial situation.
Below you'll find the range of costs at Vancouver private schools with gifted programs:
Tuition (day school) | Students receiving financial aid | Grade eligibility for financial aid | Avg. aid package size (annual) | |
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Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School | $29,900 to $30,900 | |||
Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology | $22,500 | 90% | 8 - 9 | $8,000 |
Mulgrave School | $19,980 to $24,820 | 5% | Preschool - 12 | $15,000 |
Island Pacific School | $20,925 to $26,507 | 15% | 6 - 9 | $5,000 |
Glarea Elevated Learning | $17,000 to $18,250 | |||
Brockton School | $19,100 to $22,200 | JK - 12 |
Legend:
DS | DC | SE | CC | IS | CL | AC | LI | AP | IB | SN | |
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Southpointe Academy | |||||||||||
Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School | |||||||||||
Pythagoras Academy | |||||||||||
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | |||||||||||
The Maria Montessori School | |||||||||||
Meadowridge School | |||||||||||
Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology | |||||||||||
Mulgrave School | |||||||||||
Island Pacific School | |||||||||||
Alcuin College | |||||||||||
Glarea Elevated Learning | |||||||||||
Brockton School |
Founding date | Endowment | Admissions rate | Enrollment | Enrollment per grade | |
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Southpointe Academy | 2000 | 30% | 630 | 48 | |
Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School | 1973 | 200 | 15 | ||
Pythagoras Academy | 2013 | 210 | 19 | ||
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | 2017 | 75% | 105 | 35 | |
The Maria Montessori School | 1991 | 85% | 20 | ||
Meadowridge School | 1985 | 650 | |||
Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology | 2022 | 30 | 15 | ||
Mulgrave School | 1993 | $0 | 18% | 950 | 68 |
Island Pacific School | 1995 | 85% | 72 | 18 | |
Alcuin College | 2012 | 100 | 8 | ||
Glarea Elevated Learning | 2020 | 80% | 90 | 15 | |
Brockton School | 2004 | 320 |
Primary curriculum | Secondary curriculum | Curriculum pace | Academic culture | Average class size | Language immersion | Special needs support | Tech integration |
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Southpointe Academy | Progressive | International Baccalaureate | Standard-enriched | Rigorous | 18 to 24 | No support | ||
Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School | Traditional | Student-paced | Supportive | 5 to 18 | Special needs school | |||
Pythagoras Academy | Traditional | Reggio Emilia | Accelerated | 8 to 15 | No support | Medium integration | ||
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | Traditional | International Baccalaureate | Standard-enriched | Supportive | 10 to 20 | Indirect Support | Heavy integration | |
The Maria Montessori School | Montessori | Student-paced | Supportive | 18 to 20 | No support | |||
Meadowridge School | Progressive | International Baccalaureate | Accelerated | Rigorous | No support | Medium integration | ||
Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology | Progressive | Accelerated | Rigorous | 10 to 20 | Indirect Support | Heavy integration | ||
Mulgrave School | Progressive | International Baccalaureate | Accelerated | Rigorous | 14 to 22 | No support | Heavy integration | |
Island Pacific School | Liberal Arts | International Baccalaureate | Standard-enriched | Supportive | 12 to 18 | Indirect Support | Medium integration | |
Alcuin College | Liberal Arts | Standard-enriched | Supportive | 8 to 12 | Indirect Support | |||
Glarea Elevated Learning | Progressive | Accelerated | Supportive | 15 | No support | Heavy integration | ||
Brockton School | Progressive | International Baccalaureate | Standard-enriched | Rigorous | Indirect Support |
Legend:
Southpointe Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Pythagoras Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||
The Maria Montessori School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Meadowridge School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mulgrave School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Island Pacific School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Alcuin College | ||||||||||||||||||||
Glarea Elevated Learning | ||||||||||||||||||||
Brockton School |
Admission deadline | SSAT required | Interview required | Acceptance rate | Next open house | |
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Southpointe Academy | Day: Nov 25, 2022 | 30% | |||
Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School | Day: rolling | ||||
Pythagoras Academy | Day: rolling | JK - 8 | |||
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | Day: rolling Boarding: rolling Homestay: rolling | 10 - 12 | 75% | Apr 3, 2023 | |
The Maria Montessori School | Day: rolling | Preschool - K | 85% | ||
Meadowridge School | Day: rolling | 6 - 12 | JK - 12 | ||
Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology | Day: rolling | 8 - 12 | |||
Mulgrave School | Day: rolling | 6 - 11 | 18% | ||
Island Pacific School | Day: rolling | 6 - 9 | 85% | Feb 15, 2023 | |
Alcuin College | K - 12 | ||||
Glarea Elevated Learning | Day: rolling | K - 12 | 80% | ||
Brockton School | Day: rolling |
Nursery/Toddler | Preschool | JK | SK | K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
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Southpointe Academy | |||||||||||||||||
Pythagoras Academy | 90% | 90% | 80% | 75% | 75% | 75% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | ||||||
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | 75% | ||||||||||||||||
The Maria Montessori School | 95% | 15% | |||||||||||||||
Meadowridge School | |||||||||||||||||
Mulgrave School | 23% | 9% | 11% | 25% | 20% | ||||||||||||
Island Pacific School | 85% | 10% | 10% | 5% | |||||||||||||
Glarea Elevated Learning | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | |||||||||||
Brockton School |
Nursery/Toddler | Preschool | JK | SK | K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
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Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | 75% | 75% | 75% |
Math | Science | Literature | Humanities Social Sciences | Foreign Languages | Fine Arts | |
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Southpointe Academy | ||||||
Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School | Traditional Math | |||||
Pythagoras Academy | Equal Balance | Inquiry | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance |
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance |
The Maria Montessori School | Equal Balance | We don't offer Foreign Languages | We don't offer Fine Arts | |||
Meadowridge School | Discovery Math | Inquiry | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | ||
Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | |||
Mulgrave School | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Communicative | Equal Balance | |
Island Pacific School | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Traditional | Perennialism | Communicative | Creative |
Alcuin College | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | |||
Glarea Elevated Learning | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | |
Brockton School |
Student council | School newspaper | Yearbook | Radio club | Photograph club | Art club |
Choir | Band | Dance club | Yoga club | Drama club | Debate club |
Chess club | Math club | Science club | Robotics club | Computer club | Environmental club | Outdoor club | Community service |
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Southpointe Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Pythagoras Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||
Meadowridge School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mulgrave School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Island Pacific School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Glarea Elevated Learning | ||||||||||||||||||||
Brockton School |
Badminton | Baseball | Basketball | Cricket | Equestrian | Football | Golf | Gymnastics | Ice Hockey | Lacrosse | Rowing | Rugby | Soccer | Softball | Squash | Swimming | Tennis | Track and Field | Volleyball | Wrestling |
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Southpointe Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Pythagoras Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Maple Leaf World Schools - Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||
Meadowridge School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mulgrave School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Island Pacific School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Glarea Elevated Learning | ||||||||||||||||||||
Brockton School |
Make no mistake: gifted children have different needs than typical students. These learners are often so advanced in their intellectual abilities that they are outliers in the classroom: a normal curriculum and approach won't be enough. When these students don't receive the custom support they need, they can disengage from school -- and even become depressed.
If you know or suspect your child is gifted, you're faced with the following questions:
You can also consider unique options, like language immersion programs, the International Baccalaureate, special needs programs, advanced placement courses (for older students), or Montessori schools.
If you're still grappling with these questions, start with our introductory guide to gifted education. Once you're versed in the fundamentals, revisit this page to explore your specific school options in Vancouver area.
Read our advice guide on choosing a school for a gifted child and for kids with other traits. To get school-choice advice customized to your child's unique traits, create a child profile through your user account. |
Private schools are not required by law to provide support for gifted children—and many don't. On the other hand, some private schools are able to offer highly individualized programs for gifted learners. The term "buyer beware" definitely applies here: it's up to you to make sure schools are properly set up for gifted learners. The list of private schools on this page (above) is a good place to start your search.