The Fraser Institute no longer ranks BC high schools, so there is no current list of the best high schools in Vancouver. This TutorLyft guide compares 20 Vancouver-area schools using their last Fraser rating, from 2018-19, and the programs each offers today.
If you're touring schools this fall with a Grade 7 student, you've probably found ranking pages that disagree with each other. Many are still built on those same 2018-19 numbers. Below you'll find the numbers, what has changed since, and how admission works in each district.
Best High Schools in Vancouver Compared
There is no 2026 ranking of Vancouver high schools. The Fraser Institute's annual report card was the main ranking for BC secondary schools, but the institute stopped publishing it after B.C. replaced its provincial exams with literacy and numeracy assessments. Its last report used 2018-19 results.
The table below shows that last Fraser rating for 20 well-known schools in Vancouver, West Vancouver and North Vancouver, next to the programs each offers today. Treat the ratings as a 2018-19 snapshot, not a current score.
| School | Type | City | Fraser rating, 2018-19 | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Point Grey Academy | Independent | Vancouver | 10.0 (1st) | AP |
| St. George's School | Independent, boys | Vancouver | 9.4 (8th) | AP, boarding Gr 8 to 12 |
| Collingwood School | Independent | West Vancouver | 9.2 (10th) | AP |
| Lord Byng | Public, VSB | Vancouver | 8.4 (21st) | Byng Arts Mini, AP |
| Sentinel | Public, SD45 | West Vancouver | 7.9 (33rd) | AP, French Immersion |
| Point Grey | Public, VSB | Vancouver | 7.4 (47th) | Point Grey Mini, AP |
| Handsworth | Public, SD44 | North Vancouver | 7.3 (50th) | AP, French Immersion |
| Rockridge | Public, SD45 | West Vancouver | 7.3 (50th) | IB Middle Years, AP |
| Magee | Public, VSB | Vancouver | 7.2 (55th) | SPARTS Mini, AP |
| David Thompson | Public, VSB | Vancouver | 7.1 (58th) | Odyssey Mini, AP |
| Eric Hamber | Public, VSB | Vancouver | 6.8 (72nd) | Challenge Studio Mini, Mandarin Bilingual, AP |
| West Vancouver Secondary | Public, SD45 | West Vancouver | 6.8 (72nd) | IB Diploma, entrepreneurship |
| Windsor | Public, SD44 | North Vancouver | 6.8 (72nd) | French Immersion, sport and dance academies |
| Kitsilano | Public, VSB | Vancouver | 6.6 (89th) | French Immersion, AP |
| Argyle | Public, SD44 | North Vancouver | 6.4 (98th) | Digital Media Academy, AP, French Immersion |
| Carson Graham | Public, SD44 | North Vancouver | 6.4 (98th) | IB Diploma, IB Middle Years |
| Prince of Wales | Public, VSB | Vancouver | 6.3 (107th) | PW Mini, TREK outdoor education, AP |
| Templeton | Public, VSB | Vancouver | 6.3 (107th) | Templeton Mini, Theatre Temp, STEM |
| University Hill | Public, VSB | Vancouver (UBC campus) | 5.3 (167th) | AP |
| Britannia | Public, VSB | Vancouver | 4.5 (209th) | IB Diploma, Venture Mini, Hockey Academy |
Ratings are out of 10, with the provincial rank among 252 schools, from the Fraser Institute's Report Card on British Columbia's Secondary Schools 2020. Programs are from each school's or district's website.
West Point Grey Academy
West Point Grey Academy (WPGA) is a co-ed independent school in Vancouver for junior kindergarten to Grade 12, with AP courses in the senior grades. It rated 10.0 out of 10 in the Fraser Institute's 2018-19 results, tied for first in BC. Tuition for 2026-27 is $33,300, plus a $3,500 entrance fee for new students.
St. George's School
St. George's is an independent boys' school for kindergarten to Grade 12, with AP courses and a boarding program for Grades 8 to 12. It rated 9.4 in 2018-19. Senior day tuition for 2026-27 is $37,400, plus a $7,500 entrance levy for new students.
Collingwood School
Collingwood is an independent school in West Vancouver for junior kindergarten to Grade 12. It is a day school only and offers 23 AP courses. It rated 9.2 in 2018-19, and 2026-27 tuition is $32,300 for Grades 8 and 9 and $32,750 for Grades 10 to 12, plus a $7,500 new student fee.
Lord Byng Secondary
Lord Byng had the highest 2018-19 Fraser rating of any Vancouver School Board (VSB) school, at 8.4. It is home to the Byng Arts Mini School, which combines academics with band, choir, drama, media arts, strings or visual arts from Grade 8 to 12. Byng students also write AP exams in subjects like calculus, computer science and studio art.
Sentinel Secondary
Sentinel is a West Vancouver public school with Advanced Placement (AP) courses, including AP Capstone, and an Early French Immersion program that leads to a bilingual certificate. It rated 7.9 in 2018-19, the highest of the West Vancouver public schools.
Point Grey Secondary
Point Grey on Vancouver's west side runs the Point Grey Mini School for Grades 8 to 12 and offers AP courses in calculus, computer science and psychology. It rated 7.4 in 2018-19.
Handsworth Secondary
Handsworth in North Vancouver offers AP courses and French Immersion. It rated 7.3 in 2018-19, the highest of the North Vancouver public schools in this guide.
Rockridge Secondary
Rockridge in West Vancouver puts every Grade 8 to 10 student through the IB Middle Years Programme, then offers AP courses in the senior grades. It rated 7.3 in 2018-19.
Magee Secondary
Magee runs SPARTS, a Mini School program for Grades 8 to 12, plus its Magee Mainstage theatre program and AP courses in calculus and psychology. It rated 7.2 in 2018-19.
David Thompson Secondary
David Thompson in East Vancouver runs the Odyssey Mini School and offers AP Calculus AB and BC. It rated 7.1 in 2018-19.
Eric Hamber Secondary
Eric Hamber runs the Hamber Challenge Studio, a five-year Mini School program, and a Mandarin Bilingual program. It offers AP courses in biology, calculus, chemistry, English, physics, psychology and statistics. It rated 6.8 in 2018-19.
West Vancouver Secondary
West Vancouver Secondary offers the IB Diploma alongside the regular Dogwood diploma, plus entrepreneurship and cybersecurity programs. It rated 6.8 in 2018-19.
Windsor Secondary
Windsor in North Vancouver offers French Immersion and district academies in dance, hockey skills and soccer. It rated 6.8 in 2018-19.
Kitsilano Secondary
Kitsilano is one of only three VSB secondary schools with French Immersion, open to students from both early and late immersion. It also offers AP courses and rated 6.6 in 2018-19.
Argyle Secondary
Argyle in North Vancouver is home to the district's Digital Media Academy and also offers AP courses and French Immersion. It rated 6.4 in 2018-19.
Carson Graham Secondary
Carson Graham is North Vancouver's only IB secondary school, with the IB Middle Years Programme in Grades 8 to 10 and the IB Diploma in Grades 11 and 12. It rated 6.4 in 2018-19.
Prince of Wales Secondary
Prince of Wales runs the PW Mini School and TREK, a VSB outdoor education program, plus AP Calculus. It rated 6.3 in 2018-19.
Templeton Secondary
Templeton in East Vancouver runs the Templeton Mini School, its Theatre Temp program and a school-based STEM program. It rated 6.3 in 2018-19.
University Hill Secondary
University Hill sits on the UBC campus and offers a broad set of AP courses, including calculus, statistics, biology, chemistry and microeconomics. It rated 5.3 in 2018-19. A lower Fraser rating doesn't stop a school from being a strong fit, so visit before you decide.
Britannia Secondary
Britannia in East Vancouver has offered the IB Diploma since 1991 and runs the Venture Program, a Mini School for Grades 8 to 10, plus a hockey academy. It rated 4.5 in 2018-19. Fraser ratings track exam results, which also reflect each school's mix of students, so a visit tells you more.
How Vancouver High Schools Are Measured Now
Without a current ranking, two sources are still worth knowing: the last Fraser ratings and the province's own graduation data. Neither tells you whether a school is the right fit, but both help you ask better questions.
Fraser Institute Scores
The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian research organization. Its BC rating combined six indicators: four based on the Grade 12 language arts provincial exam, plus the graduation rate and the share of students who fell behind a grade.
BC has since dropped that exam. Students now complete three graduation assessments: numeracy and literacy in Grade 10, and literacy in Grade 12. The Fraser Institute says the new assessments don't give it reliable data to rank schools, so it no longer publishes the BC report card.
Fraser Institute rankings are widely referenced, but they focus heavily on test scores. They may not capture other important aspects of school quality like student wellbeing, extracurricular offerings, or teaching quality.
Six-Year Completion Rates
BC's Ministry of Education still publishes six-year completion rates, which count students who graduate within six years of starting Grade 8. For 2024/25, the ministry's completion rate data estimates 93.4% for the Vancouver School District, 98.5% for North Vancouver and 100% for West Vancouver, compared with 92.5% for BC public schools overall.
These figures are for BC resident students and are published by district, not by school. They show how many students finish, not where they go next.
What No Ranking Measures
No ranking tells you whether students feel safe, supported and happy at a school. A visit does. Watch how students and teachers talk to each other in the hallways, and ask what help is available when a student starts to struggle.
Key Programs That Differentiate Vancouver High Schools
Vancouver high schools offer specialized programs that go beyond standard curriculum. Understanding the programs helps you identify schools that align with your child's strengths and goals.
International Baccalaureate Programs
The IB Diploma Programme is a two-year curriculum for Grades 11 and 12 that's recognized by universities worldwide. IB students take courses across six subject areas plus a theory of knowledge course, and complete an extended essay.
In this guide, Britannia, West Vancouver Secondary and Carson Graham offer the IB Diploma, and Carson Graham and Rockridge offer the IB Middle Years Programme for Grades 8 to 10. IB suits students with strong time management and self-motivation.
Mini School Enrichment Programs
Mini Schools are selective programs within regular VSB schools that offer accelerated or specialized learning streams, like Byng Arts at Lord Byng or the PW Mini at Prince of Wales. Students apply in Grade 7 for Grade 8 entry, and applicants must live in Vancouver.
For September 2027 entry, families register once with the VSB district registry between November 16 and December 17, 2026, then apply to each program by its own deadline. First offers go out at the end of February.
French Immersion Streams
French Immersion programs teach core subjects in French, helping students become bilingual by graduation. In the Vancouver School Board, secondary French Immersion runs at Kitsilano, Sir Winston Churchill and Vancouver Technical. On the North Shore, Sentinel, Handsworth, Windsor and Argyle offer it too. Our guide to learning French in Canada covers ways to keep it up outside school.
Arts and Performance Academies
Specialized arts programs like Byng Arts at Lord Byng, Theatre Temp at Templeton and the Digital Media Academy at Argyle provide intensive training in music, drama, visual arts and digital media. Students in these programs balance a full academic course load with their arts training.
Public Schools Versus Private Schools in Vancouver
Choosing between public and private schools involves weighing cost, educational philosophy, and practical considerations like location and program availability. Both options can provide excellent education, but they serve families in different ways.
Academic Performance Differences
In the 2018-19 Fraser results, the three independent schools in this guide rated between 9.2 and 10.0, while the highest-rated public school, Lord Byng, rated 8.4. Independent schools choose their students, which shapes those results. Public schools with selective programs like Mini Schools or IB can offer similar challenge at no tuition cost to local families.
Cost and Accessibility
The financial difference is significant:
- Public schools: Free tuition for BC residents, with small optional fees for field trips, athletics and yearbooks
- Private schools: 2026-27 tuition of $32,300 to $37,400 at Collingwood, West Point Grey Academy and St. George's, before entrance fees of $3,500 to $7,500, uniforms and trips
Public schools are accessible to all families regardless of income. Private schools require substantial financial resources or scholarship support.
Application Processes
Public schools use catchment areas, geographic boundaries that determine which school your child attends based on your home address. You can apply to schools outside your catchment, but admission depends on available space after catchment students are enrolled.
Private schools require formal applications, often including entrance exams, interviews, report cards and teacher references, with deadlines in the fall for the following September.
Understanding Catchment Areas and School Choice
Vancouver's catchment system can feel confusing, especially for families new to BC or moving between neighbourhoods. The rules determine where your child can attend school and what options you have for alternatives.
What Catchment Areas Mean
Each public school serves a defined geographic area, and students living within that area have priority at their catchment school. You can look up your catchment school on the Vancouver School Board or your local district website by entering your home address.
Cross Boundary Applications
If you want your child to attend a VSB school outside your catchment, first register at your catchment school, then apply online through the VSB cross-boundary process. The form is open only from the first to the last school day of February.
Cross-boundary students are placed only after all catchment students, with priority for siblings, then Vancouver residents, and an electronic draw sets the order within each group. Popular schools may have no space left.
Private School Admissions Timeline
Private schools open applications in early fall for the following September. For Grade 8 entry in 2027-28, St. George's day applications are due October 30, 2026 and Collingwood's November 1, 2026, and West Point Grey Academy applicants must finish the SSAT entrance test by November 14, 2026.
Comparing Vancouver BC Schools to Other Good High Schools in Canada
Parents often wonder how Vancouver schools stack up nationally, especially if they're relocating from another province or considering where to settle in Canada.
How BC Schools Rank Nationally
Comparing schools across provinces is hard because each province has its own curriculum, testing and graduation requirements, and Fraser rankings elsewhere use different tests. If you're moving from another city, our guides to Toronto's top high schools and Calgary's top high schools explain how schools are measured there.
University Preparation Standards
BC no longer has Grade 12 provincial exams, so university applications rest on course marks, mainly from Grades 11 and 12. To earn the BC Dogwood diploma, students must also complete the three graduation assessments. Students applying outside BC may need to meet extra requirements, so check each school's page, like our guide on getting into UBC, and how the Canadian education system differs by province.
Avoiding the Vancouver WA High Schools Mix Up
If you're searching online for Vancouver schools, you've probably noticed results for Vancouver, Washington appearing in your search results. The confusion happens frequently and can waste time if you're not careful.
Why This Confusion Happens
Vancouver, Washington is a city just across the border from Portland, Oregon, with its own school district and high schools. Search engines often show results for both Vancouver BC and Vancouver WA because the cities share the same name. Google's algorithm tries to determine which Vancouver you mean based on your location, but it doesn't always get it right.
Key Differences to Look For
BC schools use different systems than Washington state schools, different curriculum, different assessments and different graduation requirements. When reading search results, look for references to the Vancouver School Board, West Vancouver Schools, or North Vancouver School District to confirm you're looking at BC schools. Washington schools will reference Clark County or Vancouver Public Schools.
How to Choose the Right School for Your Child's Needs
Rankings provide useful information, but the "best" school on a list might not be the best fit for your particular child. Choosing a school requires thinking about your child as an individual learner.
Matching Learning Styles
Some students thrive in large, competitive environments with many AP courses and high academic pressure. Others do better in smaller, more supportive settings. Consider whether your child is self-motivated or needs more structure, whether they prefer collaborative or independent work, and how they handle stress. A school with slightly lower rankings but better alignment with your child's learning style will likely produce better outcomes.
Location and Transportation
Daily commute time affects your child's wellbeing and your family's schedule. A 15-minute walk or bus ride is very different from an hour-long commute involving multiple transit connections. Think realistically about whether your child will travel independently or need rides, and how early they'll need to leave home.
Extracurricular Priorities
If your child is passionate about specific sports, arts, or clubs, check what each school actually offers. Look beyond what's listed on websites to find out what programs are active and well-supported. Talk to current students or parents if possible. A school with strong academics but weak offerings in your child's area of interest might leave them feeling disconnected from the school community.
Preparing Your Child for High School Success
Getting into a strong high school is one thing. Succeeding once you're there is another. Preparation before Grade 8 starts can make the transition smoother and set your child up for five successful years.
Building Strong Foundation Skills
High school assumes students have solid skills in reading comprehension, essay writing, and math fundamentals. If your child struggles with any of these areas in Grade 7, closing gaps before September, on your own or with a math tutor in Vancouver, will help them keep up when coursework speeds up. This is especially important for students entering selective programs or schools with rigorous academics.
Developing Independent Study Habits
High school requires more self-direction than elementary or middle school. Teachers assign work and expect students to manage their time without daily reminders. Help your child practice organizing assignments, breaking large projects into steps, and maintaining a consistent study schedule. The skills matter more than raw intelligence when it comes to high school success.
Getting Academic Support When Needed
Whichever school your child ends up at, the first year of high school is an adjustment, and it's normal for marks to dip while they find their feet. Even strong students sometimes need help with challenging subjects, and that isn't a sign they're at the wrong school.
If you'd like support from a tutor who knows the BC curriculum, you can find a tutor for any subject, online or in person.
