Public Vancouver secondary schools as well as those in neighbouring public school boards follow the same grade system and general curriculum in all schools in British Columbia.

The Vancouver high school grade system is grade 8 through to grade 12. See the curriculum set for specific grades and subject areas.


Vancouver High School Grade Ages

Grade	Ages
Grade 8	13 - 14
Grade 9	14 – 15
Grade 10	15 – 16
Grade 11	16 – 17
Grade 12	17 – 18

Vancouver secondary schools offer many different types of programs and services. When choosing a school for your son or daughter, you may want to consider the various programs and services offered by individual schools in your area. Below is listed the main programs and services to consider.

Vancouver Secondary Schools: Language Programs

French Immersion

The secondary component of the French Immersion program provides students with the opportunity to continue their studies and the development of higher level thinking and verbal skills in their second language. Successful graduates of the full program at the end of Grade 12 receive a Bilingual Graduation Certificate in addition to the provincial "Dogwood" certificate (the BC Certificate of Graduation).

ESL (English as a Second Language) Education

Some Vancouver area high schools have programs and services in place to help students who are newly landed immigrants with limited English skills. Some schools provide special programs to help these students. Tupper Secondary in Vancouver has an ESL Pre-employment program for instance. Richmond Secondary school also has a similar program called the LAND program. Contact your local school board to find out what school would be best for your son or daughter’s ESL needs.

International Language Education

There are a number of Vancouver area public secondary schools that give students the opportunity to learn languages other than Canada’s two official languages. A few examples include: Mandarin, Punjabi, German, Japanese, Spanish, etc. Contact your local high schools to find out what international language education options are available.

Vancouver Secondary Schools: Career Programs

Apprenticeship Programs

Apprenticeship programs are offered to secondary students in all Vancouver area school boards. They are run in conjunction with official career apprenticeship and education programs, allowing students to follow their passions and turn them into careers.

Apprenticeship programs allow students to take courses that will give them both high school graduation credits and a head start towards completion of a career apprenticeship program so they'll be ahead of the game when they graduate. They get direct apprenticeship experience that counts toward their apprenticeship time requirements in their respective fields.

There are programs in a wide variety of careers including: cooking, automotive service, hairdressing, plumbing, carpentry, and more. Contact your local school board to find out which schools offer which types of apprenticeship programs.

Career Preparation Programs

Career Preparation Programs are offered in school boards throughout the Vancouver area. These programs give high school students valuable work experience and practical field skills which, in combination with classroom learning, gives them credits towards graduation. Students can do career preparation in a wide variety of industries, including business, arts, teaching, health, science, trades, hospitality, and more. Contact your local school board to find out which schools offer which types of apprenticeship programs.

Vancouver Secondary Schools: Special Learning Programs

Gifted/Enrichment Education

These types of programs are intended for students who have demonstrated or potential abilities that give evidence of exceptionally high capability with respect to intellect, creativity, or the skills associated with specific disciplines. Most Vancouver area secondary schools offer programs and services to help encourage gifted students to make the most of their abilities, but the type of they offer can vary. Contact your local high schools for more information on what is offered.

Special Education

All public school boards have special programs and services in place to assist students with special needs for personal challenges. There are services for learning disabilities, speech and language therapy, social and behavioural difficulties, hearing and vision difficulties, hospital or homebound students, and more.

For example, the Vancouver school board offers the Social Development Behavioural Support program at Britannia, David Thompson, and Gladstone Secondary schools.The types of programs and services available can vary between individual secondary schools and school boards. Contact your local school board to find out what school would be best for your child’s needs.

Vancouver Secondary Schools: Specialty Programs

Sports Programs

Some Vancouver area secondary schools offer programs that allow students to combine their high school academics with focused, sport-specific training. Britannia Secondary in Vancouver has the Britannia Hockey Academy. Earl Mariott Secondary in Surrey has its own hockey program, the Cyclone Talyor Advanced Hockey Academy. Burnaby Central Secondary has a soccer program called P.A.S.S. Both Rockridge Secondary and Sentinal Secondary in West Vancouver have the West Vancouver Tennis Program.

Anyone can apply for these programs, but some may have special requirements for acceptance. Contact your local school board to find out which schools offer these programs for various sports and for application details.

Special Interest Programs

Some secondary schools have special interest programs that allow students to gain additional exposure to specific subjects in conjunction with their regular school subjects.
Prince of Wales Secondary in Vancouver has TREK, an outdoor education program. Sentinal Secondary in West Vancouver has a computer immersion program.

Anyone can apply for these programs, but acceptance can depend on the applicant's suitability if there is more demand for the program than there are spots available. Contact your local school board to find out what special interest programs are available in your area.