Choosing a school in Vancouver
Choosing a school for your children is second only to finding a new home. It is a critically important part of relocation abroad, and one that can be fraught with difficulty. The best way to make the process as easy and smooth as possible is to begin to narrow down your choices before you relocate your family. Do research online as much as possible and, once you’ve chosen a few you like, make some phone calls and try to talk to someone at each school to obtain further information. Once you’re in Vancouver, you can then visit each school personally to get a better idea of which one might be best.
The Ministry of Education routinely tells parents that the district catchment school (your local school) is the best choice for your child, but this may or may not be true. It could be that your neighborhood school’s demographics are such that your child might not fit in well, or, there could even be a waiting list if there are too many students for the school (as often happens in certain areas). You may need to look outside your local neighborhood for the right school for your child. BC provides for open boundaries, which means your child can attend any school at all, provided there is space. So don’t be afraid to explore your options, even if it means looking outside your area or even district!
