Young families in Vancouver often have the quality of local schools high on their list when deciding where to buy a home. This may be because of green surroundings, convenient facilities or a great location close to public transportation.
While the Fraser Institute’s rankings are based on limited criteria, they can still be helpful to families when comparing schools in a particular neighbourhood. Here are the top West Vancouver high schools ranked by this institution.
Magee Secondary School
As more and more families move into West Vancouver, the quality of schools in their new neighbourhood is often a key consideration. While homebuyers may take into account amenities such as convenient access to shops and restaurants, the quality of local schools is also a big deal.
One of the best ways to find out how schools are performing in West Vancouver is to look at the Fraser Institute’s annual high school rankings. These are based on objective, publicly available data such as average scores on provincial-wide tests.
The Fraser Institute has been compiling its ranking of public schools in British Columbia since 1994, and it is considered to be the authoritative organization for school rankings. It has a website that provides this information, and parents can use it to compare local schools.
Magee Secondary School is a large-sized high school with an enrolment of over 1,275 students from Grade 8 to 12. It has a strong academic program with students able to choose between subjects such as English, math, social studies, and science. They can also opt to study a foreign language, such as French, Japanese, or Spanish.
Founded in 1912, and rebuilt in 2000, Magee is one of the most highly regarded schools in Vancouver. It boasts a stellar fine arts program, competitive athletics, and strong academic standards. Its educators are committed and experienced, and spend much of their time outside of class leading clubs, sports, activities, and field studies.
For instance, the award-winning music department has more than 500 students who sing and play in different bands and choirs. They perform and tour internationally every two years.
Another important part of the academic experience is AP courses, which are offered in a variety of subjects including English literature, European history, mathematics, science, and more. They can also choose to study International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme courses, which offer a more rigorous course of study and allow students to earn college credit while still in high school.
In addition to the AP curriculum, Magee offers an extracurricular program called SPARTS. It’s catered to students who are aspiring to compete in high-performance sports, and it’s been known for helping them win major competitions.
Mulgrave Secondary School
The Fraser Institute ranks schools based on standardized academic tests in reading, writing and math. That’s a narrow list of skills, says West Vancouver superintendent Chris Kennedy, who is quick to point out that the Institute doesn’t put a lot of stock in these rankings because it doesn’t account for newer skills like digital literacy or complex problem-solving.
Mulgrave Secondary School, located by Cypress Mountain off Exit 8 of Highway 1, is tied with Collingwood School for the top ranking in West Vancouver. The school offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and has a high academic profile. It also provides a range of extracurricular activities.
It is a member of the Round Square network of students, a movement committed to academic excellence and personal development through service challenge and adventure. The school sends students around the world for Round Square International Service trips.
Founded in 1927, the school is on its current site and is one of the oldest public high schools in Vancouver. It offers the BC curriculum and has a number of IB Diploma courses.
In addition, it has an extensive athletics program and is consistently ranked well. Its programs include a variety of sports including hockey, soccer and basketball.
It also offers a French immersion program for some of its students. Its mission is to prepare young people to thrive in a culturally diverse and interdependent world.
This is a small school, with just over 80 students per grade. It is an independent non-denominational university preparatory school with the International Baccalaureate (IB) program for students in Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12.
The school’s vision is to enable lifelong learners to reach their full potential and embrace, with passion and confidence, their responsibility to support others and to make a difference by serving their communities, both locally and globally.
It is one of the 41 French-speaking public schools in Canada. The school recently joined the French network Mission Laique Francaise, which promotes the teaching of French to nearly 60,000 students whose mother tongue is not French.
Sentinel Secondary School
When looking for a high school in West Vancouver, there are several options to choose from. Each school offers different programs and services to help students achieve their goals.
While choosing a school for your child, you want to make sure that it offers the best education possible. This is why it’s important to know which schools are ranked the highest in the province.
The Fraser Institute publishes a report card on public and private secondary schools every year. The organization uses a combination of data and statistics to determine which schools are the best in the province.
One of the most respected rankings in the province, the institute’s report cards cover a number of categories such as average exam marks, percentage of exams failed, math and English, gender gaps, graduation rates, and more. They are the best source of information for parents to use when selecting a school for their children.
Sentinel Secondary is a public school that offers Advanced Placement courses which are equivalent to university-level studies. The AP program is regarded as more rigorous than general offerings, and requires students to have strong comprehension of general knowledge and excellent work habits.
In addition to AP courses, the school also offers a French immersion program, which teaches the language in a bicultural setting. Additionally, they offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma and the Dogwood diploma.
The school is part of the Round Square network of 50 schools that follow the philosophy of Kurt Hahn, a German educationalist who specializes in helping students gain confidence and independence. Its curriculum is designed to prepare students for success in a global world, and the majority of graduates go on to attend major universities such as Harvard, Stanford, and UC Berkeley.
The school was founded in 1912 and offers a broad range of programs including athletics, fine arts, and academics. Its staff are dedicated and experienced, and they invest in the culture of the school by spending much of their time outside of class leading clubs, sports, activities, and field studies.
West Vancouver Secondary School
Choosing the best school for your children is an important decision. It can impact their future education and career. In addition, it can also influence their social life. Fortunately, Vancouver is home to some of the highest-ranking public schools in the province.
West Vancouver Secondary School, which is ranked in the top 10 percent of all public schools in BC, is one of those high-achieving schools. Located in the city’s affluent neighbourhood, it is an excellent choice for families looking for a high-quality education for their kids.
It is a well-rounded academic high school with an emphasis on arts and sports. Its curriculum includes Advanced Placement courses in Biology, Calculus, Computer Science, English, Physics and Psychology.
The school is also home to four sports academies, which accept students who wish to train with professional coaches while at school. They offer soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse and volleyball.
In the fall, the junior and senior girls volleyball teams participate in the Vancouver Secondary Schools leagues. Basketball and table tennis are offered in the winter.
This school has a long history, dating back to 1923 and is one of the most established boarding schools in Vancouver. It has been sending its graduates to universities throughout Canada and the world for years.
It has a strong focus on the arts and sciences and offers programs for gifted students. It also has a strong music program and provides a range of extracurricular activities such as dance, drama and chess.
There are a number of reasons why West Vancouver is such a great school for young families. It is an affluent community with many high-income households, and it has a large number of parents who have the time and resources to be involved in the school.
The school’s location is also an asset, as it is close to cultural resources and the prestigious University of British Columbia campus. It is also one of the few secondary schools in Vancouver that has an International Baccalaureate diploma program.
The school has an excellent English language learning program and is committed to ensuring its students are prepared for post-secondary education. It has a diversified student population, including a large percentage of international students. It has an excellent ESL program and offers support to help international students integrate with Canadian culture.
Among many other things, David A. Grantham is a contributing author to UmassExtension West Vancouver Blo. He is a renowned expert on real estate in BC.
Born in North Vancouver, Louisiana, Dr. Grantham grew up in Lower Lonsdale. He then went on to complete his business degree at the University British Columbia. As of this writing, Grantham has completed over 100 projects, including the development of a high rise building in Vancouver.
He is a husband, father, son, brother, and friend. He was a dedicated outdoorsman and enjoyed sports such as hunting, fishing, scuba diving, and snow skiing. His wife, Alison Grantham, and their two daughters survived him. He is survived by his wife Alison Martin Grantham and two daughters.