Top 10 Best High Schools in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

With Vancouver technical secondary school already claiming the number one spot on our list. Let’s see other secondary schools that made up the list of the top ten best high schools in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Did you stumble on this page in the quest for the best high schools in Vancouver, BC (British Columbia), Canada? Well, if my guess is anything to go by, then you are welcomed to one of the world’s leading “best schools repository”.

But just before we proceed; a run thorough overview of Vancouver wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Vancouver is a major and the most populous city in British Columbia’s province. In addition, the city has the highest population density in Canada, with approximately 5,400 people per square kilometer. Apart from its huge population, Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the best cities in the world for quality of life.

Education in Vancouver

Educationally, Vancouver has the second-largest school district in British Columbia. According to the Vancouver School Board (VSB), more than 110,000 students are enrolled in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions.

Like many cities in Canada, Vancouver is home to several post-elementary institutions, which include French Immersion, Fine Arts, Gifted, and Montessori schools.

Read Also: Top 10 Best High Schools in Toronto

On this page, however, we are not only going to guide you through the nitty-gritty of finding an ideal school for your child; we are also going to list some of the top 10 best high schools in Vancouver.

With this, you would have several options to choose from, and your child (who’s on the receiving end) would receive the best quality education that he/she deserves.

High school education in the coastal city of British Columbia is awe-inspiring in quality, to be honest. And many Vancouverites families can as well attest to that.

So, whether you are a Canadian, or a foreigner planning to relocate to the beautiful city of Vancouver, and are exploring the internet in search of the top-ranking Vancouver high schools, then, this article is for you.

All the schools listed on this page are high-performing secondary schools with a very impressive track record in students’ academic performance, sports, and science.

List of Top 10 Best Secondary Schools in Vancouver

Top 10 Best High Schools in Vancouver, Canada

1. Vancouver Technical Secondary School

Vancouver Technical Secondary School, commonly known as Van Tech, is a co-educational public secondary school in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is one of the largest high schools in Vancouver, with an enrolment of approximately 1,620 students.

Van Tech was founded in 1916 to cater to the increasing population of students on the East Side of Vancouver, BC. As a high school, Van Tech provides a wide range of academic programs including French Immersion, Advanced Placement (AP), Summit, and Flex Humanities.

At Vancouver Technical Secondary School, only learners from Grade 8 to Grade 12 are considered for enrolment. In addition, more information about the enrolment process can be found on the school webpage.

2. Pattison High School

Pattison High School is a co-educational, private high school in Vancouver. PHS, as it is often referred to, was founded in 2003 to serve students from Grade 8 through Grade 12.

The school offers the British Columbia secondary school program to both local and international students from all over the world.

As a fully accredited secondary school, PHS offers full high school education, including university preparation programs for learners from Grades 8 to 12.

As a school with an outstanding history, Pattison High School remains committed to nurturing and developing every child to achieve his/her full potential.

PHS is ideal for parents who want their children to earn a Canadian High School Graduation Diploma in an accelerated time frame.

3. Point Grey Secondary School

Point Grey Secondary School is a co-educational, public secondary school in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

It was originally established as a Junior High School in 1929, and 36 years later, it became a full secondary school catering to learners from Grade 8 through Grade 12.

Presently, the school has an enrollment of approximately 1,202 students. Like other high schools in Vancouver, Point Grey is administered by the Vancouver School Board (VSB), also known as School District 39 Vancouver.

As a comprehensive school, Point Grey offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses in core science subjects including Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Calculus.

4. Kitsilano Secondary School

Kitsilano Secondary School is a public high school in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1917, it offers a wide range of district programs, including French Immersion and Advanced Placement (AP).

Presently, the school serves over 1,360 students from Grade 8 to Grade 12. Apart from offering some of the best academic programs, Kitsilano has over the past years, had its campus used for various television and film productions.

As a high-performing university preparatory institution, entrance into the school is becoming even more competitive than it used to be a decade ago. In order to stand any chance of entering this school, it is better to be well prepared.

5. Magee Secondary School

Magee Secondary School is a co-educational, public secondary school in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1914, it is one of the oldest secondary schools in Vancouver.

The school boasts outstanding students’ academic performance, especially in the area of fine arts, where a large proportion of the students takes part in the award-winning music department.

Magee is relatively large—in terms of the student population. Presently, it has an enrolment of approximately 1,275 students from Grade 8 to Grade 12.

The school aims to maximize the true potential of every child through a wide range of educational learning programs.

At Magee, students must offer four compulsory subjects, including Science, Mathematics, English, and Social Studies. Also, given the opportunity to make the choice of languages, students can choose to be tutored in French, English, or Japanese.

Best Secondary Schools in Vancouver

6. Templeton Secondary School

Templeton Secondary School is a public secondary school in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. As with public high schools in Vancouver, Templeton is governed by the Vancouver School Board (VSB), also known as School District 39 Vancouver.

In 2004, the school’s student teams emerged as the winner of the SmartAsk competition. In addition, it has won many accolades for student films and drama productions.

Templeton was founded in 1927 to cater to the growing student population on the east side of Vancouver.

Today, it is home to nearly a thousand students from Grades 8 through 12. Templeton is famous for its successful theatre and film programs and is regarded as one of the best in the province.

7. Vancouver College

Vancouver College, often abbreviated as VC, is an all-boys independent school in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Presently, the college caters to over 1,060 students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

VC is the only all-boys Catholic private school in British Columbia. The school embraces impartiality; hence, students of all religious backgrounds and beliefs can enroll at the school, even though it’s a Catholic denomination.

Vancouver College offers a Catholic faith and learning community whereby boys and young men are educated and nurtured to follow and respect the values of Christianity.

At VC, students are encouraged to take part in many sports activities including Football, Basketball, Cycling, Swimming, Golf, etc.

8. Notre Dame Regional Secondary School

Notre Dame Regional Secondary School is an independent, co-educational school under the school board of the Catholic Independent Schools Vancouver Archdiocese (CISVA).

It was founded in 1953 and presently caters to more than 700 students from Grade 8 to Grade 12. The school is rated as one of the leading high schools in Vancouver in terms of strong academic and student performances.

Notre Dame courses are developed by the following departments: English, Information Technologies (IT), Maths, Business, Christian Education, Humanities, Languages, Performing Arts, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, and Visual Arts.

This school presents a perfect option for families with a Catholic faith background.

9. Eric Hamber Secondary School

Eric Hamber Secondary School is a co-educational, comprehensive, public secondary school in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was established in 1962 and has a student population of over 1,250 from Grade 8 through Grade 12.

As a public school, Eric Hamber is under the administration of the School District 39 Vancouver. Over the past few years, the school has been rated among the most sought-after high schools in Vancouver.

At Eric Hamber Secondary School, students from Grade 8 through Grade 12 are made to offer a “Challenge Program”, a program that aims to enhance students with passion and ability for Mathematics and Science.

10. Gladstone Secondary School

Gladstone Secondary School is a public secondary school in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Seventy years on and it is still standing tall, and making great strides in the area of engineering, including Robotics, and Electrathon.

Presently, the school has a student population of approximately 1,300 from Grade 8 through Grade 12. At Gladstone, students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities especially football and volleyball.

In addition, the school’s Fine Arts department is very much regarded, with especially strong Music, Drama, and Dance programs.

Gladstone is a school with a wide range of academic courses and programs. The school offers three Advanced Placement (AP) programs in English, Calculus, and Chemistry.

Final Thoughts

At the time of writing this article, the Vancouver School Board (VSB) administers 18 secondary schools in the province.

However, eighteen secondary schools in a city such as Vancouver are relatively too small, for some people, when compared to high schools in cities like Toronto and Calgary. However, the quality of education provided at high schools in Vancouver is second to none.

The majority of high schools in Vancouver enroll learners from ages 13 to 17. In other words, secondary schools in most districts in Vancouver enroll students in Grade 8 to Grade 12, or in Grade 9 to Grade 12.

As always, it is advisable to visit the school website to find out an up to date enrollment-related information.