Early French Immersion: K-7

The Vancouver School Board early French Immersion program accepts 5 and 6 year olds at the beginning of their formal schooling.

Early and Late French immersion are programs intended for non-French speaking students who wish to develop a high level of proficiency in both official languages. Students enrolled in French immersion study the same BC curriculum as students in the English-language program. The major distinction between the English-language program and French Immersion is that the language of instruction and communication in the immersion component is French. The BC curriculum is instructed in French from Kindergarten to the end of Grade 3.

French Immersion is a program that can offer your child:

• A fun, effective and challenging way to learn French at an early age
• The opportunity to learn the same curriculum as the regular English program, in French
• An opportunity to participate in rich French cultural learning experiences
• A bilingual future

Generally:

• The BC curriculum is instructed in French from Kindergarten to end of Grade 3.
• From Grades 4-7, 50-80% of the BC curriculum is taught in French.

In Secondary School:

• From Grades 8-10, 50% of the BC curriculum is taught in French.
• In Grade 11, 25% of the curriculum is taught in French.
• In Grade 12, at least 12.5% of the curriculum is taught in French.

Following is the list of Vancouver schools offering in 2009/10 the early French Immersion program.  Please note that some schools are annexes and only offer the French Immersion K-3 program.

To locate your French Immersion Catchment Schools, please go to Schools

Early French Immersion Schools

• Hastings  (K-7) 
• Henry Hudson  (K-7)
• Jules Quesnel  (K-7) French Immersion ONLY
• Kerrisdale  (K-7)
• Laura Secord (K-7) Early French Immersion K-7 and Late French Immersion 6-7
• L'École Bilingue  (K-7, French Immersion ONLY)
• Lord Selkirk  (K-7)       
• Lord Tennyson  (K-7) French Immersion ONLY
• Douglas Annex (K-3)  (Pupils go to Sir James Douglas for 4-7)
• Sir James Douglas (gr 4-7)
• Queen Elizabeth Annex (K-3) (Pupils go Jules Quesnel for 4-7)
• Quilchena (K-7)
• Strathcona (K-7)
• Trafalgar (K-7)

Please click on links below for more information on the French Immersion programs for elementary and secondary students through the Vancouver School Board.

• Do you have a question about the VSB's French Immersion program? Read through our 2012/13 FAQ

French Immersion Overview

Early French Immersion  

• The most common point of entry is Kindergarten.  Students may enter in Grade 1 if space is available.

• Registration for 2012/2013 will be accepted during office hours (9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) between November 1 , 2011 and January 31 , 2012. 

• Registration forms are to be picked up and submitted to the French Immersion elementary school in the applicant's catchment area, beginning November 1.  To locate your French Immersion catchment school, please refer to French Immersion School Boundaries in the Schools section. Late applicants, please refer to the 2012/13 FAQs above.

Please note:   

Tuesday, November 8, 2011:  District French Immersion Information Session for Parents held at 7:00 p.m. at Tupper Secondary School (419 E. 24th Ave.), in the Auditorium.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012:  Information sessions for parents/students interested in early and/or late French Immersion will be held at all elementary French Immersion schools.

Because the information at each site will be similar, parents are encouraged to attend the sessions at their French Immersion neighbourhood school. 

Note following two exceptions:

1. Jules Quesnel and Queen Elizabeth Annex will hold a common information session at Queen Elizabeth Annex.            
2. There will be no information session at Sir James Douglas (French Immersion program is Grade 4-7).

At the end of the registration period, if there are insufficient spaces to allow for the in-catchment students, a draw will be held for entry. The in-catchment draw will be supervised by the Principal, parent representatives from the school Parent Advisory Committee and/or the Canadian Parents for French (CPF) during the first week of February. 

Program Descriptions

Follow these links for descriptions of our French Immersion programs

• Early French Immersion K-7
• Late French Immersion Grade 6-7
• Secondary French Immersion Grade 8-12

2012/13 French Immersion Registration Process 

Completed registrations must be accompanied by verification of the student's original birth certificate, immunization records, parents' immigration/citizenship documentation and proof of catchment area residency.  Children who turn 5 years old by December 31 of the year of entry are eligible to enter Kindergarten.

Priority is given in the following order:

a) Siblings of catchment students who are currently enrolled AND who will continue in the French Immersion program at the same school the following year.  Siblings must be registered by the January 31, 2012 deadline or will be placed on the wait list.

b) Catchment residents.  Priority is given to catchment area students over non catchment students.

c) Non-Catchment area residents

d) Non-Vancouver residents.

Please note:  Transportation to the French Immersion school of choice is the parents' responsibility.

Students who were born outside Canada, please refer to the District Reception and Placement Centre page 

Please note that K-12 French Immersion applicants currently enrolled in French Immersion in another district will only be offered a placement if space is available at the appropriate Grade level.

Late French Immersion:   Students in Grade 5 may apply for admission to Grade 6 French Immersion. Registration procedures are the same as for the early French Immersion program. In addition, a copy of the most recent Grade 5 report cards and a statement of commitment from the student must be attached.  Please note that due to the nature and pace of the program, students will not be admitted to the Late French Immersion program after the second week of instruction.