Late French Immersion: Gr 6-7

The Vancouver School Board late French Immersion program accepts 10 and 11 year olds who have successfully completed Grade 5.

• in Grade 6, 100% of the BC curriculum is taught in French (emphasis is on oral French).
• English Language Arts are re-introduced in Grade 7, while other subjects continue to be taught in French.
• in Grades 8-12, the percentage of instruction in French is as described for Early French Immersion students, above.

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

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.

Although research has demonstrated that French Immersion is an educational model with universal application, many parents have questions which they need to have answered before enrolling their children into the program.

Elementary late French immersion is offered at

• General Gordon (Grade 6-7)
• Laura Secord Elementary (Grade 6-7)

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 2010/11 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 2010/2011 will be accepted during office hours (9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) between November 2^nd, 2009 and January 29^th, 2010. 

• Registration forms are to be picked up and submitted to the French Immersion elementary school in the applicant's catchment area, beginning November 2.  To locate your French Immersion catchment school, please refer to French Immersion School Boundaries in the Schools section. Late applicants, please refer to the 2010/11 FAQs above.

Please note:   

Information sessions for parents/students interested in early and/or late French Immersion will be held on Wednesday, November 18^th, 2009, beginning at 7:00 p.m. 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). 

2010/11 French Immersion Registration Process 

For additional information on 2010/11 French Immersion registration, please refer to the