Archie MontroseElementary schools play an important role in a child’s development and aid in their academic growth. Vancouver has many great options for parents to choose from, including faith-based and international elementary schools.
There are also exemplary public schools located in the city which offer a wide variety of courses to enrich children’s knowledge.
Keep reading as we list down some of the best elementary schools in Vancouver! Do take note that this list is in no particular order, by the way.
The Best Elementary Schools in Vancouver
Finding the best elementary schools in Vancouver can be a difficult task. There are lots of factors that go into deciding where to send your children, such as the type of education they will get, the area it will be located in, and its safety rating.
The type of elementary school you choose will affect your child for years to come so it is important that you do a little research to find the best option for them.
We’ve assessed the following elementary schools based on the criteria below:
1. Choice School for Gifted Children
| CRITERIA | RATING |
| Reputation | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Years of Experience | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Student Feedback | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Range of Subjects | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Efficiency | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Facilities | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Classroom Capacity | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Cleanliness | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Located in East Richmond, BC, Choice School for Gifted Children is a specialized independent school serving students from Kindergarten through Grade 5 in its elementary program. Designed specifically for gifted and twice-exceptional learners, the school offers a tailored educational experience that balances academic challenge with emotional support.
The core strength of Choice School lies in its specialization. With a Ministry-recognized Special Education Designation, the school is equipped to address the unique learning styles of gifted and twice-exceptional children—those who are both gifted and have additional learning needs.
Students benefit from individualized attention due to small class sizes. This allows teachers to adapt lessons to the intellectual and emotional needs of each child, promoting both academic success and personal growth.
While following the BC Ministry of Education curriculum, Choice School supplements it with inquiry-based, problem-solving approaches. Students are offered grade acceleration in core subjects when appropriate, ensuring they’re constantly challenged at the right level.
These programs provide students with opportunities to explore their interests in depth and develop independent learning skills. This kind of student-driven exploration is especially engaging for gifted learners who thrive on autonomy and intellectual stimulation.
Teachers and support staff at Choice are trained to understand the academic, emotional, and social needs of gifted learners, making it a safe and encouraging environment for children who may feel out of place in traditional classrooms.
The school puts strong emphasis on inquiry, leadership, communication, and problem-solving—skills that are essential for future academic and personal success. Programs like formal debating, essay writing, and STEM projects enhance these skills from a young age.
An open-door policy promotes frequent, transparent communication between parents and the school, fostering a strong support system for students both in and outside of the classroom.
Beyond academics, the school teaches important life values—kindness, empathy, and cooperation—helping gifted children develop emotional intelligence alongside intellectual capability.
In addition to a balanced academic load, students enjoy supervised physical activity every day and weekly lessons from specialist teachers in French, Art, and Music, supporting well-rounded development.
Intermediate students participate in student council, charitable projects, and experiential learning weeks, helping them grow into socially conscious and responsible individuals.
Pros
- Tailored Education for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Students
- Small Class Sizes
- Enriched and Accelerated Curriculum
- Specialized Programs: Choice Challenge & Passions Projects
- Experienced and Supportive Staff
- Focus on Core Competencies and Critical Thinking
- Strong Community and Communication with Parents
- Holistic Development and Emotional Growth
- Daily Physical Activity and Specialist Instruction
- Community Engagement and Leadership Opportunities
Cons
- Can Be Far to Some
Customer Reviews
School has found a jackpot in the staff and principal
“The genuine words and expressions and micro-expressions of the teachers and principal towards my child tells me that they really care. The school has found a jackpot in the staff and principal.
One of the best things that happened to my child in Choice School was when the staff noticed signs of neurodiversity in him. Neurodiversity is easy to mask for gifted children, and the staff here are pretty skilled at noticing the signs. He got assessed for neurodivergence soon after, and the interventions from the school’s occupational therapist and behavioral consultant had led my child to progress a lot over just a few months and made him happier.
He also have an individualized education plan that involves acceleration on subjects that he is interested in.”
Provides the necessary programs, coaching, and teaching that gifted children need
“Choice is having a huge impact on our child’s educational and social/emotional growth. While a very small, niche school, Choice provides the necessary programs, coaching, and teaching that gifted children need. Often times gifted children have different educational learning needs, and Choice is able to accommodate those. It is quite remarkable to see the change in our child’s love for school. It is the right environment for her learning needs.”
2. Tyee Elementary School
| CRITERIA | RATING |
| Reputation | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Years of Experience | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Student Feedback | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Range of Subjects | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Efficiency | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Facilities | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Classroom Capacity | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Cleanliness | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Tyee Elementary School encourages learning and active participation in various learning experiences.
We liked how they believe that each learner is unique and that providing a supportive environment in which each student can thrive is critical.
This school strictly enforces punctuality and respect towards other students. We particularly liked that they provided students with numerous leadership opportunities.
These include joining the student council, public announcers, library monitors, and many more. In our opinion, this encourages students to take on more tasks, enabling them to be more responsible.
What we liked best about Tyee Elementary School is that it has multicultural liaison workers that can provide support for students and families from different cultural backgrounds.
We believe this makes them ideal not only for Canadian students but for foreign learners as well.
Moreover, Tyee Elementary School teaches French as a Second Language (FSL) to students in Grades 5 to 7. We think this is beneficial for students to understand other cultures.
They also have a garden, which began as a small butterfly garden. This is now filled with plants, grafted apple trees, and various types of compost.
Unfortunately, they have a limited number of school events. We only wish they had more school programs to encourage students to participate more actively.
Nevertheless, we still think Tyee Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in Vancouver as they promote leadership alongside educational excellence.
Pros
- Dedicated staff for deaf and hard of hearing students
- Plenty of free parking
- Multicultural liaison workers available
- Own garden inside school campus
- Numerous leadership opportunities
- Offers French as a Second Language (FSL)
Cons
- Limited school events
- No volunteering opportunities
Customer Reviews
Practical and responsible teachers
“The montessori education at this school was really good and practical. Made really nice friends at this school as well, and teachers are really responsible and helpful!.” -Its M.
Great school
“Most amazing school in history of amazing schools.” -Chi N.
3. Sir Wilfrid Laurier Elementary School
| CRITERIA | RATING |
| Reputation | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Years of Experience | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Student Feedback | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Range of Subjects | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Efficiency | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Facilities | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Classroom Capacity | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Cleanliness | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Elementary School believes that learning is a lifelong task and provides students with a caring and supportive environment.
We thought it was worth mentioning that this school has a hot lunch system that provides nutritious and tasty meals such as chicken teriyaki boxes, dumplings, lasagna, and many more.
We believe this daily meal program will benefit students by providing them with a well-balanced meal that will allow them to concentrate in class.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Elementary School also hosts numerous school events such as neighborhood clean-up parties, virtual book fairs, online auctions, and many more.
Students at this school are encouraged to S.O.A.R. ( (Supportive – Open Minded- Awesome – Respectful). The school’s code of conduct, we believe, encourages students to be respectful and welcoming to everyone they meet.
They also have numerous student leadership opportunities, such as library monitors, lunch monitors, and many more.
What distinguished them from the rest was their recycling committee, which is open to students in Grades 4,5,6, and 7. This, in our opinion, encourages students to be more environmentally conscious from a young age.
We particularly liked their school safety patrol opportunities for students in grades 5, 6, and 7. We believe this program suits learners who want to take on more responsibilities.
This school has a dedicated library website where students can find all the information they need for their projects and homework, which we thought was helpful.
Now, we were disappointed to learn that they do not provide foreign language programs. We believe this would have been an excellent addition to their curriculum.
Overall, Sir Wilfrid Laurier Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in Vancouver, as we believe they provide a supportive learning environment for learners.
Pros
- Offers meal programs
- Numerous school programs
- Multicultural liaison personnel
- Student leadership programs available
- Has a recycling committee
Cons
- Limited parking available on campus
- Doesn’t offer foreign languages programs
Customer Reviews
Excellent school
“Excellent school that is conveniently located for all kids residing in West of Cambie in Marpol neighborhood.” -Taras T.
Welcoming staff
“I love the school. The people there are very welcoming, but people who are almost 60 years old have gone to the school in kindergarten. It’s pretty old.” -Kheyria I.
4. Emily Carr Elementary School
| CRITERIA | RATING |
| Reputation | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Years of Experience | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Student Feedback | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Range of Subjects | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Efficiency | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Facilities | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Classroom Capacity | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Cleanliness | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Founded in 1910, the Emily Carr Elementary School has assisted students in reaching their full potential as individuals and members of society.
What we liked best about this school is that they provide numerous student support such as free Office 365 resources for students, emergency preparedness programs, and many more.
This school is unique because it has a dedicated music program available for Grade 1 to 7 learners. This program allows them to play a wide variety of instruments.
We believe this is ideal for students to start developing their musical skills early. Some instruments they teach include xylophones, West African hand drums, and small hand percussion instruments.
We also appreciate that this school allows parents to meet with their children’s teachers. We believe this helps parents understand and monitor their children’s academic progress.
We also found it convenient that they provide an online platform where parents can quickly pay school fees.
This school also has a dedicated chess club every Wednesday during lunch. In our opinion, having activities outside of school improves their time management skills and helps them learn new skills.
However, we only wish they held more school events so students could be more involved.
Even so, we strongly recommend Emily Carr Elementary School for its numerous student support resources that assist students in reaching their full potential.
Pros
- Dedicated music program
- Numerous additional student support
- Multicultural Liaison Workers available
- Has a chess club
- Numerous meal programs
Cons
- No parking available for students
- Limited school events
Customer Reviews
Great school and excellent teachers
“Good school, good playground, and excelent teachers and staff!.” -Majapahiti E.
Knowledgeable teachers and great playground for kids
“Good school, good playground, and excelent teachers and staff the principal is wonderful and responsible. overall it’s a good school, the children and parents are great either, the teachers are knowledgeable and kind.” -Minoo A.
5. Queen Mary Elementary School
| CRITERIA | RATING |
| Reputation | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Years of Experience | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Student Feedback | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Range of Subjects | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Efficiency | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Facilities | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Classroom Capacity | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Cleanliness | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
The Queen Mary Elementary School, founded in 1915, provides Kindergarten through Grade 7 elementary education and is an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.
We were impressed by the school’s multiple events, which include games, music and movie nights, bake sales, and fundraisers. They also encourage students to be more active by holding September fun runs.
However, we couldn’t help but notice that their entrance fees for school events are costly.
Despite that, we liked that they are environmentally conscious. To reduce the environmental impact of school events, they use compostable plates, napkins, and recyclable drink containers.
The Queen Mary Elementary School also has its own full line of clothing, which we thought was impressive because a portion of the proceeds goes toward school funding.
What also caught our attention is that they have multiple volunteering programs where students and parents can get more involved in helping the community.
This includes supporting events, donating to fundraising events, volunteering as a classroom parent, and many more.
Students looking to be more active can also join their athletics program, which offers cross country, basketball, soccer, and many more.
In our opinion, these extracurricular activities allow students to develop their social skills and learn the importance of teamwork.
All in all, we felt Queen Mary Elementary School deserved to be on our list because their years of experience have allowed them to provide a good balance of learning and fun.
Pros
- Eco-friendly school
- Babysitting and first aid certifications available
- Offers 12th Grade scholarship programs
- Numerous school events
- Own apparel store
- Has volunteering programs
- Wide range of athletic programs
Cons
- Relatively high rates for school events
- Limited field trips
Customer Reviews
Great school and accessible location
“Good public school, visitors generally can get access to this location. Nice environment- lot’s of children!.”
Amazing teachers
“My kids go there. The teachers are AMAZING! My kids love it and have good memories there.” -Justin M.
6. Westside Montessori School
| CRITERIA | RATING |
| Reputation | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Years of Experience | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Student Feedback | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Range of Subjects | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
| Efficiency | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Facilities | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Classroom Capacity | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
| Cleanliness | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Westside Montessori School is a student-centered institution founded in 1986. We immediately noticed they provide flexible programs such as half-day or full-schedule classes.
In our opinion, this allows the school to accommodate different learning needs.
Tuition fees at the Westside Montessori School cost around CAD 10,000 to CAD 18,950, which is relatively higher, but we think this is reasonable as they provide numerous classes and programs.
Their annual tuition fee includes all snacks, specialty classes, field trips, and other activities. We appreciate that they do not charge additional fees because it allows parents to plan ahead of time.
Perhaps what impressed us the most about this school is its specialist classes that encourage students to participate in extracurricular activities.
Some classes they offer include French, Yoga, and Orff music held three days a week for 30 minutes. These classes are already included in their tuition.
This school also organizes two to three field trips annually, which we believe helps them improve their observation and social skills while also increasing their understanding of their community.
On a whole, we believe Westside Montessori School is one of the best elementary schools in Vancouver as they offer a more student-centered approach to learning.
Pros
- Student-centered classes
- Multiple flexible programs
- Has specialist classes
- Daily outdoor playtime
- 2-3 field trips every year
- Houses a variety of pets
Cons
- Relatively higher tuition fee
- CAD 1,500 deposit required
Customer Reviews
Caring and passionate teachers
“Westside Montessori Elementary is a beautiful school with caring and passionate teachers. The classroom is stunning with lots of colour and natural light. The lovingly curated materials are thoughtfully displayed throughout the classroom and the cozy reading nook/loft adds a really special feature to the room. My daughter is in her third year at Westside Montessori Elementary and she still runs to the door in the mornings and leaves school everyday with a smile on her face. We love this school and highly recommend it!.” -Raechel J.
Supportive learning environment
“Everyone in our family is beyond excited about the Westside Montessori Elementary school, Cambie Street. My daughter currently attends Kindergarten at WMS, Oak Street. The three year cycle is an exceptional program with phenomenal teachers and I count my blessings everyday that my daughter is a part of such an incredible, loving and supportive environment. It’s been a tremendous third year so far and my daughter continues to thrive, making WMS Elementary an obvious choice for first grade. I couldn’t image her anywhere else. I had the opportunity to visit the new space and it’s really something special. It’s a must see!! Simply beautiful!.” -Sean M.
FAQs about Elementary Schools in Vancouver
That’s about everything we know about the best elementary schools in Vancouver. We hope our list made it easier for you to find the right school for your children.
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