Back to School in Surrey: Your Guide to Public & Private Schools

Although the city of Surrey, British Columbia, is considered a suburb, its population has grown to be nearly as large as Vancouver. Those moving to Surrey will find they have a lot of educational opportunities in the area. There is a large public school district, several French immersion schools and private schools, and several colleges and universities. Surrey has the distinction of being one of the few population centers in Canada where the number of enrolled students has been increasing in recent years. A modern city with abundant educational opportunities, there are also many things to do in Surrey. Read on to learn more about the schools and school districts serving Surrey.

Public School Districts Serving Surrey

School District 36 governs all the public schools in Surrey. The District operates 103 elementary schools, 20 secondary schools, an online learning program, and several child and adult learning centres. It has the largest student enrollment of any school district in British Columbia, exceeding 70,000 in recent years. District 36 employs around 6,400 teachers.

District 36 is also the largest geographical school district in British Columbia (328 square kilometres). The boundaries of the district stretch from the southern banks of the Fraser River (including Barnston island) down to White Rock and the U.S.-Canada border with Washington state.

More than 150 languages other than English are spoken in Surrey public schools. According to District 36 statistics, just over half of the students in Surrey speak a language other than English at home. After English, the most common languages spoken among the student population are Punjabi, Tagalog, Mandarin, Hindi, and Arabic.

District 36 also offers a wide range of specialized programs for students, including:

• Aboriginal Learning for Indigenous students
• Gifted Education
• Advanced Placement & International Baccalaureate courses
• English Language Learner programs
• Punjabi Language program
• Montessori elementary programs
• An online K-12 school called Surrey Academy of Innovative Learning (SAIL)
• Adult & Continuing Education programs
• Secondary School Apprenticeship & work experience placements

For parents interested in the boundaries for public schools, the Surrey Schools website provides maps and other resources. Parents can also reach the district by phone at (604) 596-7733 for information about enrollment or other questions.

French Immersion & Other Language Schools

There are plenty of foreign language educational opportunities for K-12 students in Surrey. District 36 offers French Immersion in many elementary and secondary schools, in addition to Intensive French or Enhanced French programs for students wanting to study the language at a higher level. There's also a Punjabi Language program offered by District 36. Another opportunity is the English-Mandarin program at Newbridge Academy.

French Immersion

French Immersion is available to every student in the district, and parents don't need to speak the language to enroll their children in the program. Early French Immersion is available for students in Kindergarten through 7th grade. Six schools in District 36 offer Early Immersion.

There is a Late French Immersion program for newcomers who missed out on Early Immersion for grades 6 and 7 at six elementary schools in the district.

Secondary French Immersion for high school students is available at four secondary schools in Surrey.

Intensive/Enhanced French

The Intensive French program in District 36 is a literacy-based program for students to develop a deeper understanding of French. The Intensive French program is available for grades 6 and 7 at five different elementary schools. Enhanced French for high schoolers continues this program available at three secondary schools.

Punjabi Language

The Punjabi Language program is an alternative to French in Surrey public schools. It's available for grades 5 through 8 and high schoolers. The Punjabi Language program is available in six elementary and eight high schools in Surrey.

English-Mandarin School

Newbridge Academy is a private Christian school that provides co-ed bilingual education in English and Mandarin. In South Surrey, parents interested in admissions requirements can call (778) 291-0110.

Surrey Private Schools

There are 29 private schools in Surrey. The curriculum ranges from religious instruction to progressive, Montessori, and International Baccalaureate studies. Here are the private schools in Surrey, with contact information for each of them:

• Al-Mustafa School: (604) 900-2722
• Bibleway Christian Academy: (604) 576-8188
• Cloverdale Catholic School: (604) 773-9743
• Cornerstone Montessori School: (604) 599-9918
• Diamond School: (604) 576-1146
• Fraser Valley School: (604) 427-2282
• G.A.D. Elementary School: (604) 595-0888
• Glarea Elevated Learning: (604) 372-3725
• Gobind Sarvar School: (604) 897-3838
• Holy Cross Regional High School: (604) 581-3023
• Honour Secondary School: (604) 587-8100
• Iqra School: (604) 583-7530
• Khalsa School Newton: (604) 591-2248
• Khalsa School Old Yale Road: (604) 951-2333
• Khalsa Secondary School Surrey: (604) 585-8200
• Newbridge Academy: (778) 291-0110
• Our Lady of Good Counsel: (604) 581-3154
• Pacific Academy: (604) 581-5353
• Regent Christian Academy: (604) 599-8171
• Sikh Academy: (604) 599-3828
• Southridge School: (604) 535-5056
• St. Bernadette: (604) 596-1101
• St. Matthew's Elementary: (604) 589-7545
• Star of the Sea: (604) 531-6316
• Surrey Christian: (604) 498-3233
• Surrey Muslim School: (604) 599-6608
• Traditional Learning Academy Online: (604) 575-8596
• White Rock Christian Academy: (604) 531-9186
• iLearn Secondary School Society: (604) 590-5504

Colleges & Universities Near Surrey

With so much emphasis on elementary and secondary education, it's no surprise to learn that there are many advanced education opportunities in Surrey.

Simon Fraser University

The main Surrey campus of SFU is in the Whalley/City Centre neighbourhood. The school provides dozens of undergraduate programs in everything from Education and Business to Arts and Social Sciences. Masters and doctorate programs are available in several disciplines, as well as a Part-Time MBA in Business.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

KPU is one of the largest schools by enrollment in the Vancouver Metro area, with more than 20,000 students. It's the only polytechnic institution in Canada and has campuses in five locations (including two in Surrey). KPU has more than 140 areas of study, offering diplomas, certificates, associate's, and bachelor's degrees.

Acsenda School of Management - Surrey

Acsenda was formerly known as Sprott Shaw College in the Vancouver area. It's a private institution with a branch in downtown Surrey offering a wide range of degree programs within healthcare and nursing, business administration, early childhood education, design, trades, and more.

CDI College

CDI is another private college with two campuses in Surrey. One is in the Brighton neighbourhood near the beautiful waterfront homes along the Fraser River. The other location is in South Surrey and offers degree programs in business, healthcare and dental, legal, teacher education, art and design, and technology.

University of British Columbia

Located 40 minutes from Surrey in the city of Vancouver, UBC is a well-known university in Canada. It enrolls more than 40,000 undergraduates and nearly 10,000 post-graduate students. Interested students can explore the many degree programs at the University of British Columbia website.

Surrey Is an Educational Haven in British Columbia

Surrey is a community that genuinely values education at all levels. Whether looking for elementary and secondary public schools, private schools, language immersion programs, or public or private universities, there are robust opportunities available for everyone who moves here.