How school catchments work in Vancouver

Every address in the city comes with two schools already attached. Here's how the assignment works, what happens when a school is full, and how to check any address.

One address, two schools

Every Vancouver address sits inside one elementary catchment and one secondary catchment. You don't apply for these schools. They come with the address, the way a postal code does, and knowing them is the starting point for every other schooling decision.

4123 Maple Street

Elementary · K–7

Maple Grove Elementary

your catchment school

Secondary · 8–12

Magee Secondary

where the catchment feeds

One example. Type any Vancouver address on the map to see its own pair.

How assignment actually works

Living in a catchment gives your child a claim on its school, not an automatic desk in it. You register with the district, and when a school has room, which is the common case, every catchment child gets a seat. When a school is designated full, the district holds a random draw among on-time applicants and offers everyone else the nearest school with space. A seat somewhere is always guaranteed; the question a full school raises is only which seat.

  1. Children already at the schoolcontinuing students keep their seats
  2. Catchment children who registered on timewith sibling priority first inside this group
  3. Cross-boundary applicantsconsidered in the February window, where space remains
  4. Later applicationsprocessed in the order they arrive

The order the district works down when a school has more applicants than seats. district admission procedure

Cross-boundary, in plain terms

You can ask for a school outside your catchment. That request is called a cross-boundary application, and it runs on its own small calendar: the process opens on the first school day of February and closes on the last, and the district answers by March 31. district admission procedure Your child must be registered at their catchment school first, and cross-boundary requests are only considered where space remains after catchment families, so treat it as an option to explore, not a plan to rely on.

Where French Immersion fits

Immersion and other choice programs sit alongside the catchment system rather than inside it: a separate application, separate zones, and their own entry ages. If immersion is on your mind, the French Immersion guide walks through the two entry points and how the zones overlap your regular catchment.

How to check any address

Type an address into the map and it shows the catchment, both assigned schools, and the evidence behind them. You can also browse every catchment's page directly. For the final word, the district's official school locator decides actual assignment; confirm there before you commit to an address.

Boundaries can change

Catchment boundaries are reviewed as neighbourhoods grow, and they can shift between school years. The maps here reflect the latest published boundaries.

Questions people ask

What is a school catchment?
A catchment is the area around a school whose residents are assigned to it. Every Vancouver address sits inside one elementary catchment and one secondary catchment, so every address comes with two schools already attached.
Do I have to attend my catchment school?
No. You can apply cross-boundary to a school outside your catchment. Cross-boundary applicants are considered after in-catchment families, where space allows, so it's an option rather than a promise.
What does it mean when a school is designated full?
The district marks a school as full when it's at or near capacity. A full school accepts few or no cross-boundary applicants, and even some in-catchment children may be offered the nearest school with space instead. A seat is always guaranteed somewhere.
Can catchment boundaries change?
Yes, boundaries can change between school years. The district decides actual assignment, so before committing to an address, confirm it with the district's official school locator.
See which schools come with your address

Keep reading

Or browse the facts directly: every catchment and every school has its own page.