All applications submitted any time in February receive equal priority. Application status will be confirmed by April 15.

You must apply in February for priority placement if your child:

• Is starting Kindergarten
• Is new to the district
• Wants a school outside catchment
• Is applying for a Program of Choice (e.g., French Immersion)

Before registering, make sure you have all of your supporting documentation.

1. Registration Isn’t Always Automatic

Your child does not need to submit a full application if:

• They are already enrolled in a Burnaby public school
• They are continuing in the same school and program next year

You must submit an application for:

• All new students (including Kindergarten)
• Cross‑District or Out‑of‑District requests
• Programs of Choice
• Changing schools or programs
• Elementary → High School transitions, unless continuing at the designated catchment school

2. Catchment Schools: Priority, Not a Guarantee

Living in a school’s catchment means you get priority placement BUT your child is not automatically placed just by living there. You must still register if they are new to the school system.

In‑Catchment applicants are placed before Cross‑District and Out‑of‑District, but only if space is available. Brantford Catchment families must still apply in February. If the grade fills, placement depends on space and priority categories.

3. Cross‑District & Out‑of‑District Applications

If you live in Burnaby but want a school outside your catchment:

1. Register at your English catchment school first
2. Submit a Cross‑District Transfer Application

If you live outside Burnaby, submit an Out‑of‑District Transfer Application.

4. Priority Order

When there are more applicants than spaces, Burnaby schools process placements in this order:

1. Siblings of continuing students (even out of catchment)
2. Students attending licensed childcare within the school’s catchment
3. Grade 7 peer priority (for secondary enrollment where two high schools align)
4. Cross‑District transfer applicants
5. Out‑of‑District applicants

Within each category, if there are still more applicants than spaces, a lottery is used.

5. Programs of Choice

French Immersion is a Program of Choice that also must be applied for in February.

Key points:

• You must first register at your English catchment school
• Then complete the French Immersion application
• A lottery is used if demand exceeds space
• Students may enter:
  • Early Immersion (starting K)
  • Late Immersion (starting Grade 6)

When there are more applicants than spaces, Burnaby schools process placements in this order:

1. Siblings of continuing French Immersion students attending the program site and living within the program’s catchment
2. Students living within the program’s catchment
3. Siblings of continuing French Immersion students living outside the program’s catchment
4. Students enrolled in licensed before- or after-school childcare within the program’s catchment
5. Students living in Burnaby but outside the program’s catchment
6. Students living outside Burnaby

Brantford is one of the Early Immersion sites. It does not have a Late Immersion intake. Many families apply for Early Immersion, so placement depends on priority + lottery.

If a family is not offered a spot in Kindergarten, their child is typically placed on a waitlist and enrolled in their regular English program at their catchment school. Families may reapply for Early Immersion in Grade 1, but if they are still unsuccessful, there are generally no further entry opportunities until Grade 6, when students may apply for Late Immersion.

Program Changes Due to Budget Constraints: Both the Mandarin Language Arts and Multi-Age Cluster Class (MACC) programs are being phased out and will not accept new students for the 2026‑27 school year due to budget limitations. Mandarin Language Arts will have no new Kindergarten intake, while MACC will have no new Grade 4 intake. Students currently enrolled or entering these programs in September 2026 will continue through to the end of Grade 7.

To register for any Program of Choice, Burnaby residents must submit a Cross-District Transfer Application. Non-Burnaby residents must submit an Out-of-District Transfer Application within the month of February to be given priority.

6. Transition to High School

English Program Students

If your child attends elementary in catchment and stays in the English program, they generally move to their designated catchment high school automatically, but you must confirm with the high school office for schedules and forms.

French Immersion Students

If your child is in French Immersion:

• They continue into their catchment French Immersion high school
• If they were out of catchment for elementary, they are generally moved to their designated catchment French high school automatically
• To attend a different out-of-catchment French Immersion high school, you must submit a cross-district transfer application, and placement is not guaranteed

Both English and French Immersion students do their course selections in January, the month when Open Houses are also held at all the high schools for families to visit.

High School Programs of Choice

Unlike elementary Programs of Choice, which place students in long-term specialized tracks like French Immersion from K-Gr 7, high school Programs of Choice are optional, specialized learning pathways in areas such as technology, trades, sports academies, media arts, and academic enrichment like Advanced Placement. Students in Gr 8-12 can apply for these programs as part of their timetable, and if accepted, the program replaces one of their regular course blocks while counting toward graduation credits. These programs are not mandatory. Gr 8 students can follow the standard course schedule without selecting a program and may choose to explore these opportunities in later grades. Most Programs of Choice require a program-specific application in February for priority placement, and if the program is offered at a school other than the student’s catchment school, a cross-district transfer application may also be necessary. Once accepted, participation becomes fully integrated into the student’s schedule, earning credits that count toward the BC Graduation Program’s requirement of at least 80 credits, including both required and elective courses needed for the Dogwood Diploma.

7. What Happens If You Miss February

• Your application will be processed after all on‑time (February) applications
• That means catchment spots may be gone, and chances of cross‑ or out‑of‑district placement fall significantly
• Waitlists may be the only option