5.1 Elementary and secondary schools

In BC, children between the ages of 5 and 18 attend Kindergarten to Grade 12 programs at either an elementary or secondary school. Parents can choose to enrol their child in either a public or independent school that offers these programs. There are approximately 360 independent schools and about 1,590 public schools. Many schools provide support services for students whose first language is not English. There are both short- and long-term program options.