2026 Edition · Greater Victoria Schools

The Parent’s Guide to Greater Victoria Schools — Which Neighbourhood Gets Your Kids In?

School catchments, Fraser ratings, French Immersion options, and the private school landscape across Oak Bay, Saanich, and Greater Victoria. 2026 edition.

9 schools profiled Public, private & French Immersion Catchment maps by neighbourhood

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School Directory

Every School, Profiled

From the most competitive public catchments in Oak Bay to Victoria’s leading private schools — here’s every institution families ask Kelvin about, and what you actually need to know.

Oak Bay High School

One of Victoria’s most sought-after public secondary schools. Known for strong academics, arts, and athletics. Feeds from Willows and Monterey. Buying in Oak Bay or the Uplands is the surest path to this catchment.

Grades 9–12

Public

Willows Elementary

Premier Oak Bay public catchment. Highly sought-after for families buying in the Uplands and North Oak Bay area. One of the most competitive catchment addresses on the island — homes in the zone command a meaningful premium.

Grades K–7

Public

Victoria High School

Canada’s oldest operating high school. Historic downtown campus with a broad academic and arts offering. Serves Downtown, James Bay, and Fairfield. Strong performing arts program and diverse student body.

Grades 8–12

Public

Mount Douglas Secondary

Large, well-regarded Saanich East secondary. Strong IB program option. Serves Cadboro Bay, Ten Mile Point, and Gordon Head. Consistently rated among the top public secondaries in Greater Victoria.

Grades 9–12

Public · IB

Claremont Secondary

Saanich East secondary serving Cordova Bay and Royal Oak. Known for its music program and strong community culture. Popular with families who want the school community feel without moving into Oak Bay.

Grades 9–12

Public

Ecole Victor Brodeur

French Immersion school in James Bay. Popular with families wanting bilingual education in a walkable setting. Feeds into French Immersion streams at the secondary level. Catch zones can be competitive — check current boundaries with the district.

Grades K–7

Public · French Immersion

Frank Hobbs Elementary / Campus View

Campus View offers French Immersion. Both schools serve the Cadboro Bay village area, walking distance from the beach. Frank Hobbs is a well-regarded neighbourhood school; Campus View is the entry point for the French program in Saanich East.

Grades K–7

Public · French Immersion

Glenlyon Norfolk School

Victoria’s leading private K–12 school on Beach Drive in Oak Bay. IB World School. Strong arts, athletics, and university placement. Many families from the Uplands, Cadboro Bay, and Ten Mile Point attend. Annual tuition — ask Kelvin for current rates.

Grades JK–12

Private · IB

St. Michael’s University School

Co-ed boarding and day school. One of BC’s most prestigious. Outstanding university placement record — consistently ranked among Canada’s top independent schools. Day and boarding options available. Families from across the island and beyond.

Grades JK–12

Private · Boarding

Catchment by Neighbourhood

Which Street Gets Your Kids In?

In Greater Victoria, school catchments are hyperlocal — a single block can be the difference between two schools with very different reputations. Here’s the breakdown by community.

Oak Bay & The Uplands

Willows Elementary → Monterey Middle → Oak Bay High

Victoria’s most prestigious public school pipeline. The Willows catchment is one of the primary reasons families pay a premium for Oak Bay. Private alternatives: Glenlyon Norfolk and St. Michael’s are both minutes away on Beach Drive.

Downtown Victoria & James Bay

James Bay Community School / Ecole Victor Brodeur → Victoria High

Canada’s oldest operating high school serves this walkable core. French Immersion is available at Ecole Victor Brodeur — popular with families who want bilingual education in a central location.

Fairfield

Sir James Douglas / Fairfield Elementary → Victoria High

Solid neighbourhood schools that feed into Victoria High. Fairfield’s proximity to Oak Bay means some families explore boundary exceptions — verify current catchment lines with the school district before purchasing.

Cadboro Bay & Ten Mile Point

Frank Hobbs / Campus View → Arbutus Middle → Mount Douglas Secondary

Campus View offers French Immersion entry in Saanich East. Mount Douglas is a consistently strong public secondary with an IB option — one of the better public catchments outside of Oak Bay.

Cordova Bay

Cordova Bay Elementary → Claremont Secondary

Claremont is known for its music program and community-oriented culture. A strong choice for families who want a tighter-knit school community than a larger secondary. Good option for families priced out of the Oak Bay catchment.

Lake Cowichan & Cowichan Valley

Lake Cowichan Elementary → Lake Cowichan Secondary

Smaller community schools. Sunrise Waldorf School (private alternative) is also located in the valley. Recreational buyers and remote workers should verify current enrollment and program offerings directly with SD 79.

What’s in the Full Guide

More Than Ratings — The Intel That Matters

This guide gives you the street-level information that parents moving to Victoria actually need — not just rankings, but context.

🗺️

Catchment Boundary Breakdown

Neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood mapping of which elementary and secondary each address feeds into — including where the boundaries are close enough to matter.

🇫🇷

French Immersion Pathways

Which addresses give you access to French Immersion entry points at Ecole Victor Brodeur and Campus View, and how the program continues through secondary.

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Private School Landscape

Glenlyon Norfolk vs. St. Michael’s — what each school offers, where families come from, and which neighbourhoods put you closest to each campus.

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School Reputation by Neighbourhood

How Oak Bay High, Mount Douglas, and Claremont compare — from academics to athletics to arts — and what families who’ve made the move actually report.

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School Premium by Address

How much the Willows catchment adds to Oak Bay home prices, where the school premium is real vs. overstated, and where smart buyers are finding value.

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Direct Line to Kelvin

Have questions about a specific street, a catchment exception, or the right neighbourhood for your kids’ ages? Kelvin grew up here. Text him.

What Parents Say

Families Who Got It Right

Kelvin knew every street in Oak Bay. He helped us find a home we didn’t even know we were looking for — and we landed in the Willows catchment on the first try.

— M.R., Oak Bay Buyer

We had three kids and needed to figure out the school situation before we even thought about neighbourhoods. Kelvin mapped it all out for us. That conversation alone was worth it.

— J. & A.W., Cadboro Bay

He walked away from two deals he didn’t think were right for us — one of them was on the wrong side of the catchment boundary. You don’t forget an agent like that.

— T.B., Fairfield Buyer

Kelvin Doore

REALTOR® · Engel & Völkers Victoria

I grew up in Saanich, on Christmas Hill, learning the island through my family’s 30+ years in real estate development. Whether you’re looking for a walkable Oak Bay character home in the Willows catchment, or a Cadboro Bay property near Frank Hobbs — I know these school boundaries because I know these streets. My job isn’t to close a deal. It’s to make sure you end up somewhere your family loves.

778.679.4592 kelvin.doore@evrealestate.com kelvindoore.evrealestate.com

Know the Schools Before You Make an Offer

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Instant access — catchment maps, school profiles, private school comparison.

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