Catholic + French Immersion Elementary · CISVA · K–7 · Coquitlam West
Updated October 2026 · Craig Johnston, REALTOR® V99960
A Coquitlam REALTOR®'s read on Our Lady of Fatima Bilingual School (École Notre Dame de Fatima) — the only Catholic + French Immersion bilingual elementary in the Tri-Cities. How the dual-stream English + FI structure works at every K–7 grade, CISVA admissions priority, and why no-catchment private schooling changes the housing decision for Catholic FI families.
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What should you know about Our Lady of Fatima Bilingual School?
Our Lady of Fatima Bilingual School / École Notre Dame de Fatima — Our Lady of Fatima Bilingual School / École Notre Dame de Fatima is a Catholic + french immersion elementary (CISVA) school in Coquitlam, serving grades K–7 in the Coquitlam West · Walker Street area. The only Catholic + French Immersion bilingual elementary in the Tri-Cities. Address: 315 Walker Street, V3K 4C7. Phone 604-936-4228.
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Verified school facts · Independent school
School type
Catholic + French Immersion Elementary (CISVA)
Grades
K–7
Affiliation
Roman Catholic — Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese (CISVA). Affiliated with Our Lady of Fatima Parish.
Address
315 Walker Street, Coquitlam, BC V3K 4C7
Phone
Website
Administration
Maria Katsionis (Principal) · mkatsionis@fatimaschool.ca
VP: Confirm current VP roster on fatimaschool.ca.
Enrolment
Small parish elementary — confirm current-year enrolment with the school office.
School hours
Confirm the current year's bell schedule directly with the school at 604-936-4228.
Admissions
Application window
Confirm with the OLF admissions office. CISVA schools typically open applications in early winter for the following September.
Tuition
Two-tier tuition structure — standard rate plus a discounted rate for active parishioner Catholic families (parishioner discount requires meeting the minimum parish support of $30/week or $1,560/year, preferably via EFT, with a Sacrificial Giving Card on file). Contact the OLF admissions office at 604-936-4228 for current 2025–26 rates.
School details verified against the school's official website (June 2026). Bell schedules, administrators, tuition, and program details can change year to year — confirm the current year directly with the school office before relying on any specific number.
What this school is best known for
Our Lady of Fatima (École Notre Dame de Fatima) is unlike any other school in the region. It is a CISVA Catholic K–7 elementary, AND it offers a complete dual-stream English + Early French Immersion program at every grade level. Catholic faith formation is embedded throughout the program. For families wanting Catholic education AND French Immersion at the elementary level, Our Lady of Fatima is the only school in the Tri-Cities — and one of very few in BC — that combines both.
Programs & academic profile
FI runs at EVERY grade level K–7. The FI model is K–2 = 80–100% French; grade 3 introduces English language arts; grades 4–7 = 60–80% French instruction.
Standard BC curriculum delivered alongside Catholic faith formation.
Daily religion class, weekly all-school Mass, sacramental preparation, retreats, parish involvement.
Cultural events, French celebrations, immersion-based language acquisition across the curriculum.
Accredited under the BC Independent School Act as a Class 1 school.
Our Lady of Fatima does NOT offer Pre-Kindergarten — the school starts at Kindergarten.
Admissions, feeders & geographic reach
Our Lady of Fatima has NO public school catchment. CISVA admissions priority applies: Our Lady of Fatima Parish parishioners first, then non-parishioner Catholic families, then non-Catholic families subject to space. The unique bilingual offering draws families district-wide and beyond.
Our Lady of Fatima is a K-entry school.
Catholic continuation typically goes to Archbishop Carney Regional Secondary (CISVA Catholic secondary serving the Tri-Cities and Maple Ridge parishes). FI continuers may transition to an SD43 public French Immersion secondary (Centennial Secondary FI, in Coquitlam, is one path) — confirm options with the school.
Apply directly through the school. Our Lady of Fatima Bilingual admissions →
Extracurriculars · sports · clubs
Programs change year to year. Confirm the current season's club and sport list on the school's Programs / Clubs page.
Choosing where to live · housing read
Our Lady of Fatima is a destination school, not a catchment school. Families across the Tri-Cities and beyond commute in for the unique Catholic + FI offering. Housing decisions for OLF families can be made entirely on lifestyle and budget — neighborhood, commute, and parish geography (for parishioner-status admissions priority) matter more than catchment lines.
Frequently asked questions
Our Lady of Fatima Bilingual School is unique in the Tri-Cities — it's the only Catholic + French Immersion bilingual elementary in the region, with full dual-stream English + Early French Immersion at every K–7 grade level. For Catholic families specifically wanting French Immersion at the elementary level, it is the only school in the area that combines both.
Yes — and uniquely so. Our Lady of Fatima offers full Early French Immersion at every K–7 grade level. The FI model is K–2 = 80–100% French; grade 3 introduces English language arts; grades 4–7 = 60–80% French.
Yes — it is a Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver Archdiocese (CISVA) school, Class 1 accredited under the BC Independent School Act. Catholic faith formation is embedded throughout the program.
Both are CISVA Catholic K–7 elementaries in Coquitlam. QAS runs an English-only program. Our Lady of Fatima offers full dual-stream English + French Immersion — the only Catholic + FI elementary in the Tri-Cities.
Catholic continuation typically goes to Archbishop Carney Regional Secondary. FI continuers may transition to an SD43 public French Immersion secondary (e.g., Centennial Secondary FI). Confirm options with the school.
Through the school's admissions process at fatimaschool.ca/who-we-are/admissions/. CISVA admissions priority applies (parishioner / non-parishioner Catholic / non-Catholic).
Two-tier tuition (standard / parishioner discounted). The parishioner discount requires meeting minimum parish support of $30/week ($1,560/year), preferably via EFT, with a Sacrificial Giving Card on file. Contact OLF admissions for current rates.
No. The school starts at Kindergarten.
Maria Katsionis is the current principal (mkatsionis@fatimaschool.ca).
315 Walker Street, Coquitlam, BC V3K 4C7. Phone 604-936-4228.
Continue your Coquitlam school research
Main hub
The full SD43 schools guide for the Tri-Cities.
Hub
Ranked guide to the top Coquitlam SD43 schools.
Programs
Every SD43 French Immersion entry point.
Private
Independent schools serving Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam.
Sources & methodology
School facts verified against the SD43 Our Lady of Fatima Bilingual school page, the SD43 2025–26 School Listings (administrators) PDF, and the SD43 school locator. Catchment, registration, and cross-catchment information from SD43's cross-catchment policy page. Real estate commentary is the professional opinion of Craig Johnston, REALTOR® license V99960, working under Royal LePage Elite West and serving the SD43 Tri-Cities market.
Page reviewed and dated June 2026. License V99960 · BCFSA-regulated. Confirm school program details with the school office before relying on them for an enrolment decision.
A long-time Tri-Cities resident and licensed REALTOR®, Craig knows the streets, the school options, and the homes that come up near Our Lady of Fatima Bilingual before they hit the public market.
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