Best Coquitlam schools
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Schools FAQ
If you're weighing independent schools alongside SD43, here's the Coquitlam-area picture — which schools exist nearby, how to think about private vs public, and what it means for where to buy.
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What should you know about Private Schools Coquitlam Area?
If you're weighing independent schools alongside SD43, here's the Coquitlam-area picture — which schools exist nearby, how to think about private vs public,… Craig Johnston, Top 1% Team Member — Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, 2022–2025 and 47+ year Tri-Cities resident, can walk you through the local context. Free Strategy Call ends with a written one-page plan in 24 hours.
Verify your exact address
Independent schools do not have catchments — your public schools still do.
Independent schools admit by application, not by address. Use SD43’s official School Locator to see which public schools serve your address as your comparison or backup.
Tri-Cities · independent schools
Independent schools change the house-hunting maths in a way public catchments do not: they admit by application, not by address. That single difference usually widens where you can buy rather than narrowing it — which is why it is worth settling the school question before the neighbourhood one.
| School | Grades | Location | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our Lady of Fatima Bilingual School | K–7 | 315 Walker St, Port Coquitlam | CISVA Catholic — the only Catholic French-bilingual elementary in the Tri-Cities, full dual-stream |
| Traditional Learning Academy (TLA) | K–12 | 1189 Rochester Ave, Coquitlam | Independent, founded 1991, roughly 169 students — traditional curriculum, K–12 under one roof |
| Archbishop Carney Regional Secondary | 8–12 | 1335 Dominion Ave, Port Coquitlam | CISVA Catholic regional secondary serving Tri-Cities and Maple Ridge parishes |
| Queen of All Saints Elementary | K–7 | 1405 Como Lake Ave, Coquitlam | CISVA Catholic, All Saints Parish, building dates to 1996 |
| BC Christian Academy | Pre-K–12 | 1019 Fernwood Ave, Port Coquitlam | Interdenominational Christian, Pre-K through 12; championship GVISAA girls basketball |
| Children of Integrity Montessori | Preschool–Gr 7 | 2541 Quay Pl | Independent Montessori |
| Our Lady of the Assumption | K–7 | Confirm with CISVA | CISVA Catholic |
The one genuinely unique option: Our Lady of Fatima Bilingual School in Port Coquitlam is the only Catholic French-bilingual elementary in the Tri-Cities, running a full dual-stream K–7 programme. If you want faith-based education and French in the same building, there is no local alternative — and no public catchment delivers that combination either.
| School | Grades | Location | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meadowridge School | JK–12 | 12224 240th St, Maple Ridge | Independent IB World School |
| Pacific Academy | JK–12 | 10238 168th St, Surrey | Independent Christian / IB |
Both sit outside the Tri-Cities but draw families from here, and both offer the International Baccalaureate. Before committing to that drive, note that Port Moody Secondary has run the IB Diploma since 1986 as School District 43’s IB hub — a public option, often with out-of-catchment intake available. For a family whose sole reason for going independent is IB access, that is worth a phone call first.
The practical consequence is straightforward. A family committed to a public catchment is buying a specific set of streets, and that scarcity is priced in. A family whose child will attend an independent school is buying on commute, budget and lifestyle instead — which typically opens up neighbourhoods that a catchment-driven search would have excluded on price alone.
Run both numbers honestly before deciding. Independent tuition is a recurring annual cost; a catchment premium is capitalised into the purchase price and, unlike tuition, it is an asset you may recover on resale. Neither is automatically the better financial choice — it depends on how many years of schooling remain, how many children will use it, and what the premium actually is in the catchment you want. That is a calculation worth doing on paper rather than by instinct.
Before you rely on any of the above: independent schools set their own admission timelines, and popular programmes fill well ahead of the school year. Confirm a place, or at least understand the waitlist position, before you let school choice determine which house you buy. An offer written around a school seat you have not secured is an avoidable risk.
Compiled from School District 43 audit records as of May 2026 and each school’s published information. Several smaller independent schools in the area — including Westwood Christian, Glenmurray Academy and Coquitlam Christian — are omitted here pending confirmation against the FISA BC independent-schools register rather than listed on unverified detail. Confirm grades, admissions and current tuition directly with each school. This page is general information, not enrolment advice.
Most private schools serving Coquitlam families are located either in the Tri-Cities or a short drive into Burnaby, Vancouver, or Surrey. Schools vary widely by philosophy (secular, faith-based, Reggio, Montessori, classical) and price tier.
Many Coquitlam families combine excellent public SD43 schools with private extracurriculars, and only go fully private when there's a specific fit reason — not a default.
The specific schools families ask me about — each links to my full guide with location, programs, and the home/catchment angle:
Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio if it fits your child.
Several religious independent schools exist in the area.
Some independents pace differently than public.
Average class sizes can be smaller in independents.
Some schools concentrate on specific programs.
Many SD43 catchments are excellent — private doesn't add.
Community diversity can matter.
Annual tuition vs public — different life shapes.
Private school commutes can be 45+ min each way.
K-12 private is a 13-year commitment.
Read best schools in Coquitlam and the neighbourhood-specific guides to see what public options are on the table.
If you're committed to a specific independent school, commute matters more than catchment. Buy within a reasonable drive of the school — and a reasonable drive of other families going to the same school (carpools are real).
If you're undecided, buy inside a strong SD43 catchment. You keep the option either way.
Highly variable — confirm with each school. Budget annually, not monthly.
Some families believe so. Outcomes vary. SD43 graduates do very well university-side.
Some do, some don't. Confirm when evaluating.
Yes, usually straightforward. Public-to-private is more admissions-dependent.
I answer these kinds of questions every day. A 15-minute call usually resolves it.
Plan the full family move.
I have spent the last 47+ years living in Coquitlam, 9+ years on Burke Mountain, helping move-up buyers and sellers get from where they are to where they want to be — without the panic of owning two homes at once or selling under value. I work the Tri-Cities every day: Burke Mountain, Westwood Plateau, Heritage Mountain, and the rest of Coquitlam’s move-up neighbourhoods.
If you want a straight read on your timing, pricing, or move-up strategy, the fastest next step is a short call.
Licensed REALTOR® in Coquitlam. Tri-Cities-fluent, written-advice-first. Here's how I work any client file that lands on this page.
Every claim on this site is checkable against a government, regulator, school district, or independent authority. Cross-reference anything — if a number here ever drifts from the source, the source wins.
External links open in a new tab. I'm not affiliated with these organizations — they are cited as independent authorities. Any time a number on this page differs from the authority, the authority wins.
Real reviews pulled from Google. No paid placements. No curated-only-positives. Every client below closed with Craig — most sold over asking, several within a week.
“He spent time getting to know us, visiting homes on our behalf until we were in the market. Craig prepared us to better understand the local market, city planning and developments all to refine our search. He is professional and works well with other realtors — a true partner in the process of purchasing a home!”
“Craig is what everyone hopes they will find in a realtor, yet is so incredibly rare. His foundation of genuine care and generosity with his time is outstanding… We never felt rushed, pressured or stressed by what is fundamentally a rather daunting experience, and it was because he created a dynamic of collaboration and support.”
“Craig extended such patience, excitement and professionalism in helping my husband and I buy a townhouse in Port Coquitlam (my hometown!) so we could continue raising our two girls where I also grew up. When we faced a hurdle getting financing approval because of a lien on our desired townhome, Craig worked tirelessly with our broker to get the lien removed.”
“Craig was a pleasure to work with for the purchase of our home. Craig was very patient as we debated between a condo and a townhome. Craig found us a home that ticked all of our boxes plus some! He made the whole process smooth and enjoyable.”
“We had a fantastic experience working with Craig on the purchase of our first home in Coquitlam. He was incredibly friendly and responsive, always quick to answer our messages and questions. Throughout the process, he took the time to walk us through each step so my partner and I always knew exactly what was going on and what to expect next. Craig also gave us honest, helpful opinions on properties we were considering, which really helped guide us toward a place we love. On top of that, he connected us with a great broker and lawyer, making the whole process feel seamless. We're so happy in our new home and couldn't have done it without him. Highly recommend Craig to anyone buying a home!”
“His creativity, top-notch communication skills, and a solid plan were instrumental in selling high and buying low. His foresight in negotiation, predicting outcomes before they happened, truly set him apart. He's also humble and very respectful.”
“Throughout our journey, Craig demonstrated immense patience and understanding. He went out of his way to provide extra resources and various options to consider on both the buy and sell side.”
“Craig assisted in every aspect of the purchase of my Bowen Island home, including the building inspection, the follow-up inspection, and ensuring deficiencies were repaired. He was thorough and protected my position every step of the way.”
“Craig was patient throughout the entire process. He never pushed us to buy something we weren't sure about, and when we decided to wait six months and save more, he just said ‘good call’ and stayed in touch. When we did finally buy, the math was so much cleaner.”
More on Schools & Catchments
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Thinking about the move, not just the school?
If you're weighing a move into this catchment, the hard part usually isn't the school — it's the timing and the tax math: when to sell your current home, how the property-transfer-tax works on the next one, and how to buy into the right catchment without overpaying. That's the work I focus on across the Tri-Cities. Start with the move-up guide, then get a no-obligation read on what your current home could sell for today.