Comparing schools across the Fraser Valley.
For a lot of the families we work with, a school question comes before the home question, which catchment, which district, is the rating any good. This hub pulls the answers together for all six Fraser Valley cities: how the rankings work, which schools rate well, how catchments decide what your home feeds into, and where the colleges and universities are. Every number here is sourced.
Last full review: June 24, 2026 · BC-licensed Fraser Valley team (about FRIVE)
Two things shape everything on these pages. First, the Fraser Institute's elementary rankings are current (2025 report card, 1,015 schools), but its BC secondary rankings haven't been updated since 2020, so every high-school rating is five-plus years old, and we label it that way. Second, those ratings come from standardized test scores that track neighbourhood income closely, so a high number often reflects a pricier catchment as much as a better school. How the rankings really work →
The six Fraser Valley districts at a glance
Six cities, six school districts, very different scales, from BC's largest in Surrey to the compact district in Mission. School and student counts below are from each district or BC's Ministry of Education; pick a city for its full breakdown.
- SurreySD36 · 126 schools · ~77,000 studentsSD36126 schools~77,000 students
- LangleySD35 · 46 schools · Fast-growingSD3546 schoolsFast-growing
- AbbotsfordSD34 · 47 public + 8 independent · ~19,000 studentsSD3447 public + 8 independent~19,000 students
- ChilliwackSD33 · 30 schools · ~15,000 studentsSD3330 schools~15,000 students
- Maple Ridge & Pitt MeadowsSD42 · 33 public schools · 17,230 studentsSD4233 public schools17,230 students
- MissionSD75 · 19 public + 3 independent · 6,808 studentsSD7519 public + 3 independent6,808 students
Surrey is BC's largest district (105 elementary + 21 secondary). Langley's exact enrolment isn't published in a single figure we could verify, but it's one of the region's fastest-growing districts. Counts include independent schools where the source does.
Pick your city
Each city guide lists the top-rated elementary and secondary schools (with the report-card year), how catchments and French immersion work locally, and what it all means for buyers.
Surrey
SD36BC's largest district. The most program choice in the Valley, and the most full schools.
Langley
SD35New schools opening in Willoughby, with catchment lines that keep shifting.
Abbotsford
SD34Strong traditional-school options, a big French immersion program, and UFV in town.
Chilliwack
SD33The Valley's most affordable city, and several schools running over capacity.
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows
SD42Outdoorsy and family-friendly, with Meadowridge (IB) as the standout independent.
Mission
SD75Smaller and more affordable, with one main high school and larger lots.
Understand the system, not just the scores
How school rankings actually work
What the Fraser Institute rating measures, why the secondary list is from 2020, and how to read it before you buy.
Catchments and buying into one
Why an in-catchment home gets priority, not a guaranteed seat, and how cross-boundary and French immersion really work.
Colleges and universities
UFV, KPU, Trinity Western, and SFU Surrey, where the Valley's campuses are and why living at home matters.
The schools that stand out across the Valley
A few names rise to the top of the Fraser Institute's 2025 elementary report card. Among public schools, Greendale in Chilliwack (8.7), Alex Hope in Langley (8.3), and Erma Stephenson in Surrey (8.2) lead their cities. Among independent schools, the highest scorers include Timothy Christian in Chilliwack (a perfect 10.0, provincially tied for first), St Catherine's in Langley (9.7), Southridge in South Surrey (9.9 elementary, and first in BC on the older 2020 secondary report), and Meadowridge, an IB school in Maple Ridge, at 9.4 on both reports.
One honest pattern: the very top of the rankings is dominated by independent (tuition-based) schools, and the top public schools cluster in higher-income catchments. That's the rankings measuring neighbourhood as much as teaching, worth remembering before you read a single number as a verdict. Why that happens →
A catchment is priority, not a promise
Plenty of buyers pick a home for a school, then learn the catchment gets their child priority, not a guaranteed seat. In the growing parts of Surrey, Langley, and Chilliwack, popular schools run over capacity, and even in-catchment students can be waitlisted. Before you write an offer, run the exact address through the district's school locator and ask whether the school actually has space. How catchments really work →
Questions Fraser Valley families ask us
Which Fraser Valley city has the best schools?
There's no single winner, it depends on public versus independent and elementary versus secondary. Top public elementary schools include Greendale (Chilliwack, 8.7), Alex Hope (Langley, 8.3), and Erma Stephenson (Surrey, 8.2). The highest-rated schools overall are usually independents like Southridge, Meadowridge, and Timothy Christian. Because rankings track neighbourhood income, the "best" city is really the one whose price, commute, and lifestyle fit your family.
Are the school rankings current?
Elementary, yes, the Fraser Institute's 2025 report card uses 2023/24 data and ranks 1,015 BC schools. Secondary, no, the most recent BC secondary report card is the 2020 edition (2018/19 data); the Fraser Institute discontinued it after the province changed high-school testing. Every secondary rating here is labeled with its 2020 vintage. More on the rankings →
Does buying in a catchment guarantee a spot?
No. A catchment gives your child priority, not a guaranteed seat. Over-capacity schools can waitlist even in-catchment students. Confirm the catchment on the district locator and check for actual space before you buy for a school. Catchments explained →
Can my kids go to university here?
Yes, UFV (Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission), KPU (Surrey, Langley, Cloverdale), Trinity Western (Langley), and SFU's Surrey campus all sit in the region. Many families value a student being able to commute from home and skip the cost of residence. Post-secondary guide →
Once you know which school matters, the next step is finding a home in the right catchment area. Read our school catchments buyer's guide for step-by-step instructions on running an address lookup for any Fraser Valley district before you write an offer. Then browse our Fraser Valley neighbourhood guides for street-level area profiles, or check the first-time buyer hub for down payment math and BC program eligibility before you start shopping.
About these guides, FRIVE is a BC-licensed real estate team serving Fraser Valley buyers. School ratings on these pages come from the Fraser Institute report cards; district facts come from each school district and BC's Ministry of Education. We are not affiliated with any school district, and ratings reflect standardized test results only, not a complete measure of a school. Brokerage details in the site footer.
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