The Westside School

At The Westside School students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 gain a solid foundation for their future. Every student is known, cared about, and understood by Westside’s dedicated and passionate teachers. Small class sizes allow for individual attention, and a customized learning plan ensures that no student is lost. Every student receives the education they need in order to excel today and in the future.

The Westside School is a place of happy excellence. We believe that every student can learn. It’s just a matter of having great teachers and an environment that allows students to focus and have fun. Learning shouldn’t be a chore. If students learn how to learn, their future will be secure. This is our goal: to ensure that students go from Kindergarten to Grade 12, gaining strong foundational skills that set them up for a successful future.

The Westside Schools was founded in 2004. It’s a not-for-profit independent school governed by the Westside Preparatory Society. With three centres in downtown Vancouver, providing excellent education at an affordable price to students from across the GVRD, Westside aims to make high-quality education more accessible. Since its founding, the school has grown from the original campus, now housing the Foundation Years Program, to include the Middle Years Program centre on Smithe Street, and the Miniversity campus on Nelson Street.

Westside’s Foundation Years Program helps children from Kindergarten to Grade 3 develop a love of learning in a caring environment where every child is truly known. Our elementary school program is referred to as the Junior School and encompasses K-7. Within the Junior School is the Foundation Years (K-3) and the Middle Years (4-7).

That’s a question you might have asked yourself while looking at elementary schools in Vancouver. It’s a legitimate concern. It’s common for children in big classes, and even bigger schools, to not get the support they need to excel. These first few years of school are critical. They provide your child with the foundational skills needed to thrive in high school and university. Unfortunately, many children don’t get the attention needed to develop their essential reading, writing, and math skills. Worse yet, they don’t go to school with a spring in their step. They aren’t gaining a love of learning.

At Westside our core values are the foundation for everything we do. Honesty, trust, kindness, teamwork, effort, and inclusivity are the values that drive the school’s decisions and support students’ growth. The Foundation Years Program develops students who are first and foremost good people. Our values aren’t just decorative. They’re the base upon which all learning is built. For families who share these values, Westside is an excellent fit.

This is a time full of change. As children transition out of elementary school and move into the middle years, the social aspect of school becomes even more important. Students begin to make friends that will take them through to high school. The hormonal roller coaster is also in effect. This can be a tricky time if you don’t have a school that you can rely upon to be a source of support for both you and your child.

It’s around this time that you might start worrying about bullying, your child’s cell phone use, and whether they’re really being prepared for university. While you want to make sure your child goes to a school with a positive social environment, they also need to be getting a good education. One aspect doesn’t outweigh the other. It’s a balancing act. Making great friends and developing positive relationships and good social skills are just as important as getting an A in science or math.

Crowded classes without enough resources for teachers can see students either getting left behind and struggling, or simply not being challenged sufficiently. Over-crowded classrooms can also result in increased behavioural issues which affect every student in the class, even those who are doing well academically. The only way to guarantee a school will provide your child with a safe place to grow and learn is to choose a school with strong values and teachers who care about your child’s progress.

In large high schools, it’s common for students to get off track, to avoid asking questions, and end up not getting the support they need to learn the required material. Not being comfortable at school may mean you struggle needlessly. It can also result in fewer opportunities in the future because you haven’t excelled in school the way you could have.

Every student can do well in school, get good grades, and attend an excellent university. It’s just a matter of getting a strong foundation when you’re in high school. Stress can be another factor that causes students to feel stuck, overwhelmed or less-than-comfortable at school. When you’re not being encouraged or supported, it’s hard not to get stressed out or anxious every time there’s another test or assignment.

While it’s natural to experience some stress during your high-school years, there’s a limit to what you should reasonably feel. Your school environment shouldn’t be the cause of excessive pressure. Your school should help you deal with the natural stress of wanting to do well, challenging yourself to improve, and seeking out experiences that cause growth.