Priority Kindergarten Registration
Registration is a two-part process.
Step 1: Complete an online application form
Step 2: Verifying Documentation
- Contact your catchment school to set up an appointment to bring your supporting documentation
- Bring supporting documentation to your catchment school during your scheduled appointment
- For children born outside of Canada: Book an appointment with a registrar at the Newcomer Welcome Centre (NWC) to complete your registration (an appointment booking link will be provided in the confirmation email after submitting your application - step 1). Visits are by appointment only. Please email the NWC at nwc@vsb.bc.ca if you do not receive a link to their bookings page.
The following original documents must be presented to complete your application:
- Proof of British Columbia residency
- Child's original birth certificate
- Applicable Immigration/Citizenship/Permanent Resident Documentation
- Immunization records, if available
Some schools may request additional identification as proof of residency.
NOTE: Some catchment schools may not able to accommodate all kindergarten students who applied during the priority application period. If a school does not have kindergarten spaces to accommodate all student applicants, an electronic draw determines the offer and waitlist sequence. Students who can not be accommodated at their catchment school will be added to the catchment waitlist, and will be placed in another VSB school.
Here is a video of our most recent online Kindergarten registration information session
District Choice Programs
Families must register at their neighbourhood catchment school during the priority registration period (November 1 - January 31) before applying for kindergarten District choice programs.
Applying for a District choice program is a separate process and runs from January 6 and February 3, 2026. Visit the Kindergarten District Choice Programs page for more information.
Cross-boundary
Families who wish to apply to a school outside of their catchment area, known as cross-boundary, must first register their child at their neighbourhood catchment school.
Applying for cross-boundary is a separate online process and runs during the month of February 2026. Cross-boundary applications will only be considered after all in-catchment students have been accommodated.
More information can be found at cross-boundary registration.
Identified Full Schools
While the majority of schools can accommodate all their catchment students, there are some schools that cannot. Of the 89 elementary schools in the VSB, 15 schools are currently identified as full schools for 2025-2026. For planning purposes, below is the list of schools that are identified as full schools and as such may not have physical space to accept all kindergarten students in their catchment.
All students in the District will be placed in a school, even if you are in an identified full school. The District will do its best to place your child at the nearest school to your catchment school. Applying to a choice program or cross-boundary is optional. The District will automatically place your child at another school as close as possible to your catchment area.
2025-2026 Identified Full Schools:
- Carr
- Cavell
- Crosstown
- Elsie Roy
- False Creek
- Fraser
- Hudson
- Jamieson
- Maple Grove
- Nelson
- Norma Rose Point
- Roberts catchment (Roberts main Elementary and Roberts Annex/New School at Coal Harbour)
- Sexsmith
- Trafalgar
Sibling Priority
Sibling Priority for kindergarten admission is only provided to students who register between November 1 - January 31. Sibling priority is not applicable to applications received after January 31. Find out more information about: Sibling Priority
Additional Information
- Annex and Main School Catchments
- School Draws and Waitlists
- Kindergarten Enrolment Timelines
- Preparing for Kindergarten, Building Confident Learners
- Kindergarten Registration FAQs
Below is a video of our most recent online Kindergarten registration information session
Contact your neighbourhood catchment school for assistance with the application processes for priority kindergarten registration.