French Immersion

French Immersion is a District Program in Abbotsford that works towards functional fluency in French for a growing number of students each year. Over 1,300 students and 65 fully qualified bilingual teachers are active in the French Immersion program across the District.

Early French Immersion begins in Kindergarten at one of four different elementary schools located across the city: Centennial Park, Clearbrook, Margaret Stenersen, and Sandy Hill. The French Immersion program's second option and entry point begins in grade 6 at Chief Dan George Middle School. This is a highly-intensive ‘Late’ French Immersion program, taking place in grades 6 and 7. By grade 8, both the Late French Immersion students and those who have been in French Immersion since Kindergarten (Early French Immersion) join together for their grade 8 year. Students in grades 9-12 go on to complete their immersion experience at W.J. Mouat, graduating with a ‘Double Dogwood’ bilingual certificate. Throughout their school experience, students are ‘immersed’ in the French language, gaining fluency while completing the learning outcomes described in the curriculum for all secondary school graduates across the province.

Early French Immersion BrochureLate French Immersion Brochure


Information for Kindergarten and Early French Immersion

Interested families can learn more about our school district's Early French Immersion program by reviewing the brochures above. 

Information for Late French Immersion

A second option and entry point for the French Immersion program begins in grade 6. This highly intensive ‘Late’ French Immersion program opens for registration in January. Please refer to the Chief Dan George Middle website for more information.

Additional Resources

Canadian Parents for French 

Visit French Immersion


Registration

All Abbotsford families have access to District Programs. Placements in district programs are awarded based on a lottery system, application, or are automatically transitioned from a current district program to the next level of school. A District program has the entire district as its catchment, with the exception of elementary French Immersion schools, which have defined catchment areas within the district.

Registration will commence the fourth Monday of January, until the fourth Friday of January. Students with an older sibling in the program will be given priority placement over new applicants. Seats will be assigned the second week of February on a proportional basis by catchment area via a random selection process.

*Lottery Link will appear here on January 27, 2025