Michael John Lau · REALTOR® · Markham Schools · Updated October 2026
French Immersion in Markham: Schools, Entry and Neighbourhoods
Quick answer: French Immersion in Markham starts in Grade 1 at both the public board (YRDSB) and the Catholic board (YCDSB), with registration while your child is in Senior Kindergarten. For 2026-27, the public board offers it at nine Markham elementary schools, usually in pairs such as Fred Varley and Sam Chapman near Wismer, and the Catholic board at St. Edward, St. Francis Xavier and St. John XXIII. Secondary French Immersion is at Pierre Elliott Trudeau HS, Bill Hogarth SS, Thornlea SS and St. Brother André CHS. French Immersion has its own boundaries, so check the address with the board before you buy.
Two Boards, Two Systems
Public and Catholic French Immersion
How the two English boards run French Immersion in Markham.
| Public (YRDSB) | Catholic (YCDSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry grade | Grade 1 (register in SK) | Grade 1 (apply in SK) |
| Instruction | Grades 1 to 3 entirely in French; equal French and English from Grade 4 | See the board for the time split |
| How places are given | Register through your home school during the window; not first-come, first-served during the window | Application; a public lottery if there are more applicants than spaces |
| 2026 entry window | January 16 to February 9, 2026 | Closed January 22, 2026 |
| Busing | Bus details are released in August | Within the French Immersion boundary, beyond 1.2 km (Grades 1 to 3) or 1.6 km (Grades 4 to 8) |
| Markham elementary schools | 9 schools, often in pairs (see below) | St. Edward, St. Francis Xavier and St. John XXIII |
| Secondary | Pierre Elliott Trudeau HS, Bill Hogarth SS, Thornlea SS; no application, attend your local French Immersion school | St. Brother André CHS |
Sources: YRDSB French Immersion registration, YRDSB secondary French Immersion, YCDSB French Immersion. 2027 dates had not been posted at the time of writing.
Where French Immersion Is
French Immersion Schools on the Map
Elementary French Immersion schools, the Markham French-language Catholic school, and the four secondary French Immersion schools.
The map shows locations, not boundaries. French Immersion boundaries are separate from English boundaries.
Neighbourhoods
Public French Immersion Schools and Nearby Communities
The public board often runs French Immersion across two schools: one for the early grades and one for the later grades. Communities listed are near the schools, not boundaries.
| YRDSB French Immersion schools, 2026-27 | Communities nearby | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria Square PS (Grade 1) and Sir Wilfrid Laurier PS (Grades 2 to 8) | Victoria Square, Cathedraltown | Current listings |
| Coppard Glen PS (Grade 1) and Milliken Mills PS (Grades 2 to 8) | Middlefield, Milliken Mills East | Current listings |
| Fred Varley PS (Grades 1 and 2) and Sam Chapman PS (Grades 3 to 8) | Wismer, Greensborough | Current listings |
| Reesor Park PS (Grades 1 to 3) and Franklin Street PS (Grades 4 to 8) | Old Markham Village, Cornell | Current listings |
| Woodland PS (Grades 1 to 8, new for 2026-27) | Royal Orchard, Thornhill | Current listings |
Two changes for 2026-27 are worth knowing. Woodland PS in Thornhill now offers French Immersion from Grade 1 to Grade 8, and Yorkhill ES no longer offers it. Locations can change from year to year, so families buying for a young child should check both the current and the planned French Immersion school for the address.
High School
French Immersion in Grades 9 to 12
At the public board, students continue at their local French Immersion secondary school: Pierre Elliott Trudeau HS, Bill Hogarth SS or Thornlea SS. There is no application. The French Immersion certificate requires at least 10 French Immersion credits, four French language courses and six other courses taught in French. Pierre Elliott Trudeau HS notes that entry expects 3,800 hours of French by the end of Grade 8.
At the Catholic board, St. Brother André Catholic High School on 16th Avenue is the French Immersion secondary school for Markham.
French Immersion is different from French-language education. Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir runs École élémentaire catholique Sainte-Marguerite-Bourgeoys in Markham, and Conseil scolaire Viamonde serves York Region from nearby communities. Children of French-language rights holders under Section 23 of the Charter are admitted automatically; other families apply to an admission committee.
- Check the French Immersion school for the address, not just the English one.
- Ask whether the program splits across two schools, and where each one is.
- Note the registration window: January and February of the SK year.
- Plan the high school too: four Markham secondary schools offer it.
More School Guides
Markham Schools, Explained
French Immersion Questions
For 2026-27, the public board offers French Immersion at Victoria Square and Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Coppard Glen and Milliken Mills, Fred Varley and Sam Chapman, Reesor Park and Franklin Street, and Woodland PS. The Catholic board offers it at St. Edward, St. Francis Xavier and St. John XXIII. Secondary French Immersion is at Pierre Elliott Trudeau HS, Bill Hogarth SS, Thornlea SS and St. Brother André CHS.
Grade 1, at both the public and Catholic boards. Families register or apply while their child is in Senior Kindergarten, usually in January and February.
The Catholic board holds a public lottery if there are more applicants than spaces. The public board says registration is not first-come, first-served during the registration window; late registrations are first-come, first-served.
French Immersion has its own boundaries, separate from English programs. Your address decides which French Immersion school serves you, so check it with the board before you buy. At the public secondary level, students attend their local French Immersion school without an application.
French Immersion teaches French as a second language within the English boards. French-language schools, run by Conseil scolaire Viamonde and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir, teach entirely in French. Children of French-language rights holders are admitted automatically; other families apply through an admission committee.
At the public board, the secondary French Immersion certificate requires at least 10 French Immersion credits: four French language courses and six other courses taught in French.
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School facts are from York Region District School Board and York Catholic District School Board websites, checked October 2026. Programs, boundaries and caps change; always confirm with the board and the school. School boundaries are set by the school boards; neither Michael John Lau nor this page can confirm which school serves an address. Michael John Lau is a licensed REALTOR® with eXp Realty, Luxury Division (Licence #4784577), serving Markham and York Region, Ontario.