Johnston Heights Secondary School

"Johnston Heights Secondary School is a public secondary school located in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, serving students through two of the International Baccalaureate's most rigorous programs."

As part of the Surrey School District, one of the largest and most diverse school districts in Canada, Johnston Heights brings the globally recognized IB framework to a public school setting, making it an accessible option for families who value internationally respected academics without the tuition costs associated with private institutions. The school offers both the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the IB Diploma Programme (DP), providing students with a coherent and connected academic journey through their secondary years. The MYP is designed for students in the middle secondary years and emphasizes interdisciplinary thinking, conceptual understanding, and the development of critical and creative skills across a broad range of subjects. Students who continue into the DP — widely regarded as one of the most demanding and respected pre-university qualifications in the world — engage in rigorous coursework across six subject groups alongside the core components of Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, and Service. Together, these programs prepare students not only for university admission but for the kind of independent, reflective thinking that serves them throughout their lives. Johnston Heights was established in 2017, making it a relatively young school within Surrey's educational landscape. While its history is still being written, its grounding in the IB philosophy gives it a clear and purposeful academic identity from the outset. The IB's core mission — to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world — aligns naturally with Surrey's own richly multicultural community, where students from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds come together in the classroom. For expat families and relocating professionals, the public IB designation is a particularly meaningful feature. Families accustomed to IB schooling in other countries will find familiar academic structures and internationally portable credentials, while newcomers to the IB will find a program with strong university recognition across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and beyond. Instruction is delivered in English, which is consistent with British Columbia's public school system. Surrey itself is a dynamic and rapidly growing city in Metro Vancouver, offering families proximity to the cultural, professional, and recreational resources of one of Canada's most livable urban regions. The school's location within this diverse urban setting reflects the broader character of the community it serves. What ultimately distinguishes Johnston Heights is the combination of public accessibility and internationally benchmarked academics. For families navigating a school search in a new city or country, it represents an opportunity to enroll children in a structured, globally minded program within a welcoming, publicly funded environment. Families interested in learning more or exploring enrollment are encouraged to visit the school's website through the Surrey School District.