Top 5 Schools in Richmond Hill (2026)

By Jatin Dua · Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty · Updated 30 October 2026 · 8 min read — A practical look at five YRDSB and YCDSB schools in Richmond Hill, their programs, and what each means for where you buy or rent.

How I chose these five

I picked schools that give Richmond Hill families a real choice of program, not just a building close to home. That means the full-diploma IB school, an IB school with an audition-based arts program, a Catholic secondary with Advanced Placement and Specialist High Skills Majors, and two French Immersion elementary options, one public and one Catholic.

Every fact below comes from the school’s own page or its board’s page at York Region District School Board (YRDSB) or York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB). I did not use league tables to build this list, and the order is my judgement, not an official ranking.

• Program depth: IB, arts, AP, SHSM or French Immersion confirmed by the school or board.
• Mix: elementary and secondary, public and Catholic.
• Practical access: whether a program is open to your address or needs an application.

I also weighed how each school fits a family’s whole timeline. A Grade 1 immersion choice, a Grade 8 IB application and a Grade 9 Catholic registration all happen at different moments, and a good purchase lines up with the one that matters to you.

One rule matters more than any list: your home address decides your school. Check it on the YRDSB school locator or the YCDSB school locator before you make an offer.

1. Bayview Secondary School

What it offers

Bayview is Richmond Hill’s long-running International Baccalaureate school, and it runs the IB as a full Diploma Programme. The school says it has been an IB World School since 2003 and does not offer IB subject certificates, so students in the program work toward both the IB Diploma and the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

Students start in Grade 9 with an enriched course of study in Grades 9 and 10, and the Diploma itself begins in Grade 11. The admissions process includes an online application, a personal portfolio and an in-person written assessment.

What it means for buyers and renters

The admissions page is explicit: applicants must live in York Region within Bayview’s IB catchment area when they apply, and applications from families planning to move into the area later are not accepted. If IB is the reason you are buying, time the move so you are living in the catchment before the fall application window in Grade 8.

The school’s home page also notes it is enrolment-capped for 2026-2027, which means some addresses inside the regular boundary may be directed elsewhere. Ask the board before you rely on it.

Practical notes

• Address: 10077 Bayview Ave., Richmond Hill
• Grades: 9 to 12, semestered
• Program: IB Diploma Programme
• 2026 application window: 16 October to 12 November 2026, for Grade 9 in September 2027

2. Alexander Mackenzie High School

What it offers

Alexander Mackenzie is the Richmond Hill school to look at if your teenager wants both academics and the arts. Its programs page lists the IB Diploma Programme alongside Arts Mackenzie, a specialized arts program with streams in music, visual arts, dramatic arts and dance.

The same page lists pathways options for students who are not heading down the IB route: dual credits, the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and a Specialist High Skills Major. That range makes it a school that can work for siblings with very different interests.

What it means for buyers and renters

Arts Mackenzie and the IB both have their own application and admissions steps, so living nearby does not guarantee a seat. What a nearby address does give you is the regular program and a short commute if your child is admitted to a specialized one.

The school sits on Major Mackenzie Drive West, so families on the west side of Yonge Street should check the locator to see whether this or another school is their home school for the regular program.

Practical notes

• Address: 300 Major Mackenzie Dr. W., Richmond Hill
• Grades: 9 to 12, semestered
• Programs: IB Diploma Programme, Arts Mackenzie (music, visual arts, dramatic arts, dance), dual credits, OYAP, SHSM

3. St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic High School

What it offers

St. Theresa of Lisieux is the Catholic secondary I would shortlist in Richmond Hill for a student who wants university-level challenge without the IB. YCDSB’s school page lists an Advanced Placement program and Specialist High Skills Majors in Business, Health and Wellness, and Information and Communications Technology.

The school’s own site also links to co-operative education and its AP program pages. The board page highlights several York Region Athletic Association championship teams in 2024-2025, including swimming, cross country, baseball, basketball and rugby.

What it means for buyers and renters

For Catholic families, this gives a Richmond Hill option with a recognized enriched stream. AP courses can count toward first-year university credit at some institutions, but that depends on the university, so treat it as a possible bonus rather than a promise.

Catholic secondary registration has its own steps and eligibility rules, so contact the school or the board before you assume a seat.

Practical notes

• Address: 230 Shaftsbury Ave., Richmond Hill
• Level: secondary, with Grade 9 entry
• Programs: Advanced Placement; SHSM in Business, Health and Wellness, and ICT; co-op
• Main office: 905-787-1407

4. Michaëlle Jean Public School

What it offers

Michaëlle Jean is a dedicated French Immersion school for the youngest immersion students. The school lists its grades as 1 to 3 in French Immersion, with all subjects taught in French, and says students continue at Beverley Acres Public School for Grades 4 to 8.

The school opened in 2007 and is named after the former Governor General, who attended its official opening in October 2008. A school built entirely around immersion means every classroom, assembly and announcement supports the program.

What it means for buyers and renters

Because the school starts at Grade 1, French Immersion here is a decision you make before your child finishes kindergarten. If you are moving with a child in senior kindergarten, ask YRDSB about its French Immersion registration window as soon as you start house hunting.

French Immersion catchments are not the same as English-program boundaries. A house can be in one school’s English boundary and a different school’s immersion boundary, so check both on the locator.

Practical notes

• Address: 320 Shirley Drive, Richmond Hill
• Grades: 1 to 3, French Immersion
• Continues to: Beverley Acres Public School for Grades 4 to 8
• Phone: 905-770-6507

5. Christ the King Catholic Elementary School

What it offers

Christ the King is one of two YCDSB elementary schools in Richmond Hill on the board’s French Immersion list, the other being St. Marguerite d’Youville. The school offers French Immersion in addition to its English program, which is useful for families with one child in each stream.

The school site links to child care and transportation pages and notes that it has a standardized dress requirement and is nut-safe and scent-safe. Class hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

What it means for buyers and renters

A dual-track Catholic school keeps families together at one drop-off even if children are in different programs. The school publishes a separate French Immersion boundary map, so check that map rather than assuming the English boundary applies.

YCDSB notes on its French Immersion page that program locations may change, which is another reason to confirm before you buy.

Practical notes

• Address: 329 Valleymede Dr., Richmond Hill
• Programs: English and French Immersion; kindergarten offered
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Phone: 905-771-6036

The five at a glance

What this means if you’re buying or selling in Richmond Hill

The biggest mistake I see is buying for a school program without checking the exact rules. Bayview’s IB requires you to live in its IB catchment when you apply, and the school is enrolment-capped for 2026-2027, so a listing that says “Bayview SS district” is a starting point, not a guarantee.

For families with young children, French Immersion timing matters as much as the address. Registration windows are set by the boards, so build them into your search timeline and ask about late registration if your closing date falls after one.

Think about the full run of schooling, not just next September. A family that starts at Michaëlle Jean will move to Beverley Acres for Grade 4, then to a secondary school, and each step has its own boundary. A house that works for all three saves you a second move.

Catholic and public options can also sit side by side on the same street. If you are open to either board, you widen your choice of homes, so check both locators for every address on your shortlist.

If you are selling a home inside a sought-after boundary, confirm the current boundary on the board locator and note it accurately in your listing. Boundaries and caps change, and buyers will check.

When you are ready to compare specific streets or homes near these schools, I can pull the current listings and recent sales so you see the trade-offs side by side.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Bayview Secondary School home page — York Region District School Board
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme — Bayview Secondary School
• Application and Admissions — Bayview Secondary School
• Our Programs — Alexander Mackenzie High School
• St. Theresa of Lisieux CHS — York Catholic District School Board
• About Us — Michaëlle Jean Public School
• Christ the King Catholic Elementary School — York Catholic District School Board
• Find Your Local FI School — York Catholic District School Board

Related reading

• Top 5 Schools in Burlington (2026)
• Top 5 Schools in Milton (2026)
• Top 5 Schools in Aurora & Newmarket (2026)
• Top 5 Schools in Etobicoke