Published 30 October 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
My top five schools in Burlington are Burlington Central School (Grades 7 to 12 with IB and French Immersion), Assumption Catholic Secondary School (AP in six subjects), Corpus Christi Catholic Secondary School (AP and an Art and Design SHSM), Charles R. Beaudoin Public School (HDSB French Immersion) and Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Elementary School (Grade 1 French Immersion). The order is my judgement, not an official ranking. Confirm your school with the board locator for your address.
How I chose these five
I chose Burlington schools that give families a clear program advantage and that a buyer can actually plan around. The list covers Halton District School Board (HDSB) and Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB), and it mixes secondary schools with two elementary French Immersion options.
Every name, address and program below comes from the school’s own page or a board page. I did not use test-score league tables to order this list, and the order is my judgement, not an official ranking.
- Program strength: IB, Advanced Placement, Specialist High Skills Majors or French Immersion confirmed by the board.
- Balance: public and Catholic, elementary and secondary.
- Planning value: how easy it is for a family moving to Burlington to get in.
Boundaries decide everything. Before you buy, check your exact address with the HDSB and HCDSB school locators, and check French Immersion boundaries separately.
1. Burlington Central School
What it offers
Burlington Central is one of only four schools on HDSB’s IB list, and it pairs the IB with French Immersion. The school serves Grades 7 to 12, which is unusual in Halton and means students can stay in one building from the end of elementary school to graduation.
Its landing page lists the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12, French Immersion, co-op, and Specialist High Skills Majors in Arts and Culture, Construction/Electrical and Engineering, and Manufacturing and Robotics.
How IB works at HDSB
HDSB runs IB as IBDP Prep in Grades 9 and 10 followed by the two-year Diploma. The board says every student who applies to IBDP Prep is accepted if space is available, and if applications exceed capacity it uses a randomized selection with a waitlist.
For 2026-2027 entry, the online application opens 30 October 2026 and closes 30 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. The board lists four IB schools in total: Burlington Central, Craig Kielburger, Georgetown District and White Oaks.
In the Diploma years, students take six subjects, normally three at Higher Level and three at Standard Level, plus Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and CAS. In the Prep years they earn regular Ontario credits with added extensions.
Practical notes
- Address: 1433 Baldwin St, Burlington
- Grades: 7 to 12
- Programs: IB Diploma Programme, French Immersion, SHSM, co-op
2. Assumption Catholic Secondary School
What it offers
Assumption has the broadest Advanced Placement offering of the Burlington Catholic secondary schools I checked. Its school page lists AP in English, French, Geography, History, Mathematics and Science.
It also runs five Specialist High Skills Majors: Construction Design, Justice and Community Safety, Information and Communications Technology, Fitness and Sports Leadership, and the Non-profit sector. That combination suits a student who wants university-level challenge in some subjects and a hands-on pathway in others.
What it means for buyers and renters
Outside class, the school lists Model United Nations, a School Reach team and band, and its sports teams compete in the Halton Catholic Athletic Association and the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference.
Assumption describes itself as the first Catholic secondary school in Halton, founded in 1977 and on its current site since 1981. It lists six feeder Catholic elementary schools: Ascension, St. Raphael, St. Paul, St. Patrick, St. John and Holy Rosary.
If you want Assumption, a home inside one of those elementary boundaries gives you a natural path from kindergarten through Grade 12. Confirm with HCDSB, because feeder patterns can be revised.
Practical notes
- Address: 3230 Woodward Avenue, Burlington
- Phone: 905-634-1835
- Programs: AP in six subjects, five SHSMs, PLAR, summer and night school
3. Corpus Christi Catholic Secondary School
What it offers
Corpus Christi is the Burlington Catholic secondary to look at if your teenager leans toward art and design. Its site lists Advanced Placement alongside Specialist High Skills Majors, including an Art and Design SHSM.
The school also lists summer and night school and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition. Those are useful for students who want to free up a timetable slot or catch up on a credit.
For an artistic student who still wants AP courses, having both in one building avoids a choice between a specialty school and an enriched academic timetable. Ask the guidance office how the two fit together in Grades 11 and 12.
What it means for buyers and renters
Corpus Christi names four elementary schools in its family of schools: Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Anne, St. Christopher and St. Elizabeth Seton. A home in one of those areas sets up a clear Catholic route from elementary to secondary.
Because Sacred Heart of Jesus is also an HCDSB French Immersion site, families who want both Catholic education and immersion can plan around this group of schools.
Practical notes
- Address: 5150 Upper Middle Rd, Burlington
- Phone: 905-331-5591
- Programs: AP, SHSM including Art and Design, PLAR, summer and night school
4. Charles R. Beaudoin Public School
What it offers
Charles R. Beaudoin is an HDSB elementary school that hosts French Immersion for its part of Burlington. The board’s Burlington French Immersion boundary review page notes that Florence Meares PS students who choose immersion are directed to Charles R. Beaudoin or Clarksdale PS.
The school’s site lists French Immersion, kindergarten, English as a Second Language, special education placements, and before- and after-school care. It describes itself as having a “Heart for Learning,” with the Bobcat as its mascot.
How French Immersion works at HDSB
HDSB French Immersion begins in Grade 2, not Grade 1. The board’s program page says Grade 2 is taught 100 per cent in French, Grade 3 is 80 per cent, and Grades 4 to 8 are 50 per cent.
Some HDSB schools are dual-track and others offer only Core French, in which case a child changes schools to join immersion. Immersion students can later sit the DELF exam in Grade 12.
Registration runs from December to the end of January of a child’s Grade 1 year. The page states that registration for Grade 2 French Immersion for 2026-2027 is closed, so families arriving now are planning for the following year.
Practical notes
- Address: 4313 Clubview Dr, Burlington
- Phone: 905-637-8297
- Programs: English program, French Immersion, kindergarten, before- and after-school care
5. Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Elementary School
What it offers
Sacred Heart of Jesus is the Burlington school on HCDSB’s most recent published list of French Immersion sites, for 2025-2026. The HCDSB program starts in Grade 1, a year earlier than the public board’s Grade 2 entry.
That one-year difference matters if your child is in senior kindergarten and you are still deciding between boards.
The school’s phone line is the fastest way to ask about immersion space, kindergarten registration and before- and after-school care, all of which can change from year to year.
What it means for buyers and renters
The school is part of Corpus Christi’s family of schools, so a family here has a straightforward Catholic path from Grade 1 immersion to a secondary school with AP and an Art and Design SHSM.
Immersion sites draw from a wider area than a single English-program boundary, and transportation rules can differ. Ask HCDSB which immersion site serves your address and whether busing applies.
Practical notes
- Address: 2222 Country Club Drive, Burlington
- Phone: 905-331-4656
- Program: Grade 1 French Immersion entry (HCDSB)
The five at a glance
| School | Board | Level | Signature program | Entry note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington Central School | HDSB | Grades 7 to 12 | IB Diploma, French Immersion | IB application 30 Oct to 30 Nov 2026 |
| Assumption CSS | HCDSB | Secondary | AP in six subjects, five SHSMs | Catholic registration |
| Corpus Christi CSS | HCDSB | Secondary | AP, Art and Design SHSM | Catholic registration |
| Charles R. Beaudoin PS | HDSB | Elementary | French Immersion | FI starts Grade 2 |
| Sacred Heart of Jesus CES | HCDSB | Elementary | French Immersion | FI starts Grade 1 |
What this means if you’re buying or selling in Burlington
The first thing I tell families is that the two boards start French Immersion in different grades. HCDSB starts in Grade 1 and HDSB starts in Grade 2, so a child’s age at the time of your move can push you toward one board or the other.
For IB, timing is tight this year. HDSB’s application window for 2026-2027 IBDP Prep opens 30 October and closes 30 November 2026, and the board uses a randomized draw if a school is oversubscribed, so a Burlington Central address helps with the regular program but does not guarantee an IB seat.
Catholic secondary schools in Burlington publish their family of elementary schools. If you plan to stay through high school, look for homes inside one of those elementary boundaries so the path is set from the start.
Commute matters too. A specialty program that sits outside your home boundary may mean a longer daily trip, and board transportation rules decide whether a bus is provided. Ask the board about transportation before you count on it.
Sellers should describe school boundaries carefully in a listing. Confirm the current school on the board locator before you advertise it, since boundary reviews do change assignments.
If you want to compare streets near any of these schools, I can pull current listings and recent sales so you can weigh the trade-offs.
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Frequently asked questions
Which school in Burlington offers the IB program?
Burlington Central School, at 1433 Baldwin St, is the Burlington school on HDSB’s list of IB schools. It runs IBDP Prep in Grades 9 and 10 and the IB Diploma in Grades 11 and 12. The other HDSB IB schools are Craig Kielburger, Georgetown District and White Oaks.
How do I apply for IB at Halton District School Board?
Apply online through HDSB. For 2026-2027, the application opens 30 October 2026 and closes 30 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m., with status notices on 4 December and an acceptance deadline of 11 December. If a school is oversubscribed, the board uses a randomized selection and a waitlist.
What grade does French Immersion start in Burlington?
It depends on the board. HDSB French Immersion starts in Grade 2, with registration from December to the end of January of the Grade 1 year. HCDSB French Immersion starts in Grade 1, and Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Elementary School is its Burlington immersion site.
Which Burlington Catholic high school has the most AP courses?
Of the schools I checked, Assumption Catholic Secondary School lists the widest range, with Advanced Placement in English, French, Geography, History, Mathematics and Science. Corpus Christi Catholic Secondary School also lists AP, along with an Art and Design Specialist High Skills Major.
Is Burlington Central a high school or an elementary school?
It serves both age groups in part. HDSB’s page describes Burlington Central School as serving students in Grades 7 to 12. It offers French Immersion, the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12, co-op and three Specialist High Skills Majors.
How do I check which school my Burlington address goes to?
Use the HDSB school locator for public schools and the HCDSB locator for Catholic schools, entering your exact address. Check French Immersion separately, because immersion sites often serve a wider area than the English-program boundary. Boundary reviews can change assignments, so check again before you firm up an offer.
Sources
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Program — Halton District School Board
- Welcome to Burlington Central — Halton District School Board
- About Our School — Assumption Catholic Secondary School
- Family of Schools — Corpus Christi Catholic Secondary School
- French Immersion — Charles R. Beaudoin Public School, Halton District School Board
- Burlington French Immersion Cohort Alignment Boundary Review — Halton District School Board
- French Immersion School Sites — Halton Catholic District School Board
Related reading
- Top 5 Schools in Milton (2026)
- Top 5 Schools in Aurora & Newmarket (2026)
- Top 5 Schools in Pickering, Ajax & Whitby (2026)
- Top 5 Schools in Etobicoke
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume. Every figure here comes from a published table, regulator or statute linked in the sources, so you can check all of it without asking me.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.