Calgary has plenty of excellent high schools. The real challenge is finding the one that fits your teen, your family, and preferably your morning commute.
Choosing a high school in Calgary can start innocently enough. You look up a few rankings, open a couple of school websites and suddenly, you’re comparing IB with AP, wondering how charter schools work, and checking whether a cross-city school run is really something you want to commit to for three years.
The good news is that Calgary gives families plenty of choice. But the highest-ranked school on paper isn’t automatically the right fit for your child.
This guide takes a closer look at 10 of the best high schools in Calgary, what makes each one stand out, and the practical things parents should consider before making the big decision.Webber Academy
We’ve considered academic performance alongside programmes, school environment, and what each school offers students beyond their final marks.
The latest Fraser Institute Alberta high-school report is useful context: it ranks 292 schools using eight academic indicators, but school choice should never come down to a single score.
| School | Type | Area | Best known for |
| Webber Academy | Independent | Southwest | Academics and AP |
| Western Canada High School | Public | Inner southwest | IB and French Immersion |
| Sir Winston Churchill High School | Public | Northwest | IB and academics |
| Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School | Public | Southwest | AP and French Immersion |
| Ernest Manning High School | Public | West | AP and career-focused courses |
| William Aberhart High School | Public | Northwest | AP and language programmes |
| Calgary French & International School | Independent | West | French immersion and IB |
| West Island College | Independent | South | AP, French Immersion, and experiential learning |
| Bishop Carroll High School | Catholic | Southwest | Self-directed learning |
| FFCA South High School | Public charter | Southeast | Academics and character education |
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If you’re the kind of parent who has already started a colour-coded school spreadsheet, Webber Academy will probably appear near the top.
This independent school in Aspen Woods has serious academic credentials. Webber received a perfect 10.0 in the latest Fraser report, tying for first place in Alberta, and its university-preparatory programme includes an extensive selection of AP courses. The school also has strong science, arts, athletics, and language offerings, so there is life outside the textbooks too.
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Right off 17th Avenue SW, Western Canada High School is proof that some of Calgary’s strongest schooling isn’t tucked away in the suburbs.
Western offers regular English programming, French Immersion, International Baccalaureate, and French IB, making it especially appealing for academically ambitious students who want options. It also scored 9.0 in the latest Fraser report, placing it among Alberta’s highest-ranked public schools.
Its central location is another big plus. For families around Mission, Beltline, Cliff Bungalow, and the Mount Royal area, getting to school doesn’t necessarily require a sunrise expedition across Calgary.
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For northwest Calgary families, Sir Winston Churchill High School is one of the city’s standout public options.
Its International Baccalaureate programme is a major draw, with students able to pursue the full IB Diploma or build a programme across subjects including maths, sciences, business, languages, art, history, and computer science. It’s one of just five CBE high schools offering IB, making it particularly appealing to students looking for an academically challenging pathway.
Alongside that academic focus, Churchill offers a broad mix of courses, activities, and extracurriculars, giving students plenty of room to build a high-school experience around their own interests.
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Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School is a particularly strong all-rounder in south Calgary.
One of its biggest strengths is choice. The school is known for having one of CBE’s largest and most established Advanced Placement programmes, alongside a comprehensive French Immersion programme. Students can pursue AP opportunities across subjects including maths, sciences, literature, languages, art, and computer science.
Scarlett is also well known for its music, fine arts, athletics, and journalism programmes, making it a great option for students who want strong academics alongside plenty of opportunities to explore their interests.
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In west Calgary, Ernest Manning High School stands out for combining strong academics with some seriously impressive hands-on learning.
Its Career and Technology Studies programme includes pre-engineering, robotics, construction technologies, computing, design and architecture, culinary arts, and outdoor pursuits. Pre-engineering students can work with CAD, electronics, 3D printers, CNC routers, and laser cutters, while the robotics programme gives students the chance to design and build competition robots.
It’s an especially strong choice for students who want to turn an interest in STEM, design, or technology into practical skills while still getting a solid academic foundation.
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Known locally simply as Aberhart, William Aberhart High School is another standout option for northwest Calgary families.
Its programme mix is the big attraction. Students can choose from AP, French Immersion, dual credit, work experience, and a broad range of complementary courses, with options stretching from computing and mechanics to dance, drama, sports medicine, and Spanish.
For a teenager who is still figuring out whether they’re a science person, an arts person, a languages person, or all three depending on the day, that breadth can be valuable.
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If multilingual learning is high on your family’s wishlist, Calgary French & International School (CFIS) deserves a very close look.
CFIS offers full French immersion alongside the IB pathway and a strong international focus. Its senior school covers Grades 9–12, with students developing their French while continuing English and Spanish learning. Academically, it’s no lightweight either: CFIS scored 9.6 in the latest Fraser report.
One important note for parents arriving in Calgary with older children: this is an immersive French environment, so check entry requirements early rather than assuming your teen can dust off their Grade 6 French and hope for the best.
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West Island College combines strong academics with a big emphasis on helping students discover where their interests could take them beyond high school.
Its standout Institute Program connects classroom learning with real-world experience through industry collaborations, expert speakers, field studies, and hands-on projects. Senior students can explore specialized areas including business and entrepreneurship, engineering and technology, health and sustainability, humanities, and the arts.
Add AP courses, French Immersion, international opportunities, and the option for French Immersion graduates to earn a WIC Bilingual Diploma, and it’s a particularly appealing choice for families looking for both academic rigour and experiential learning.
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Not every teenager thrives when every hour of their day is dictated by a bell. Bishop Carroll High School is the option on this list for students who prefer considerably more independence.
Part of Calgary’s Catholic school system, Bishop Carroll is known for its personalised, self-directed approach. Rather than relying entirely on a conventional timetable, the model gives students more responsibility for managing their learning and progress.
That can be brilliant for a motivated, organised student – and potentially a harder sell for the teen whose bedroom floor currently functions as their filing system.
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Foundations for the Future Charter Academy (FFCA) gives Calgary families another option outside the traditional school-board model, while remaining part of Alberta’s publicly funded education system.
FFCA’s South High School serves Grades 9–12 and puts particular emphasis on academic excellence, character development, leadership, and parent involvement. The South campus scored 8.9 in the latest Fraser report, placing it alongside some of Calgary’s strongest academic schools.
Because it’s a charter school, however, don’t treat it like your regular designated neighbourhood school. Families should look into the FFCA admission process well ahead of high school.
Rankings are useful, but they’re only part of the picture. Also consider:
If you’re moving closer to your child’s chosen school, check the latest admissions rules and school boundaries first. Then you can start narrowing down which nearby neighbourhood works best for your family.
Once you’ve found the right Calgary high school, finding the right home nearby can make the next three years a whole lot easier. Shorter school runs mean less time sitting in traffic, easier access to after-school activities, and – potentially – a few more precious minutes of sleep for everyone involved.
If a new school means a new Calgary neighbourhood, Wise Move can take care of the heavy lifting. Book our trusted Calgary moving teams for a smooth home move, so you can focus on getting your family settled, figuring out the new school routine, and working out where the nearest decent coffee is.
Wise Move is Canada’s leading moving service, helping thousands of customers with home moves, furniture removals, car and motorcycle transport, and more. Since 2017, we’ve delivered reliable and affordable moving services across Canada. As one of the country’s trusted moving companies, we make moving simple and stress-free with fixed prices that give customers peace of mind every step of the way.
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