Westgate School | January 8, 2026 at 6:30 PM

Virtual Parent Information Night

French Immersion Kinderegarten / Grade 1

Our 2026-27 Kindergarten / Grade 1 information night will be held on Thursday, January 8, 2026.  This year we will host the information night in Microsoft Teams at 6:30 pm. The meeting will be recorded and posted on our website. An in-person school orientation will be scheduled in May for registered students.

Click here to join the meeting

Highlights

Students can begin French Immersion in either Kindergarten or Grade 1. Second language learning has multiple benefits for students such as increased intercultural competencies, as well as positive cognitive, academic, personal and societal impacts.  Students with exceptionalities as well as students who speak languages other than English or French at home are also able to acquire additional languages. Please see more information related to the benefits of Early French Immersion our school website.  On the same page, you will see the “Executive Summary of Literature Review on the Impact of Second-Language Learning” in the “Resources” section as well as other resources and links related to French Immersion and Second Language Learning.

Kindergarten and Grade 1 students have opportunities to:

  • listen, speak, write and read in French
  • engage in French cultural experiences
  • explore and experiment with their environment
  • learn to cooperate and interact positively with others
  • develop decision making skills
  • familiarize themselves with the daily routines and expectations of their learning environment
  • develop their knowledge and skills in French Language Arts and Literature, Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Physical Education and Wellness, Art and Music

Entrance Age Requirements

Children can start kindergarten in the fall of 2026 if they turn 5 years old on or before December 31, 2026. Children must be at least six years old as of December 31, 2026 to start Grade 1 in 2026-2027.

Language Requirement

There is no requirement for students to have prior exposure to French to begin in Kindergarten or in September of their Grade 1 year. Parents are not expected to understand French.