Established in 1908, St. Margaret’s School (SMS) is the only independent day and boarding girls’ school in Vancouver Island and the first all-girls’ STEM school in Canada and a leader in that regard. The school campus is built on a 22-acre forested land with state-of-the-art facilities with access to extensive recreational sites and trails but only 20 minutes from downtown Victoria. SMS is a world centre for girls’ learning and leadership development, providing empowering education for girls from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. With focus on girls’ education, development, and well-being, SMS provides a personalized learning experience in an environment where girls can gain confidence and discover their passions. The school programs equip girls with knowledge, attitudes, and courage to thrive – in their studies, their careers, and in life.

At SMS, learning is a highly personalized experience: every student is encouraged to stretch herself, but each student is provided with the individual challenges and support she needs to thrive. SMS recognizes that learning occurs at different times and in different ways. Hence, the learning environment respects the diversity that exists among students and supports the development of each girl. SMS’s highly qualified teachers consider the best approach for each student and address her learning needs together, through personalized learning plans. It challenges each girl to improve her own performance, exceed her own expectations and realize her own potential. In addition, SMS students have the opportunity to tailor their classes to include a variety of accelerated learning options including Advanced Placement exam prep (AP), accelerated learning, and self-directed projects.

The school academic programs are supported by a variety of experiential programs, designed to engage students in learning beyond the classroom and provide them with opportunities to apply their knowledge in real-life situations. These programs offer meaningful, hand-on experiences that allow for trial and error and empower students to tackle new challenges. Through these experiences, students gain awareness of other cultures; develop leadership and teamwork skills; learn to care for others, their community and their environment; and become open to new experiences.