Une école primaire à Repentigny.
1. The school system in Repentigny
In Quebec, public school is free and mandatory from age 6 to 16.
The Centre de services scolaire des Affluents runs the French public schools, serving both the Repentigny and Le Gardeur sectors. English schools fall under the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board.
2. Who can attend English school
The Charter of the French Language — Bill 101 — restricts access to English school.
Generally, one parent must have received the majority of their elementary education in English in Canada. If you arrive from abroad, your child will almost always go to French school.
3. The welcome class
If your child does not yet speak French, they will be placed in a welcome class. This is an intensive program lasting from 10 months to two years. The program is free.
In Repentigny, several schools offer the welcome class — check early with the CSS des Affluents which school in your sector hosts it, as your child may be assigned to a school different from your neighbourhood school for this first step.
4. Required documents
- Birth certificate of the child
- Proof of residence in Repentigny — Hydro-Québec bill or signed lease
- Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) or other immigration status
- Vaccination record
- School report card from the previous year
- Copy of passports
5. Steps to register your child
Here is the step-by-step process:
6. Enriched programs and private schools
Several Repentigny public schools offer enriched programs: international program, music, sports-studies. These programs often have selection criteria — report cards, admission tests — and modest extra fees for materials.
Registration is done directly at the school offering the program, not only at the CSS des Affluents.
For families targeting private school, several institutions exist in the Lanaudière region, with typical tuition of $4,000 to $8,000 per year. Some subsidized private schools cost less but have a competitive admission process — inquire by the fall preceding the target school year.
7. School transport and daycare service
Yellow-bus school transport is included free for children living over 1.6 km from their CSS-assigned school. The route and stop are assigned based on your address — you don't choose.
For children who walk, check protected crossings and the presence of a crossing guard at major intersections.
The school daycare — often called service de garde — welcomes children before and after class hours, typically 7 am to 6 pm. The rate is set by the Ministry of Education and runs around $9 per day for a regularly registered child.
Register your child for daycare at the same time as for school to guarantee a spot — waiting lists exist in some schools.
8. Comparing your schooling options at a glance
The table below summarizes the main schooling options accessible to a newcomer in Repentigny, with their access criteria and typical fees. For most immigrant families, the public French school of the CSS des Affluents remains the obvious path.
If you arrive from abroad, the public French school is almost always the only option open — Bill 101 closes the door of the public English school for the vast majority of immigrant families.
Check the registration deadlines: for September entry, the typical registration window runs January to March, and enriched programs often close their applications as early as February.
| Option | Access | Typical annual fees |
|---|---|---|
| Public French school (CSS des Affluents) | All resident children | Free |
| Public English school (Sir Wilfrid Laurier) | Bill 101 — restricted access | Free |
| Public enriched program | Selection by file | Modest material fees |
| Private school | Often competitive admission | $4,000 to $8,000 |
9. Frequently asked questions
The most common questions from newly arrived families in Repentigny about school: typical welcome-class duration, public school quality, and school-daycare organization.
How long will my child stay in the welcome class?
Generally 10 months to 2 years, depending on age, prior schooling and the speed of French acquisition.
Younger children (preschool and early primary) often integrate the regular class in less than a year. Older children, especially at secondary level, sometimes need 18 to 24 months.
The school evaluates progress periodically and decides on integration with the family. The transition is gradual: most children start by attending some regular subjects (math, music, physical education) part-time before fully integrating.
Are Repentigny's public schools good?
Yes — schools of the Centre de services scolaire des Affluents consistently rank at or above the provincial average.
- Several schools offer enriched programs (international, music, sports-studies)
- Welcome classes for newcomer children available in several schools
- Free registration for permanent residents and naturalized citizens
- School transport by yellow bus included for children over 1.6 km from school
For families with the budget and a child motivated by a specific profile, several private schools also exist in the Lanaudière region for $4,000 to $8,000 per year — but the public school remains a credible default choice.
How does school daycare work and what's the cost?
The school daycare welcomes children before and after class hours — typically 7 am to 6 pm — and during pedagogical days when school is closed but parents work.
The rate is set by the Ministry of Education and runs around $9 per day for a regularly registered child, with reduced rates for occasional days.
Register at the same time as for school to guarantee a spot: waiting lists exist in some schools, especially for first registrations once the school year has started.
For pedagogical days when school is closed, the daycare is open but you usually have to confirm attendance in advance, often with a separate billing for the day.
10. See also
To go further on schooling and family life in Repentigny:
- Read the Quebec school system to understand the steps from preschool to cégep.
- Consult first steps in Repentigny for the library and the 311 line that support back-to-school.
- Prepare your move with finding housing in Repentigny to target a sector near the desired school.
11. Official sources
Author's Note: Visit the Centre de services scolaire as early as possible — welcome-class evaluation can take a few weeks.
