PagineBritish Columbia Curriculum Guide & Practice Tests (K–12)
British Columbia’s redesigned curriculum is organized into Big Ideas (understand), Curricular Competencies (do) and Content (know). Indigenous perspectives and the First Peoples Principles of Learning are woven through every grade, and core competencies — communication, thinking, and personal and social — are reported alongside subjects.
- 13 grades
- 305 practice tests
- 5 provincial assessments
Choose a grade
Provincial assessments
| Assessment | Grades | Subjects | When | Counts? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) — Grade 4 | Grade 4 | Literacy and numeracy | Fall (October–November) | Does not count toward marks. |
| Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) — Grade 7 | Grade 7 | Literacy and numeracy | Fall (October–November) | Does not count toward marks. |
| Graduation Numeracy Assessment (Numeracy 10) | Grade 10 | Numeracy across subjects | November, January, April and June sessions | A graduation requirement; the proficiency score appears on the transcript. |
| Graduation Literacy Assessment (Literacy 10) | Grade 10 | Reading, analysis and communication | November, January, April and June sessions | A graduation requirement. |
| Graduation Literacy Assessment (Literacy 12) | Grade 12 | Critical reading and written communication | November, January, April and June sessions | A graduation requirement. |
Nationally, a sample of Grade 8 students also writes the Pan-Canadian Assessment Program (PCAP).
How school is organized
Kindergarten, Grades 1–7 (elementary) and Grades 8–12 (secondary; some districts use middle schools for Grades 6–8).
Graduation: The Dogwood Diploma requires 80 credits, including Grade 10–12 required courses and three provincial graduation assessments: Numeracy 10, Literacy 10 and Literacy 12.
Curriculum strands we practise
🔢 Mathematics: Number · Patterns & Relations · Spatial Relationships · Statistics & Probability · Financial Literacy
📖 English Language Arts: Comprehend and connect (reading, listening, viewing) · Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing)
🔬 Science: Biology · Chemistry · Physics · Earth and Space Science · Questioning, planning, processing and communicating
🌎 Social Studies: Big ideas in history, geography, government and economics · Indigenous perspectives across all grades · Historical and geographic thinking
Official curriculum: B.C. Curriculum (Know–Do–Understand). Pagine describes the curriculum in its own words; official documents are provincial copyright.
Other provinces and territories
Frequently asked questions
What curriculum does British Columbia use?
British Columbia’s redesigned curriculum is organized into Big Ideas (understand), Curricular Competencies (do) and Content (know). Indigenous perspectives and the First Peoples Principles of Learning are woven through every grade, and core competencies — communication, thinking, and personal and social — are reported alongside subjects.
How are grades organized in British Columbia?
Kindergarten, Grades 1–7 (elementary) and Grades 8–12 (secondary; some districts use middle schools for Grades 6–8).
What are the graduation requirements?
The Dogwood Diploma requires 80 credits, including Grade 10–12 required courses and three provincial graduation assessments: Numeracy 10, Literacy 10 and Literacy 12.
Which provincial tests do students write in British Columbia?
Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) — Grade 4 (Grade 4); Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) — Grade 7 (Grade 7); Graduation Numeracy Assessment (Numeracy 10) (Grade 10); Graduation Literacy Assessment (Literacy 10) (Grade 10); Graduation Literacy Assessment (Literacy 12) (Grade 12).