Status reports on school enrolment in Langley have become familiar: the Willoughby slope continues to attract families, and choice schools are as popular as ever.

Little has changed in the current school year.

In his report to the board of education on Tuesday, secretary-treasurer Wayne Braun commented that “our overall enrolment was flat.”

Willoughby schools have 170 more students. Coghlan Elementary has eight new students, while enrolment climbed by two at Langley Fundamental Elementary.

However, Langley Fundamental Middle and High School’s student population has risen to 665, with the addition of 40 more students.

The district’s Sept. 30 head count shows 18,825 children, up six from 2008. But regular full-time equivalent enrolment stands at 18,003, down 68 from the previous school year.

This is due to the fact that there are fewer children in full-day Kindergarten and more in half-day Kindergarten.

The Ministry of Education uses the head count to base its per-student grant, but a half-day Kindergarten student counts as 0.5 student. Similarly, students in Grades 10 to 12 who are taking fewer than eight courses are not considered full-time.

Apart from Willoughby and the choice schools, all other areas are down. In Aldergrove, only Shortreed (up 24) has more students. This is the first year of a middle school at the former Betty Gilbert Elementary, and Braun’s figures show Aldergrove Community Secondary enrolment has dropped by 11, Betty Gilbert Middle school is down five, and Parkside Elementary is down 29.

Brookswood Secondary is down 46 students, and the total in its catchment has plunged by 63.

The only secondary school in rural Langley, D.W. Poppy, has recorded a drop of 31. Enrolment is up in two of its elementary feeder schools, and down in three.

There are 57 fewer students in Langley Secondary’s catchment, which includes H.D. Stafford Middle School (down 41) and James Hill Elementary (down 34).

However, enrolment has climbed at Douglas Park, Blacklock, Nicomekl, Simonds and Uplands elementary schools.

For many years Walnut Grove Secondary was bursting at the seams. Still Langley’s largest school, it has 39 fewer students and total enrolment in its catchment is down by 38.

Alex Hope, Dorothy Peacock James Kennedy and Topham all have more students than last year, while Gordon Greenwood and West Langley have seven fewer,

Willoughby’s secondary school, R.E. Mountain, has grown by 82 students, and total enrolment in its catchment has swelled by 170. Langley Meadows enrolment is slightly down, however, but there are 47 more students at R.C. Garnett Demonstration Elementary and 44 more at Willoughby Elementary.