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A league of their own

Choosing the right school is never easy but, as Martin Banks explains, the education system in Belgium doesn’t have to be a minefield for newcomers

For many professionals moving their families to Brussels, choosing the right school presents a combination of crucial decisions. In keeping with the myriad levels of national and local bureaucracy, the Belgian education system offers parents and pupils a huge choice.

One of the first and most crucial hurdles is deciding whether to integrate the children into the local system or to take advantage of the many international schools, particularly in Brussels.

Primarily, parents must balance the advantages of integrating with the local community against the international option, which would allow your children to continue in the same education system once they return to their home country.

Going local

The choice of local schools includes those run by provinces, communes and language communities. The law lays down standards for preschool, primary and secondary education in both the state and the “free” or independent schools that it recognises. The French and Flemish communities have different decision-making structures for educational matters.

Religion plays a part in Belgium state education and, in all state schools, children have a choice of Catholic, Protestant, Jewish or ethical studies, Education in Flanders is in Dutch, in Wallonia it’s in French, with both available in Brussels and the surrounding communes of Drogenbos, Kraainem, Linkebeek, Sint-Genesius-Rode, Wemmel and WezembeekOppem. Although this may change.

The compulsory school years in Belgium are from six to 18, although there is the opportunity for pupils aged 16-plus to study part-time. Before this, nurseries are available for children from two-and-a-half years, where the emphasis is on language and mathematics, traditional strong points of Belgian education.

Moving up

In secondary schools, pupils have a choice of specialisation and can opt for studies aimed at further education, university or working life.

All schools are co-educational and most have childcare facilities (free or paying) before and after school, to help working parents.

If you want your child to remain in a system they know, with a language they know, and the option of continuing that system back in their home country, then an international school may be best. This is frequently the preferred choice of the country’s expats, said to number some 100,000 and most of whom live and work in Brussels or Antwerp, for EU institutions, multinationals, lobbying firms and other private-sector companies.

With its ever-expanding international community, Belgium, in particular Brussels, has a large number of international schools. As they are all private, they are fee-paying, although many companies offer education costs as part of an overseas benefits package.

These schools offer education along American, British, French, German, Dutch, Scandinavian or Japanese lines.

How to choose?

One of the best-known schools of this type is the International School of Brussels (ISB), which offers a balanced, academically challenging, English-language education to students from the age of three to 18.

Brussels’ largest American-curriculum international school, ISB is, in fact, four separate schools, each with its own head and specialist staff, grouped together on a 40-acre wooded campus. Currently its pupils come from over 70 different countries, including 42% from Europe and 30% from North America, and its facilities include a 350-seat theatre.

An ISB spokesman says, “Ours is the oldest and largest English-language school in the capital and, this year, we are proudly celebrating 45 years of service to our students.”

St John’s International School in Waterloo – long popular with British and American expats – offers the International Baccalaureate programme and has among the highest credit passes in Europe. The school, founded in 1964, stresses Christian values and over 95% of its graduates go to university.

With over 300 networked computers, ICT is integrated into all subject areas and the school’s director, Dr Joe Doenges, says, “We’ve had students accepted at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Yale, and we welcome students from throughout the world and from all faiths.”

The British School of Brussels (BSB) is the largest British-curriculum school, offering the UK National Curriculum to 1280 students. Set on a large campus in leafy Tervuren, on the city’s outskirts, currently approximately 52% of students are British, with over 70 other nationalities represented.

Since 2005, BSB has also offered the Baccalaureat programme, as well as GCSE and A level, and specialist teaching facilities include eight science labs, plus the 240-seat Brel Theatre.

Principal Dr Brenda Despontin says, “Students leave the BSB well equipped for worldwide university admission. We pride ourselves on being a family and community school, catering for the full age range.”

As well as British, Irish and Americans, Scandinavians also account for a large number of expats in Brussels and, as such, the educational needs of their kids are also catered for.

The Scandinavian School of Brussels, in Waterloo, follows a Scandinavian curriculum for children aged two to 19, and several subjects are taught in French and English.

Similarly, the Lycée Français is a French school, certified by the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs of France. It’s one of a network of 200 French schools worldwide using the official French syllabus and methods, and covers all grades from kindergarten through primary school and the Baccalaureate. There is an English-speaking section which prepares pupils for GCSE and enables access to UK universities. A modern, purpose-built school, it has around 2000 students and over 50 nationalities.

The four European schools (three in Brussels and one in Mol) are primarily, but not exclusively, for dependants of EU employees. All EU nationals are catered for, though not at each school. These schools teach in all the EU languages, mostly to children of EU employees, with a second language being introduced at primary level. A third language is obligatory from the second year of secondary school, with optional additional languages on offer in later years.

Courses lead to the Baccalaureate, which is recognised for university entrance throughout the EU.

Outside Brussels, Antwerp International School (AIS) provides education in English. A five-day European study tour each year, for children in grades six to 12, is included in the tuition. Head Alun Cooper says, “Our purpose is to provide a high-quality, college-preparatory programme of studies for students of all nationalities.”

Also in Antwerp, the Lycée International is another French lycée, but much smaller than the one in Brussels. There are 200 pupils from more than 20 countries, and wearing a uniform is compulsory.

It might seem as if you have a minefield of decisions to negotiate when choosing a school for your children. But console yourself with the thought that hundreds of other expats will be going through the same tortuous process.

Contact details

International School of Brussels tel. +32 (0)2 661 4211

St John’s International School tel. +32 (0)2 352 0610

British School of Brussels tel. +32 (0)2 766 0430

Scandinavian School of Brussels tel. +32 (0)2 357 0670

Lycée Français Brussels, tel. +32 (0)2 374 5878

European schools:

Brussels School 1 tel. +32 (0)2 373 8611
Brussels School 2 tel. +32 (0)2 774 2211
Brussels School 3 tel. +32 (0)2 629 4700
Mol tel. +32 (0)14 563111

Antwerp International School, tel. +32 (0)3 543 9300

Lycée International Antwerp, tel. +32 (0)3 239 1889

FR Dans la même ligue

Choisir la bonne école n’est jamais chose facile, nous explique Martin Banks. Mais autant éviter que le système éducatif en Belgique ne devienne un terrain miné pour les nouveaux arrivants

Pour bon nombre de professionnels qui s’installent à Bruxelles avec leur famille, le choix de la bonne école exige de faire la synthèse de décisions cruciales. La première résolution – et aussi la plus déterminante – sera de savoir si vous souhaitez intégrer vos enfants dans le système local ou profiter de l’offre conséquente des écoles internationales, plus particulièrement à Bruxelles.

Le choix local

Les standards en matière d’enseignement maternel, primaire et secondaire sont définis par la loi, à la fois pour les écoles d’État et pour les écoles ‘privées’ ou indépendantes reconnues. Mais il est important de noter que les communautés française et flamande ont des organes de décision différents pour les questions relatives à l’éducation et aux langues. La religion joue également un rôle prépondérant dans l’éducation nationale en Belgique avec une vaste panoplie de cours : religion catholique, protestante, juive ou cours de morale.

La voie internationale

Toutes les écoles internationales sont mixtes et si vous désirez que vos enfants restent dans un système qu’ils connaissent – et y reviennent lorsqu’ils rentrent au pays – l’école internationale pourrait dans ce cas s’avérer la meilleure option.

L’International School of Brussels (ISB) est l’une des plus connues, tandis que la St John´s International School à Waterloo possède un des taux les plus élevés de réussite en Europe. La British School of Brussels (BSB), de son côté, est le plus grand établissement avec un programme d’études britannique.

Les enfants de familles d’expatriés scandinaves peuvent suivre le programme scandinave auprès de la Scandinavian School of Brussels, tandis que le Lyçée Français délivre des diplômes agrées par le Ministère de l’Éducation et des Affaires Étrangères en France.

En outre, les quatre écoles européennes (trois à Bruxelles et une à Mol) sont avant tout, mais pas exclusivement, destinées aux membres du personnel des institutions de l’UE. Et à l’extérieur de la capitale belge, la Antwerp International School (AIS) propose une éducation en anglais.

NL In hun eigen onderwijssysteem

Het kiezen van de juiste school is nooit gemakkelijk maar, zoals Martin Banks uitlegt, hoeft het onderwijssysteem in België geen mijnenveld te zijn voor nieuwkomers

Voor vele professionals betekent het verhuizen van hun gezin naar Brussel en het kiezen van de juiste school een combinatie van cruciale beslissingen. Eén van de eerste en meest cruciale hordes is beslissen of ze hun kinderen laten integreren in het lokale systeem of ze naar één van de vele International schools laten gaan, voornamelijk in Brussel.

Het lokaal gaan

De wet stippelt standaarden uit voor de kleuterschool, het lager en secundair onderwijs en dit zowel in de staats- als de ‘vrije’ of onafhankelijke scholen die ze erkent. Maar het is belangrijk om te onthouden dat de Franstalige en Vlaamse gemeenschappen verschillende beslissingsmakende structuren hebben voor zowel onderwijskwesties als voor taalbasissen. Religie speelt een rol in het Belgische staatsonderwijs, waar een keuze tussen katholieke, protestantse, Joodse of ethische studies worden aangeboden.

De internationale route

Alle International schools zijn co-educatiescholen en wanneer u uw kind wil laten blijven in het systeem dat ze kennen en de optie wil openlaten om dat systeem in hun thuisland verder te zetten, dan is een International school wellicht de beste optie.

Eén van de meest gekende is de International school van Brussel (ISB), terwijl St John’s International School in Waterloo zich kan meten met de hoogste slagingspercentages in Europa. En de British School van Brussel (BSB) is de grootste school met een Brits onderwijsprogramma.

Kinderen van Scandinavische emigranten kunnen het Scandinavische onderwijsprogramma volgen aan de Scandinavische School van Brussel, terwijl het Lyçee Français een attest kreeg van de Franse ministeries van onderwijs en buitenlandse zaken.

Ondertussen zijn de vier Europese scholen (drie in Brussel en één in Mol) hoofdzakelijk, maar niet exclusief, voor de kinderen van EUmedewerkers. En buiten de Belgische hoofdstad, biedt de Antwerp International School (AIS) onderwijs in het Engels aan.