Search Q&A
Looking for an international English school
I'm about to relocated to Brussels and looking for an English international school for my 3 children (ages going from 4 to 12).
While searching the Internet I've come across the International Montessori School (http://www.international-montessori.org/).
It looks like a very good school, but I'm not familiar with the Montessori system and the IBO MYP.
I would be grateful to hear from parents that have direct experience with this school.
A couple of quick questions:
1. Do you know where you will be living/ working in Brussels?
2. Do you plan on living in the suburbs?
3. Do you think your children (especially the oldest) will be returning to a U.S. or British system?
The Bulletin's annual Education Guide, covering the Belgian system and international schools, including Montessori, is out this week. It will be on sale in newsstands and available to purchase from this website.
Good luck!
There are many international schools in Brussels and surrounding area.
They cover many different educational systems. including UK/ America/ international/Montessori/ IB/ (GSCE, A-Level).
Some of the schools are bilingual/ Others are English education with second language lessons given.
The price ranges enormously (some of the schools are out of most peoples price range unless the company your are employed by pay).
These pages cover some- but not all:
http://www.xpats.com/international-schools-brussels-suburbs
http://www.expatarrivals.com/belgium/brussels/international-schools-in-b...
If you give more information such as NAN's questions, we can offer more guidance.
I hope the Bulletin's guide was proof read first, I have the previous copy and its packed full of inaccuracies and very narrow number of entries for local schools, claiming some schools are local ones when they are in fact private, claiming some local schools are international ones, I wonder who on earth wrote the magazine as they didn't bother checking facts and much is fiction.
check out recently opened Bogaerts International School. It is in Waterloo however so it does depend where you will be living, but I have heard good things about it.
www.bischool.com
Unfortunately the secondary schools offering IB are the most expensive . There are smaller primary schools for those up to 11 are not as expensive, lots of people I know put their children in the smaller British schools for primary and move them to the larger schools for secondary.
If you want the children all in the same school:
Leading to IB you are looking at:
BSB - British schoo of Brussels Teuvren (GCSE/A-Level/ IB )
ISB- International school of Brussels IB
ST John's Waterloo ( 30min from Brussels)
The only Montessori catering for age up to 16:
St. Stevens-Woluwe 'Hof Kleinenberg'
For Children aged 2 to 16 years old
Children's House, Primary and IB Middle School
You asked about Montessori- this is a very different style of Education- the style suits some families and not others- I have seen both. Children who transfer from this system to most mainstream system often struggle with the difference in teaching style and expectations. Please research the Montessori system and understand and make sure it would be suitable for you and your children. Also check the amount of training in Montessori methods there staff have received this varies greatly from school to school!!!
In terms of bi-lingual schools - OFTEN you will find the children in these schools are often already bi-lingual or speak french at home and these for children who are only English speaking do not benefit as you would expect- as the French speakers are there to improve their English and want to speak English,
If you want your child to have exposure to French- all the international schools have daily French lessons. This combined with after school activities such as sports/ dance etc. can be just as good (depending on length of time here and child's aptitude for languages).
If you were looking for just primary schools I would recommend looking at BISB- British international School of Brussels- Rue Emile Max http://www.bisb.org/
Depends on where you live for activities available in french.
Areas closest to school are:
Dutch communes Tervuren including Moorsel, Vossem, Duisburg Everberg, Leefdaal, Overijse. (Therefore mainly Dutch speaking local activities for children)
French and Dutch: Kraainem and Wezembeek-Oppem. (Both french and Dutch local activities for children)
and Further into Brussels Woluwe St Pierre/ Auderghem (French and Dutch)
