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Looking for maternelle and crèche near Parc de Wolvendael
Hello,
I have just arrived with my family in Belgium. We have moved to Uccle, near Parc de Wolvendael. Our daughters are 4 years and 5 months old. We speak Hungarian, German and English but no French. I have tried to call some of the schools in Uccle but it seems that there is no chance that my older daughter can be accepted before September (I also need to hurry up if I want a place for Sept). I have difficulties to understand the education system and to learn more about the individual schools, crèches etc, I suspect that this is mainly because of my poor French.
Can anyone help me in the following:
I would like to enroll my older daughter in a local French school located in our area. She would get a place in the European school I (Hungarian section), but since we will stay here on long term, it is important that she learns French, and we are therefore more for a French school, if we find a good one. Can anyone recommend a school? Does anyone have any information about La Petite Ecole dans la Prairie? Is there a possibility here in Belgium to meet the classroom teacher before you enroll a kid?
I`m also looking for a crèche for my younger daughter from Sept 2012 or April 2014 (she will be 18 month old that time). There is a crèche in our street (Le Lapin blanc), but they told me, that everything is full for the next 3 years. I also tried to call some pre gardiennats, but they asked me to call back when my daughter is 9 month old. Is it easier to get a place in a pre gardiennat then in a creche? I will go back to work in Mai this year and will need a crèche for 5 days/week(I have found one which has a place for 3 days/week, but that does not help a lot) .
Any other activity recommendations for children in this area would be welcome as well, my older daughter would be happy to meet other kids.
Thanks for any tips,
KR,
Veronika
Look at the map of schools. Phone every single one near where you live, phone several times. Some schools allow visits prior to enrolment, some don't. As many teachers do not have tenure, you may or may not be able to meet the teacher in advance, non tenured teachers won't know if they are remaining at the school until May/June time so this means not all teachers will know their classes, staff lists are fixed by end of June for the September and sometimes later.
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You have chosen one of the hardest places to live in Brussels for school places. You're also very late in applying for schools. You may have to wait until August to get a place, as people finally inform schools whether their children really are enrolling or re-enrolling. You must forget the idea of chasing a "good" school place and accept chasing "any" school place.
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As for creches, online lists on Kind en Gezin and ONE websites. It's again a matter of phoning up and phoning until you find a place.
https://batchgeo.com/map/1f1bf2b3b6e4ad41fe67c1a57d56a826
Hi Veronika,
We live in the area as well and I can only second what the first person wrote. We went through this process in September/October 2012 to enroll our daughter for September 2013. It was not easy finding a place.
I am also happy to discuss which schools we looked at etc. etc. by email or phone. Send me a message on facebook (search for fiona kernan - there are 4 but only 1 in Brussels).
