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Secondary school part 2

Question

I found the previous responses to the question on secondary school interesting. I wonder if there are people on this forum who can explain, in reasonably clear English, the 'points' system for the allocation of secondary school places. I have been to the website, read through it as carefully as possible given that French is a second language, and am still baffled. I hear crazy comments like ' you really need to put your 1st choice in 2nd place on the application because ...' and the whole thing becomes even more mysterious.

In addition, there is frequent mention of some schools being very academic, others not, etc. How on earth does one find out this information? My child's primary school is not at all good about passing on such information and I am not very 'in' with the parents' association, etc. I have been to the websites of many schools, but find it difficult to tell one apart from the other, except for those that offer mainly technical/professional education. All advice welcome...

J

> schools being very academic
Greek, Latin, extra maths for engineering, stuff like that = academic
None of that = less academic.

"technical" = vocational - plumbing, mechanics, lab technician, skilled workers - often very good options for kids that way inclined. Can lead to higher education

"Professional" = leads to a profession, like catering or bricklaying.

Oct 27, 2017 16:54
I

It's not that difficult to understand the French secondaries system for 1st secondary.

1) priority for siblings, teacher children, children from ISEF primaires (bloody poor).

2) non priority ordered on 2 measurements which are factored together 1) order of proximity of primaire of type to home, top 5 nearest get points, 6th and further get no points, in Brussels you need to be top 3 primaire of type from home to get a realistic chance for the very popular secondaire X 2) order of proximity of secondaire of type of desisred secondaire to home, top nearest get points, 6th and further get no points.

3) children coming from private schools, from Kraainem and Wezembeek schools, from Flemish schools, all are given average points for desired secondaire. That means a secondaire with 200 kids in 1st secondaire with 300 applications, average is no 150, child gets place, secondaire with 200 kids and 450 applications, average is 225 and average child is 50th on waiting list.

Oct 27, 2017 23:00