In Belgium, the state school system can seem like a minefield to newcomers. Here's a guide to help you pick your way through it.

• Belgian schools
• Method schools
• International schools
• European schools
• Montessori schools

In keeping with the myriad levels of national and local bureaucracy in Belgium, the state school system can seem a minefield to newcomers trying to make a choice for their children.  The first decision is whether to integrate the children into the local system or to take advantage of the many international schools in the country. This naturally depends on whether you are on a short contract or plan to adopt Belgium as your home country.  The international option would allow your children to continue in the same education system once they return to their home country.

Belgian schools

Whilst the state sets the laws regarding education, responsibility for schools lies with the language communities; Dutch in Flanders, French in Wallonia, both in Brussels and in some surrounding communes.  As well as state schools there are subsidised 'free' and independent schools, often run on religious lines, though their curricula and certification are recognised equally within the system. Religion plays a part in state education, too and students can opt for Catholic, Protestant or Jewish studies, or a more general secular approach. The compulsory school age in Belgium is 6-18 years, though there is an opportunity for 16+ pupils to study part-time.  Education is free, though at secondary level, parents may be expected to contribute to the cost of some text books.  All schools are co-educational.

Children start school at the age of six in Belgium

Children start school at the age of six, though they may be accepted at five if they are deemed ready.  Before this, nurseries are available for babies and children up to two-and-half years.  Priority is given to mothers in full-time work.  Kindergartens then take over until the child reaches school age.  These are often attached to local primary schools.  Children stay at primary school for six years during which time they study the whole range of subjects with an emphasis on languages.  Homework is set from early on and there is a strong tradition of parental participation.

Method schools

There is a wide range of schools which adopt the methodology of an educational philosophy.  In these, children often learn through discovery and the liberal arts, with subjects such as grammar, mathematics and science being taught from direct experience rather than in a formal setting.  The Celstin Freinet system follows this approach, whilst the Decroly schools separate out the academic and creative skills in a vertically-streamed organisation, younger children benefiting from the experience of older pupils.  The Steiner schools place greater emphasis on the arts.  The world-famous Montessori schools are well represented in Belgium and teach children in small focussed groups according to the relaxed self-developmental Montessori method.  These schools tend to offer a bilingual French-English education.

 

International schools

These are the choice of parents who wish their children to remain in a system they know, with a language they know and with the option of continuing the system back in the home country.

With its burgeoning international community, Belgium — and Brussels in particular — has a raft of international schools following British, American, French and Dutch education systems, among many others. These schools offer the whole range of education from nursery to school leaving age. As they are all private, they are fee-paying, though many companies offer education costs as part of an overseas benefits package.

The International School of Brussels is the largest American curriculum international school, for students aged 3-19 years.  It also offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. ISB is in fact four separate schools, each with its own Head and specialist staff, grouped together on a 40-acre wooded campus.

Similarly, St John's International School in Waterloo offers the IB and has among the highest credit passes in Europe. St John's caters for all ages and has elementary, middle and high schools.

The British School of Brussels is the largest British curriculum school, set on a large campus in Tervuren.  Since September 2005, BSB also offers the IB programme as well as GCSE and A level.  Both ISB and BSB place great emphasis on sport and the arts and run highly successful summer schools, which are open to all.

In Antwerp, the small Antwerp British School also offers an international curriculum for children aged 3-16yrs, leading to the IGCSE.  The Antwerp International School also offers the IGCSE as well as the IB.  Both schools offer Dutch and French as standard.

European schools

The European schools are notoriously difficult to get into unless at least one parent works for one of the EU institutions.  Education is in mother tongue with a second language being introduced at primary level.  A third language is then obligatory from the second year of secondary school with optional additional languages on offer in later years. Courses lead to the European Baccalaureate which is recognised for university entrance throughout the EU.

Montessori schools

Dr Maria Montessori , born 1870, was the first woman in Italy to obtain a medical degree.  Working in education and psychiatry, she developed her notion that each child is born with a unique potential to be revealed rather than being an empty vessel to be filled by others.  Out of this came a method of learning and self development that has become recognised around the globe.

At the heart of the Montessori method of education is the child. Montessori children learn in a supportive and non-competitive environment and the focus is on the child's individuality and specific needs. Children are encouraged to work at their own pace and independently, meaning the teachers can work with other individuals or small groups.  This places a certain amount of responsibility on children to develop their own learning, whilst teachers act as an encouraging guide and facilitator.  An essential concept of Montessori is that the teacher must pay attention to the child rather than the other way round.

Teachers are, of course, an important part of the Montessori process.  It is the teacher who creates the environment where learning can take place.  The teacher and the children share the whole space between them - there is no teacher's area or desk  - and the total environment comes into play.  Teachers are specifically trained in the method and use specially designed Montessori materials. These materials are not only stimulating and imaginative, but are self correcting, allowing children to proceed at their own pace and learn by their mistakes.

The Montessori schools in Brussels operate bilingually with two teachers, one who speaks only in English and the other in French.  Extra languages, such as Dutch and Spanish, can be introduced as the children become older, though these tend to be taught more traditionally.  The working languages however, are integrated into all the work and activities the children do, strengthening the concept that Montessori educated children are problem solvers, self sufficient and destined to have confident, enquiring minds.

 

June 2008

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Subject: Belgian education system