We have prepared a list of answers to the most frequently asked questions by new families. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Admissions team.
Our youngest students are aged one year old, and they join our Early Childhood Centre (ECC). At three years old, students join Kindergarten, the first year of Lower Primary. Year 3 marks the beginning of Upper Primary, which culminates in Year 6. Secondary School incorporates Year 7 to Year 13, from around 11 up to 18 years of age.
BSB assigns year groups based on a child’s calendar age against the academic year of September 1st to August 31st. This means that students coming from other educational systems may find themselves placed a year above or below what they would have expected, particularly if their birthday is close to these months. BSB’s policy is to stick as far as possible to the ‘correct’ year according to the British system, in order to keep children with their peers.
We welcome new students throughout the school year. We are expert at ensuring your child/ren adapt and settle in quickly. Many prospective families comment on the warm ‘family feel’ of BSB.
Though we would always encourage joining us at the start of the academic year in September, we understand this is not always possible and we welcome new students throughout the school year.
The exam years of Year 10&11 and Year 12&13 are each considered complete two-year courses and so joining in the middle of either one presents difficulties. Those starting at BSB in Year 11 are therefore invited to join our pre-IB/A Level course, which provides an excellent preparation year for Year 12&13. More details on this option can be found here. To find out more about joining the school in different year groups, do please contact Admissions.
BSB is privileged to partner with a vibrant and active families association – Families of BSB. Based in its own building on campus, this group organises social activities, classes for parents and runs a friendly café. It also engages with the school via a volunteer network of class reps, who represent families to the school and provide an important link between teachers, students and parents.
Around 30% of students at the school are British. Approximately 70 nationalities are represented within our school community, making it one of the most diverse and inclusive student environments at any educational facility in the world.
As you would expect for an international school, a wide variety of languages are taught, with bilingual programmes available at both Primary and Secondary level. French is taught from Kindergarten, so as early as age three is possible, and Dutch is taught at the age of seven.
Students have the opportunity to learn an additional language in Secondary School, and may choose Spanish, German or Dutch. Additional languages, such as Chinese and Latin, are taught on an ad-hoc, extra-curricular basis, with some students going on to gain qualifications in these.
We also have a French/English bilingual programme to complement our English-medium teaching for children aged 4 to 14.
In addition to Brussels, many families live close to the school in Tervuren, including Moorsel, Vossem and Duisburg, or in one of the villages/towns close to Tervuren, such as Everberg, Leefdaal, Overijse, Kraainem and Wezembeek-Oppem.
Yes, we operate a supervised school bus service that covers many routes, including many regions of Brussels and the villages that surround the school. The bus service is available for students aged four years and above. The annual bus fees can be found on our website. Please note that there is no bus service available on Wednesday lunchtimes for Lower Primary. For bus-related enquiries, please contact buses@britishschool.be
BSB does not have a school uniform, in common with most schools in Mainland Europe. However, BSB students are expected to respect a dress code and ensure their clothing is appropriate for the learning environment. There is a school PE (sports) kit which all students must wear for PE from Year 1 onwards. A once-off basic PE kit is included in the school fees for your first year.
A hot lunch is provided in the Early Childhood Centre, Kindergarten, Reception, Year 1, and Year 2. Kindergarten and Reception students eat in their classrooms and Year 1 eat in the Tintin Hall. In Year 2, the final year of Lower Primary, students eat their lunches in the cafeteria, in preparation for Year 3.
We offer a wide range of Enrichment activities including sports, music, drama, environmental, public speaking clubs and many more. There are over 100 different activities to choose from every week! Unlike most schools, the vast majority of these are included in the annual fees. The only exceptions are tennis, golf and individual music lessons.
Fees are set each year in advance and are invoiced within the first three months of your child starting. It is possible to pay the fees as a lump sum or in instalments. For those whose fees are paid by a company, there is a space to indicate this on the application form.
Our fees include school trips from Kindergarten to Year 9, Enrichment clubs and activities, a once-off basic starter PE kit for Kindergarten to Year 11. Unlike many other international schools, we do not charge a development fee. See the fees page here.
For parents who cannot collect their Primary School children from school immediately, we operate a fully supervised after-school Garderie where students can socialise in a fun and structured environment while they wait to be collected.
Older students are invited to join in our range of after school extra-curricular activities, ranging from sports teams to language clubs. Those whose clubs start after the end of school can work on homework under staff supervision.
Our exam years are Year 10/11 (between 14 and 16 years of age), in which students sit nine or ten GCSEs and iGCSEs, and Year 12/13 (between 16 and 18 years of age), in which students choose between the International Baccalaureate (IB)Diploma, A Levels and BTEC.
In addition to all the holistic benefits that a BSB education provides, we have some specific ways of ensuring that BSB students have the best possible start to the world beyond school. A dedicated Higher Education department provides quality information and advice for students in Year 12 and 13, and career skills and advice are also taught via PSHE lessons as part of our curriculum. Additionally, our BSB Futures programme is committed to building connections with the professional world that enrich student learning, empowering students of all ages to explore and develop their career aspirations.
Whilst many of our graduating students go on to universities in the UK, equally many BSB students go on to gain places at some of the most prestigious universities worldwide. A list of universities from the last three years can be found in our School Profile.