Experience in registering for the College St Michel in Etterbeek Bruss

There is no secret, you enrol on time. If they ask for your post code, you give them it, it indicates they will prioritise children living nearest to school.

You do know if you live far away from this school and if you were choosing this as primaire in the hope of a secondaire place (remembering that 1/3 of students of St Michel secondaire are thrown out of school for academic performance below their standards), then think again, there is no priority between primaire an secondaire any more. Your best chances of a place currently at St Michel secondaire is if you're at your nearest primaire and St Micheel is in the top 5 nearest secondaires, otherwise you can forget it.

Thanks Tervurener for your advice.

I like St Michel for many reasons, and mainly because it is a strict school (which is consistent with the home education we establish for our children), and it is close (1km from my place). 

Do they prioritise children living in the same commune or according to the walking distance to the school? 

The application is via postal mail. Do they prioritise according to the hour/day that the mail arrives also?

Thanks in advance.

If you think you're going to get a place at St Michel secondaire from primaire, think again, there is no priority. 1km is not unfortunately going to be near enough to gain entry into secondaire, so be prepared your children will be obliged to go to another secondaire in 6 years time - however if you chose the nearest primaire to home, you stand a much better chance of a secondaire place at St Michel.

St Michel primaire isn't known as a particularly strict school. There are plenty at just the same level of strictness in that area.

Hi Tervurener,

Fortunately your "if..." is not correct. You are right that I can find several other schools with this or that factor(s) similar to St Michel. But St Michel meets all criteria that I am looking for. And for "good" education (I mean "good" here depending on each person's way of thinking), the sooner the better - the right from beginning. I dont want to wait for 5 years to have the education type I like for my children. And who knows what will change in 5 years.

By the way, did you mean that primary students from other schools have better chances for the St Michel secondaire than primary student from St Michel itself? Is it strange that this school prefers students from other schools for its secondaire?

Thanks anyway.

The standard of education is similar at Ste Anne, SC de Lindhout, du Bonheur, ND des Graces, St Henri.... if any of those are nearer, I'd certainly go for those instead.

My "if you.... " is unfortunately correct. Secondaries in Brussels DO NOT HAND PICK THEIR STUDENTS, THEY ARE ALLOCATED THEM. St Michel secondaire has no control on who goes to their school.  Please please read the enrolments website for secondaries in the French system. St Michel primaire will for sure also explain why many of their own students must go to different secondaries. Entry, when you do not have sibling priority or are in care or a teacher's child, is based SOLELY on geography. Those St Michel primaire students for whom the school was 1st or 2nd nearest Catholic and for whom the secondarie is also 1st or 2nd nearest Catholic, those in the main got places this year and in previous years. Measurements are as crow flies. I know children 800m away for whom St Michel is 3rd nearest Catholic primaire, they ended up one of the many St Michel proimaire students who are now going to school several kms away because their parents did NOT read up on how enrolments are done for secondaire, they chose St Michel primaire for its reputation and nothing else without finding out first the chances of getting into the secondaire were pretty slim and got given last minute places at another secondaire, lucky for them a decent one at least. So you would be very wise to find the position of St Michel primaire in relation to your home and the position of St Michel secondaire. Do the Maths, if your child has an index inferior to 5 (minimum is 1.5, max is 5.94) you can forget getting a place at St Michel secondaire, unless something radical happens with secondaire enrolments. It's been the same for 4 years and is far fairer than previous systems, even if it doesn't feel fair for parents who have put their children into particular primaires thinking that it guarantees a secondaire place at a particular school because it doesn't. So if the schools listed above are nearer and give your child an index of 5 or higher, do consider those schools instead, they offer a similar standard of education and will offer your child a better chance of a place at St Michel secondaire or the other excellent secondaires in the are such as SC de Lindhout and Dames de Marie. You'll find all the above mentioned primaires as popular as St Michel primaire, in fact some are even more popular.

An indication of the level of pupils' attainment is the average score in the 3 papers at CEB. Ask each school what their average was this year. At our primaire it was 86%, it is a primaire with a higher socio-economic intake than St Michel - I'd expect St Michel's average to have been around 80% perhaps. To be able to cope with St Michel's secondaire level, ideally your child should have scored above 80%. We had children at our primaire who scored averages of 95% including a 100% in Maths which is stunning.  Our school doesn't have the "snob" factor of St Michel but certainly attracts brains.

how to work out order of primaire in relation to home
http://www.inscription.cfwb.be/index.ph … no_cache=1

how to work out order of secondaire in relation to home
http://www.inscription.cfwb.be/index.ph … no_cache=1

Hi Tervurener, Thanks lots for your information.

If the selection is based SOLELY on geography, then the chance of getting a place in the St Michel Secondary, or in any other secondary schools, does not depend on whether my son is at its primary school or not, is it right?

"Getting a place at St Michel secondaire from primaire" is not my motivation in applying for the St Michel primaire. (That is why your "if" about the reason I like this school is not correct ).

I aim at this school due to many additional conveniences (apart from its strictness), e.g it's just on my way to work, there is an English extracurricular course that my son can follow in the afternoon - my son is English-French bilingual... - this makes my daily life much easier.

I also like some schools you mentioned, but it seems I have lower chances there, because they are some kms farther from my home comparing to St Michele. In addition, as St Michele does not have kindergarten, I will have higher chance in those schools that have kindergartens (because children from those schools have priorities for the primary - is it right?)

St Michele is the 2nd nearest Catholic, but does my son has to be Catholic to be selected?

Do children from another district, e.g. Auderghem, have the same priority as those in Etterbeek for St Michele (suppose other geographical factors are the same)?

Thanks and kind regards,

You will have to ask the head of St Michel how they order the applications, geography is a factor, but unlikely to be the only one.


Several schools have English as an exta-curricular activity, perhaps 50% of them, I wouldn't choose for that reason. English after school is on offer with Kiddy Classes, Candy Schools, Kids and Us and English is Fun and taught by trained teachers, often the school organised extra-curriculars are run by parents who aren't so experienced or qualified, someone like me for example. IF your son speaks English, then English classes offered after school by St Michel really are NOT going to be suitable, try instead English is Fun. These classes are for children who have little English.

Getting a place in secondary is currently heavily based on geographical order or primary and preferred secondary. So if you are hoping for a place at St Michel secondaire, if it's 3rd or further secondaire and / or primaire from your home, then you'll be left with one of the less popular secondaires in 6 years time, if using the same system which has been in place for 5 years, 5 times longer than the previous systems!!! If you are more than 1km from St Michel, you're basically not going to get a place for secondaire there, as there will be 2 or 3 primaires and secondaires at least nearer. If several kms, there could be dozens.

I'm not sure where you get the idea St Michel primaire is strict, not from the feedback I get from the parents there. Certainly they expect the kids to work, but from their feedback, it's no more strict than many other schools around, in fact far less strict than Paradis des Enfants down the road.

There are NO school districts, it is irrelevant if a child lives in Auderghem or Etterbeek or WSP.

No-one asks your religion when entering a Catholic school.

What maternelle is your son currently at? Is there not a primaire next door or part of the same school? What are your nearest primaires? It's quite possible they might be just as relevant for you.

buituant wrote:

Hi Tervurener, Thanks lots for your information.

If the selection is based SOLELY on geography, then the chance of getting a place in the St Michel Secondary, or in any other secondary schools, does not depend on whether my son is at its primary school or not, is it right?

"Getting a place at St Michel secondaire from primaire" is not my motivation in applying for the St Michel primaire. (That is why your "if" about the reason I like this school is not correct ).

I aim at this school due to many additional conveniences (apart from its strictness), e.g it's just on my way to work, there is an English extracurricular course that my son can follow in the afternoon - my son is English-French bilingual... - this makes my daily life much easier.

I also like some schools you mentioned, but it seems I have lower chances there, because they are some kms farther from my home comparing to St Michele. In addition, as St Michele does not have kindergarten, I will have higher chance in those schools that have kindergartens (because children from those schools have priorities for the primary - is it right?)

St Michele is the 2nd nearest Catholic, but does my son has to be Catholic to be selected?

Do children from another district, e.g. Auderghem, have the same priority as those in Etterbeek for St Michele (suppose other geographical factors are the same)?

Thanks and kind regards,

Having looked at the parascolaire timetable at St Michel, English is not offered until P3 and 50 minutes a week at lunch time. What happens if in 2 years time, there is no-one able to lead this? Your son is really going to be lost in that group anyway, as it's for those who don't speak English, he's likely to be used to the advantage of the other children as the perfect way to practise.

Have you worked out your top 5 primaires on your current address, using the link I posted? You should have a list of top 5 Catholic, top 5 communals and top 5 French Community controlled and top 5 non religious (you can do top 5 Jewish / Muslim / Protestant too but there are only 2/3 Jewish, 3 Muslim and 1 protestant in the whole of Brussels). So you should have 4 lists of top 5 primaires. Then target the 1st / 2nd / 3rd in lists as these really do give you an advantage for the most popular secondaires.

Then find out the top 5 secondaires, again 4 lists of them. Cross off ones you'd not want at all. See what is left, hopefully a number of 1st / 2nd / 3rd nearest.

Then think hard about where to apply for primaire.

If you say what your top 5 primaires are, I'd day which ones I'd apply for. You do have to use the calculator linked to above though, it is accurate down to the metre.

I come from Croatia. I am on bussines in Brussels, for 4 years. I have a son who will go in french school in Brussels in the year 2014 - 2015. I want to choose for him a chatolic school. He speaks french a little. We will have a flat around Montgomery or Schumann place. Could you help me to choose a school.

It' probably going to be more useful to start a new threat than add to the bottom of another.

There are many schools in that area where enrolments are already done, so they'll be out. You don't say age of your son, it makes a big difference to possibility of places if it's a 2 year old rather than a 4 year old.

No-on can help you choose, you'll just have to phone up every single school and find out which ones have places, then visit the ones with places. It's pointless to recommend, as they might be no places and you have to make up your mind on YOUR choice, not someone else's personal experiences as you'll never experience what they have.

If you don't have a flat already given to you and have to look yourselves, make sure you can afford the average prices of the area and choosing a school is nearly always better to do first and housing second.

https://batchgeo.com/map/1f1bf2b3b6e4ad … a57d56a826

Hello tervurener
I found your posts very useful. Thank you for that.
I am considering subscribing my son to a primary school in Etterbeek and I have the possibility to choose between Paradis des enfants and St Michel. According to what I was able to compute it seems that the Indice composite will be the same for both schools. It seems that the chances for secondaire in St. Michel are equal whatever school I choose. I hope I did the computations correctly because it is very difficult
I am interested however to understand the difference between the two schools. You said that Paradis des enfants is stricter than St. Michel. What do you mean?
Thank you

I can check your indice calculations if you send me your address by pm. If there is little difference, then I'd go for the easier school to get too. Both schools are enormous, both are known for many exams and high expectations. Little in it really.

HI,
I just came across this old massage of yours. I‘m about to suscribe my child in collège St. Michel.
I just want to know If You successfuly suscribed your child and If yes what are your impressions of the school and the Education System?

Hope You get this message
Ani

Is st Michel your nearest primaire? If not, look elsewhere.

Hi,
No it‘s not the nearest but the only positive reply i Got. Orthers are Full for the 1st primary. As You know it is difficult to get the school we want now in Brussels.

But, May i know Why You are suggesting to look elswhere?

Which are your nearest schools? It s not difficult to get a school place on east side of Brussels if you apply on time.

I m suggesting to look elsewhere if this is not your 2st to 3rd nearest Catholic primaire as you hinder entry to secondaire otherwise. Furthermore it is no better or worse thanany other schools, so which are your nearest schools? Be aware fondamentale schools would fond it difficult to offer places before Easter, because children in.m3 moving to p1 don't usually confirm reenrolment before then.

I'm sorry i'm not sure I understand what you said.. Do mean that the reason is that it is difficult to enter the secondary section at St-Michel ?

For next school year it it too late to find a school.

You are incorrect. It is not too late to apply for p1 school places for September 2018.

I ll say again, most fondamentales don't know available places for p1 until Easter.

Which are your nearest schools for p1 is September 2018?

You are not answering my question: why are you advising orther school ? What is wrong in going to Saint-Michel ?

Nearest catholic schools withing the area of my home and work place is institut sœur de notre dame Anderlecht. But waiting list is long. I already called even though inscription will be in april . I also tried saint Boniface in ixelles but p1 also full..

I answered directly the question but will repeat, serious consequences for secondaire and going to an equally good school near home is preferable. Nothing positive to gain from a school which might be detrimental to secondaire and will mean further travel and less likely to see friends after school

OK you live in Anderlecht. Therefore apply to schools in Anderlecht. I helped a family a few weeks ago get into an Anderlecht school.

Apply to your 5 nearest Catholic schools and 5 nearest communal / athennee royal schools. Your child has a right to a place in a school in the Anderlecht area.

Why st Boniface? Again 10km from home with at least 50 nearer schools.


Furthermore Anderlecht primaire schools are better funded. No brainer.

Thank you for all this informations.
I will give a close look at the list.

Just to conclude the discussion on St Michel secondaire...St Michel is by far of higher academic standards than neighbouring schools. In fact, most St Michel students who get kicked out, do pretty well in other neighbouring schools. Simply put, if your kid is intelligent AND works hard, he will typically get by at St Michel. The science and maths program is demanding so unless your kid has the aptitude for it then perhaps it is not the right option to choose. The Ancient languages (Greek & Latin) are also pretty demanding at St. Michel but to a lesser extent.

Hope this helps.. 🙂

Some people are againts St Michel after their kid gets the boot.

Sad but true..

St Michel.. either it works for your kid or it doesn't..

Completely untrue.