schools 1040 1200

Member since 23 June 2013

brusselsairMember01 July 2013 10:29:28

Hello there, we would appreciate your help/advice on the following matter:

We live in Brussels, currently in Anderlecht but soon moving to either 1200 or 1040. My work is in the Montgomery area and my wife works from home. We have a little son, he is 2y2m.

Where we will eventually move partly depends on where we will find a better offer to rent an apartment but we want to ensure that we will be able to send our son to a good school (maternelle and then primaire also) as we intend to stay in the new location for at least 5-7 years (perhaps buying a flat in the neighbourhood after some time as well).

We are currently focusing on the area around metro Thieffry-1040 and Gribaumont/Tomberg-1200. Could you recommend any specific schools in these areas (French language ones, no preference public/private)?

Our situation is tricky in the sense that our son has just been accepted to one of the pre-schools here/Anderlecht (with a start date in November, when he will become 2y6m).

(i) do you think/know if there may/will be a problem (administration wise) if we move from the commune here but still willing to send our son to pre-school (and since there is no chance we can arrange for anything quickly in the new location, we would be ready to travel here for a time being).

(ii) as soon as we move and register in the new commune, we will start the registration procedure so that hopefully our son could get into one of the pre-schools there in a year or so/asap. In here, the registration was via commune (we had to specify 3 preferred pre-schools etc), I understand in 1200 and 1040 the registration is organised individually by each school, is it? (apparently it was the case here as well, until last year).

Thanks very much in advance for your help, hugely appreciated.

See also

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tervurener Serial expat

Member since 21 March 2013

tervurenerSerial expat01 July 2013 11:17:11

551

You are doing your search the wrong way round. Find a school first, then move.

Avoid the private schools, those which offer French really won't lead to fluency in French. Public schools are much better for French and almost free too.

You are really late for enrolments for September, there are virtually no places left and in that area, I wouldn't take any places left either! so yes stay at Anderlecht school and start applying for September 2014.

It's completely inaccurate to think public school enrolments are done by the commune, only commune schools and that depends on the commune, most commune schools do their own enrolments! There are Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, non religious aligned, French Community controlled schools. If you limit your self to commune schools in that area, you cut out 60% of schools, so look at all of the public ones.

I can't really recommend any in that area, most are very well regarded, the differences you'll find are in size, slight difference in philosophies, extra-curricular activities. I'd start at the nearest school to a potential new home.

brusselsair Member

Member since 23 June 2013

brusselsairMember01 July 2013 17:45:37

Thanks a lot for your comments, tervurener - very helpful!

We will follow your advice (as much as possible) and will keep posted if any further questions appear. Many thanks indeed!