Primary school

Where exactly do you live? St Joseph de Boondael is actually quite a small school. Is your daughter at school here already? What is her year of birth as children born in 2006 start primaire in September 2012? Registrations at some schools for primaire next school year have already started. Most children go to a fondamentale (maternelle + primaire) or separate maternelles which are usually natural feeders to nearby primaires. It is not easy to find a school place at a good primaire, if you are not already in the attached or nearby maternelle, so you really will have to move fast.


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Hi Schoolmum
Thank you for your answer.  I live close to the cimentere and my daughter was born in 2007 so she won't be going to primary school this coming year but the year after but I thought I should start the search early  since I am a bit worried about her shyness and think she is likely to feel better (and hopefully open up a little!) in a friendly, small school than in a big one.
She is currently at les petits ponneys (maternelles of school n. 7).  I really like the team there and even if the team changes next year I am thinking about leaving her at school n 7 next year to finish the maternelle (and give her a bit more time now that she knows some of the children at the school) but after that I think it will be better to move her to another school.
I was thinking of St Joseph since it looks smaller and more "friendly"than others I've visited but I don't know what reputation it has (academically speaking) and also, having heard about the system they follow (which leaves children relatively free) I wonder how they do once they move on to secondary school given there is no continuation and the change from a school like that to a traditional school could be a bit of a shock. 

I know nothing about other schools so any guidance will be very helpful.  I would really want a good school for her but one with small groups in which she could be "seen"despite her shyness and not huge ones where she's likely to blend with the walls.  If going private could help I would be prepared to save on other areas to give her the best chances to grow happily and truly enjoy school

Thanks for your advice and comments

http://www.saintjosephboondael.be/conte … %A0-suivre

If you look at the enrolment page for St Joseph Boondael, you will see they are doing enrolments for 2012-2013, the year your daughter will go into primaire, on 12th March 2012, with info evenign on 6 March. I think the fact they don enrolments 18 months in advance speaks for itself - one of the most sought after schools in Brussels. The school has less than 300 pupils, quite small.

I haven't heard great things about schools 7 and 8 I'm afraid. I have only met one anglophone family who removed their children form one of these schools and placed them in a school in Watermael-Boitsfort.

The other really sought after schools in Ixelles are Catteau-Aurore (actually in Bxl 1000, but everyone thinks of it as Ixelles) and St André-St Phillipe, both might be a bit far for you, then also a good reputation Jardins d'Elise which will be nearer. In Watermael-Boitsfort and not far from you, there is a super school called La Sainte Famille and it has a bit less than 250 pupils so as small as you get in Brussels for a fondamentale. Les Cedres also in W-B and not far away from you  has a very varied reputation.

In your shoes, I would actually look up La Sainte Famille now, with a view to starting 3e maternelle there next September. The maternelles there work both in year groups and also across 3 years 3-6, it really is a school where children get to know all the other children. It has several expat children there.

As for schools using proscribed methods like St joseph Boondael, remember that every school will draw somewhat on methods, some on one in particular, some on several, even though they do not openly advertise it, try and see beyond these methods. And thinking ahead to secondaire, it's just too far ahead. Go and make an appointment to see la Sainte Famille and all the local schools, sorry I do have a bias for that school and no our children are not there but I know ones who are, plus a teacher there.
http://www.ecolesaintefamille.be/

Thanks so much for the advice.  I did not know about that school and it does look very nice so will definitely call and visit them  as soon as I can and will keep my fingers crossed that they will have a place for my girl.

About St Joseph, I do have a little boy aged 2, (who luckily doesn't show any signs of shyness like his sister)  who is now attending the creche there so I understand that he has priority to get into the school next year  and once he's in, any brothers/sisters would have priority for a place at the school so I was thinking there could be a chance for my daugther to get in there for her primaires.
If you had to choose between La sainte-famille and st Joseph, what would be your choice? I know it may be a difficult question to answer but it would be very helpful for me

Thanks again for your time and tips

Firstly do you have your son already on the waiting list for St Joseph Boondael as I assume the enrolments for September 2012 took place already in March 2011?

Well I am guessing St Joseph Boondael is alot closer to you, here are the "as crow flies" distances from Petits Poneys to the nearest Catholic and communal schools, there's 1km further to la Sainte Famille, so up to you if you want to go that much further.

Size-wise, the schools are pretty similar. They both have sports centres nearby, especially good for wednesday afternoon sports activities,  La Sainte Famille has even a swimming pool next door, plus a Dutch school too, I see this as advantageous. But one school might be better to get to on the way to work, that's a factor to consider. Then there are garderie hours. Then there are the extra-curricular activities to look at, parental participation - I know loads at la Sainte Famille, but possibly at St Joseph Boondael too, just I don't know that school so cannot comment. Children at both schools who are academic probably end up at St André (Ixelles) or St Hubert or l'Assomption (W-B) or St Michel (Etterbeek). The school decision can only be yours, visit each school and visit them twice if possible before deciding.

Catholic schools under 1.5km from Petits Poneys
1 Ecole fond. libre subventionnée Saint-Joseph Boondael    Chaussée de Boondael 621 , 1050 IXELLES    0,124 km   
2 Ecole fondamentale libre de la Sainte-Famille    Avenue Léopold Wiener 34 , 1170 WATERMAEL-BOITSFORT    1,216 km
3 Ecole primaire libre Saint-André - Saint-Philippe    Chaussée de Boondael, 216 , 1050 IXELLES    1,423 km

Communal schools under 1.5km from Petits Poneys
1 Ecole n°7 du Bois de la Cambre, Avenue du Bois de la Cambre 173 , 1050 IXELLES    0,339 km   
2 Ecole du Bois de la Cambre n°8 Avenue du Bois de la Cambre 175 , 1050 IXELLES    0,355 km
3 Ecole communale Les Cèdres Rue du Gruyer 8 , 1170 WATERMAEL-BOITSFORT 0,987 km   
4 Groupe scolaire Les Jardins d'Elise - Ecole n°12 d'Ixelles    Rue Elise 100 , 1050 IXELLES 1,008 km
5 Ecole fondamentale La Futaie    Avenue des Coccinelles 65 , 1170 WATERMAEL-BOITSFORT

PS in all the most sought after schools in Brussels in French, you will get classes of around 25, if you find a school with 20 in all classes, I'd be wondering why. So you are probably going to have to review the desire for small groups. Even at BICS and Acacia which are private schools, you will now find classes of 25, also at BSB and ISB. The only was you will get a school with small groups is by going for Montessori, BISB or BJAB, but do you have a spare 15k per year to pay for this?

And let me also throw out there, as someone with social anxiety issues who was deemed "shy" practically from birth, 25 is truly not a large or overwhelming number of people in a classroom. I never once felt that it was too many.

And, as much as you may not like it, there being more people - allowing her to "blend in," may help her to feel more secure. I know I **absolutely hated** when I was focused on and felt like eyes were on me, I felt *much* better in a larger group. Just let her be herself, there's nothing wrong with introversion or quietness, don't try to force her into anything she doesn't actually want. Talk to her, and see what *she* tells you would make her happy. She's old enough.

This has helped a lot.
About my daughter shyness I certainly don't want to push her to be something she is not but would very much like her to  be in a friendly atmosphere where she is more likely to feel relaxed and maybe start talking a little (at the moment she doesn't even say hello but I am positive she will open up).  About the numbers, 25 sounds fine, it's when it goes over the 30 that starts being a bit too much.  I'm seeing it at the moment with the school of my daughter: 34 kids of that age in her classroom!

Thanks again

Aner6053, I work in a child care environment. I have recent experience of 2 children who refused to talk, for one English was a 2nd language. There's just no pushing children who refuse to talk, you just have to ask lots of closed questions ie "yes" or "no" answers and they nod or shake their heads. One of these children started to talk a few weeks ago, having previously only heard her talking to her parents, now she is non stop, I don't  think even her parents can explain why she wouldn't talk and why suddenly she won't stop talking. I think one day she just forgot her own rule to stay silent with anyone but parents and whoosh out came a very articulate child, probably more articulate than average. The parents didn't worry at all and I'm sure this helped. And Melby, fully agree with your comments.

Hi,
  I am looking for a good French school near ULB/VUB in Etterbeek. I am considering Acacia, but would like to find a school which is reputed and has good academic, and extra-curricular activities, provides personalised education, and is close to our workplace. Do the French schools teach English at any point of time? My daughter is 4 now, and will turn 5 on September 2012. She is fluent in English, and I wish she could still keep her fluency and still go to a public school which will introduce grammar, comprehension,m etc later in the school. I will be very grateful for any guidance.