The British School of Brussels: A Vibrant International Learning Community in the Heart of Belgium
Sometimes where you learn is as important as what you learn. Beyond the picturesque Tervuren town centre, through the stunning surrounds of Tervuren Park, and past the grandiose buildings of the Africa Museum, lies an international school which offers its students an educational experience like no other.
The British School of Brussels counts among its students representatives of more than 70 nationalities, who come together in the heart of Belgium to benefit from BSB’s world-class education, warm and welcoming community, and outward-facing, ethical approach to life.
Surrounded by parkland, lakes and forest, BSB provides a wonderful environment in which to learn and grow. The school’s extensive outdoor learning programme takes full advantage of these locations, as well as several green spaces on campus. With official ‘Eco-School’ credentials, BSB ensures that its students gain a keen awareness of their responsibility towards the natural world; part and parcel of the school’s mission to be “an educational force for good.”
With the rich and varied British Curriculum at its core, the school is very aware of its unique place as an international school rooted in Belgium. Local languages are emphasised, for example, with French built into the curriculum from Kindergarten through to 16 years of age. Dutch, too, is part of the learning experience for Upper Primary children and continues as an option for our older students. Children soon get the chance to put these skills to the test in the local market and trips to locations around Belgium further cement a sense of place.
Of course, it is the spacious school grounds themselves where students spend the majority of their time and BSB is fortunate enough to enjoy a large campus that includes two full-size football pitches, three tennis courts, four basketball half-courts and a bouldering wall. In addition to these sporting facilities, the grounds incorporate a wild garden, gardens and outdoor playing areas, as well as other learning spaces throughout.
BSB’s extensive sports programme is also served by fantastic indoor facilities. A dedicated gymnasium is complemented by a huge multisport hall, as well as fitness studio, dance studio and depth-adjustable 25 metre swimming pool. As well as being an integral part of the curriculum, an extensive range of sports are offered as after-school ‘Enrichment’ activities, included in the school fees. In sports, too, students benefit from local links. Our excellent football (soccer) programme, for example, offers not only the chance to compete in international school tournaments, but also has links with the local football side Tempo Overijse, meaning students can also gain the invaluable experience of playing as part of a local football league, while training right on campus.
BSB’s excellent music and drama departments benefit from fantastic facilities, too, with practice rooms for individual music lessons, a fully-fledged recording studio and 240-seat theatre. Other facilities include the school’s three libraries, Food & Nutrition classrooms, Design & Technology workshops for Textiles and Resistant Materials, used both within the mainstream curriculum as well as for Enrichment activities. A huge array of lunchtime activities is available, from chess to languages, from gardening to debating, from Model United Nations to the school’s student-led charity committee. Whatever their passion, students at BSB find the facilities and dedicated staff to help.
Just inside the BSB campus sits a white building known as Cavell House. This is the home of the school’s volunteer group of parents known as Families of BSB (FoBSB). Cavell House is a home-from-home for many of our expatriate families, who find a warm welcome in the ground floor café, where a slice of cake and a good cup of coffee awaits. FoBSB has an active part in the life of BSB, organising activities for families to get to know each other and, crucially, organising a parent representative for every class and tutor group in the school: a useful point of contact and an easy way of connecting to other parents.
Helping students and families to settle into BSB and Belgium more generally is part of the fabric of the school: an inclusive, international learning community, as its guiding statements begin. The caring, supportive and inspiring atmosphere is evident from a few minutes spent on campus. Students integrate quickly into the warm and welcoming community, where a team of dedicated and caring teachers supports them, in addition to the school nurses, counsellors, speech and language therapists and specialists in English as an additional language.
As an international school, BSB is keenly aware that its students will eventually leave for myriad locations around the world. The internationally oriented, skills-based education they receive equips them for whatever the next step in their education may be. For BSB’s older students, a dedicated programme of advice and exploration helps them to think through different university and career paths. When the time comes to apply to universities around the world, expert help is available every step of the way. The fantastic BSB Futures programme, which invites representatives from different careers to lead roundtable discussions with students, is available to all Secondary School students and provides invaluable exposure to different pathways. Of course, the impressive exam results that BSB students consistently achieve, as well as the breadth of subject choices available to examination students, undoubtedly help to set them up with the best chance of success in whatever field they choose to pursue.
For those lucky enough to be relocating to, or already living in Belgium, BSB provides the best of education in a wonderful community for students and their parents alike.
For more information, please contact BSB’s friendly admissions team via the school website www.britishschool.be.
