Nursey in Brussels for 2.5 dd? (overijse / tervuren?)

[Mummysgoneloopy]

Does anyone know of a nusery in Overijse / Tervuren, Brussels for my 2.5yr old dd? Something part-time & pref not every day?
I have looked at the Montessori in Tervuren, but 5 mornings & rather pricey (though I am sure it is worth it my husband's new employer does not fund nursery at this age). Kindercrib at BSB is full, so any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Portofino]

Do you specifically want an English speaking one? At 2.5 most local children start Kindergarten. This is free! At my daughter's school they liked them to go everyday, but it was possible to do mornings only. After the age of 3 you rarely see nursery places.

Tried to find some info from Kind en Gezin and this person is apparently the local childcare co-oridinator: [email protected]
Might be worth a try!

[Portofino]

PS I can put a message on the BCT lifers list if you like.....When are you looking to start....?

[Mummysgoneloopy]

I probably want an English speaking one, or French could be OK. Even though she is 2.5 (nearly) she will not start school properly until Sep 2011, as she is end June 2007, so from next sep she can do proper Kindergarten at BSB where her sisters will go. I would just like her to go somewhere until then. We move over mid Jan / beg Feb 2010.
Would be fantastic if you could put msg for me! Thank you!

[monkeybumsmum]

I can recommend an actual nursery - it's a private one that does take children up to the age of three. I'm not sure whether that would just be for children that are already there, or whether you could approach them about starting your dd there now for a few months.
It is excellent, and my ds was very happy there. It's in Overijse, and they speak French but the lady who was in charge when ds was there spoke English to the children if the parents requested it. It's called Pinocchio, and the number for Chantal who owns it is 0477294923.
As far as I know it's not advertised anywhere, which I think is great. I only heard about it through a friend of a friend.

Oh, and they also do part-time - ds went for two and a half days a week.

Good luck!

ps Hi Porto

[monkeybumsmum]

pps Good luck with the move, maybe you'll be able to meet up with us sometime Are you moving to the Overijse/Tervuren area?

[Mummysgoneloopy]

Monkeybumsmum, thanks for nursery info - will definately get in touch with them. Saying that we did view a house in Overijse that is currently a nursery, but is closing down as it has no license - hope its not that one!!
Yes, am moving to Overijse - we were over house hunting this week & though I was keen to get somewhere in Tervuren as my eldest 2 dds will be at BSB, Overijse had better houses for the money. It seems everyone drives everywhere anyway, so hoping should be fine.
Would love to meet up when we arrive (think beg Feb now) ;)

[Portofino]

It is certainly a nice area! I put a message on the BCT lifers board. Maybe you could email me on [email protected] and I can add you to our Belgian network...plus it is easier to pass on phone numbers etc if I get responses to my my post on the BCT. I think Belgo and I already recommended that you join the BCT?.....

[Mummysgoneloopy]

OK thanks will e-mail you tomorrow!
Glad you say Overijse is nice area, felt slightly unsure as everyone goes on so much about living in Tervuren, but our ace relocation lady highly recommended it! Really looking forward to the move now - our dds know now and thank goodness are really excited. They even want to take the photo of our new house in for show & tell!

[Portofino]

Remember of course, the "Dutch" thing! You can get away with a lot in Brussels, but in the suburbs of Brussels, in Flanders proper there are all sorts of rules about speaking Dutch. ie I live near Zaventem (where the airport is). The commune staff (from town hall to swimming pool) will ONLY converse with you in Dutch.

I know Tervuren is a bit militant about this, but have no idea in Overijse. We moved from Brussels to Zaventem and sat there looking helpless and managed to get new ID cards. . It might be worth asking your relocator about this.

I resisted for 3 years but have now started lessons....Don't panic though, there is always someone who can help out! Maybe even me, if I can master the strange vowel sounds!

[Mummysgoneloopy]

Think I may learn Dutch, as speak French already, so may help things. Saying that our relocation expert said Overijse is full of expats, not as many as Tervuren, but English is spoken widely (she said- I hope!).

[monkeybumsmum]

Overijse is a lovely area - in fact because I go past on my way to and from work I often call in to the shops there. I don't speak a word of Dutch but feel very comfortable there as most of the people I've encountered have been more than willing to speak english.

By the way, there is also a fab curry house on the main road between Overijse and Jezus-Eik - we would live there if we could! There are also some other good places to eat if you need any recommendations Gosh, all of a sudden I'm feeling rather hungry... Am off to start on supper!

[monkeybumsmum]

ps Will you let me know how you get on if you ring Chantal?
Am pretty sure Pinocchio isn't the one closing down as it has all the Kind en Gezin stuff on the wall, and she has four or five nurseries in total. If Pinocchio doesn't have any space then maybe the others will - at least one other is in Overijse (called Nemo) and there's one in Hoeilaart (Dumbo ).

Good luck!

[monkeybumsmum]

pps where was the house?

[Mummysgoneloopy]

The house was on Hengstenberg I think (not sure if I spelt it correctly). Thanks for other nursery info, will have a look when we arrive.
Glad you think Overijse is nice, we noticed curry house & were excited that there was one close by - but wonder if they do delivery!!?

[monkeybumsmum]

Ooooh Pinocchio IS on Hengstenberg! Goodness me I hope it's not that one! Was it on the right hand side as you come from the main road? (Think is number 169?)

The curry place we go to don't do delivery, but they DO do takeaways In fact we had one on Wednesday, twas v yummy!

Let me know if you find anything else out re closing down nursery won't you - am very intrigued!

[monkeybumsmum]

Is 167, not 169.

Just found a website for Chantal - see this link

[Mummysgoneloopy]

Don't know what no. it was, but was on right as come off main road! Yikes, sorry have put cat amongst the pigeons & haven't even arrived in Brussels!! and !!!
Saying that I was only told 3rd hand that it is because it has no licence, it could be for other reasons. If you look on www.findahome.be, you can see house - don't want to get my house search agent into trouble as obviously top secret, so if you ask them, pls say you just saw it on findahome & wondered what was happening!!!

[monkeybumsmum]

Hello! I posted yesterday, but randomly it dosn't seem to have appeared... Maybe I clicked the preview button instead

Anyway, what I said was, yes it is Pinocchio Cannot believe it! DH and I have been talking and we reckon it's to do with the parking, and the neighbours not being happy that parents are parking on the road and in front of their houses... We knew there were problems when ds was there (he left in June) and that's the only thing we can come up with!
They really were so professional and we were so happy to have ds there that I would be beyond shocked if they didn't have a licence...

Let me know if you hear anything else won't you! I shall have a nose about and see if I can find out what's going on - if we ever manage to have a dc2 then we would've wanted to send them there

Anyway, back to you - have you heard of anywhere else yet? Hope you manage to find a place...

Do you need any other info/help before you move? Where are you coming from?
Hope all is going well!

[Mummysgoneloopy]

Well, think I will do my research here & then go and visit when we arrive. On waiting list for BSB kindercrib which would be great if she got a place there, but prob unlikely.
Thanks for offer of help - we have been so lucky have relocation people helping us, but if I think of any other stuff I will ask u if that's OK? Live in SW London at the moment, looking foward to the change of scene.
Only reservation is that here we have easy life, we walk to school / high st / playground / local pool, friends houses & have neighbours with kids at same school for favour swapping, think from what I can gather life will be different? Seems more like the US, where everyone drives everywhere, & is spaced further apart. Will be a shock to drive to school in a.m. & no little high street to potter down but sure will get used to it??!
But big advantage is that we will have big house & big garden!

[monkeybumsmum]

Of course it's okay, ask away

Yes, it is different over here - I'm so used to drivng everywhere now that I don't even think about it. I do think the standard of living over here is great, the food is fab and you can easily get out into the countryside even from Brussels. I love it here, and hope you do too. How long are you staying for? The annoying thing about living here is that people move on, so just as you get to know someone they move away... It's rather frustrating! You get used to it though.

Have you looked at Le Verseau as an option? It's a bilingual school, but they do take them from the age of 2 1/2. It's just off junction 5 on the E411, so would be accessible from Overijse area if that's where you end up, but it is in the opposite direction to BSB. We are thinking of moving ds there as we're not that happy with the school he's at now. We went round it a few weeks ago, and they said that he probably could have a place in January if we wanted it, so there are places available.

Right, off to go and entertain ds!

[shelley007]

Hi My name is Shelley, myself and husband have just moved to Overijse, Hengstenburg.
Our eldest two children will go BSB.

Irony we have moved into 167 that used to be a nursey, but we are looking for local pre-school, kndergarten for our youngest who is 2.5 years old.

Was looking for any advice that anyone could give me.


Shelley

[natation]

In Dutch, kleuterscholen are free from 2 1/2, here is a list of schools in Overijse
www.ond.vlaanderen.be/onderwijsaanbod/lijst.asp?hs=bao&fusie=F&nis=23062&app=20

In French, maternelles are also free from 2 1/2, nearest ones are in either La Hulpe, Auderghem or Woluwe St Pierre.

In English, you are looking at quite a cost, nearest is BSB Kindercrib, St Paul's Vossem, then some nominally bilingual French/English Motessoris throughout your area, the nearest is probably the Tervuren ones.

[natation]

PS your 2 nearest schools are :

Onze Lieve Vrouw Basischool Jezus-Eik (Catholic but you don't have to be which has a kleuter only annexe 2 1/2 to 6)

www.jezuseikvbs.be/

Gemeente Basischool Jezus-Eik (town controlled)

www.gbsje.be/

[natation]

PS again. If you are after a Dutch school, just looked on the OLV Basischool Jezus-Eik website, children in the first class can only start at certain times of the year, the next start date is Monday 8th November, otherwise you have to wait till Monday 10th January. The other school may have a similar policy. Here is a 3rd school in Dutch not far from you which has a small annexe of just kleuter 2 1/2 to 6 :

www.bskasteeltje.be/

[PortoFangO]

Welcome to Belgium! Seems like natation has it covered. FWIW my dd started maternelle aged 2.5 without speaking the language. She is now in 1st grade and got an excellent school report. She settled really well. I guess though if you are still in Belgium she will migrate to BSB when old enough?

The dutch education system is generally of a high standard, so I would always go with free local schools as opposed to paying for expat ones for a child of that age.

And also, there are few of us here. MN Xmas meet up on 18th December. If you mail me on [email protected] or PM me, I can add you to our email list.