Brussels schools advice sought - French/Flemish? And how does it all work??

[hansoucar]

Hi all,
Have just joined and seems you all really know what you are talking about, so I'd like to add our issue in to the mix...

We moved to Brussels a year ago, living in Uccle, very near to the top of Bois de la Cambre. Our daughter has just turned 2 and we are expecting our second in March. We're likely to be here for another 2 years.

We've now realised we need to begin the school search pronto. Its not a task i relish as my French is abysmal and I am generally pretty good at procrastinating at the best of times...

Anyway, as our next child is due in March, we'll be looking for a Sept 2014 start as although DD could start in the summer term (as she'll be 2.5 by then) it seems a bit of an upheaval for her at an already busy time and shes very happy at her creche.

So... I have a few questions for you which i would welcome your advice on!

1. Some of the comments on various threads here seem to favour the Dutch system over the French one but I havent been able to work out why... DD is in a French creche, but as we dont speak French at home and realistically she may not retain all that much long-term, I'd rather pick a good school with decent teachers, than worry about the language element. So - what are your pros/cons/observations about each system? She's likely only to be there for 1-2 school years before we'll move again (possibly to the Netherlands incidentally)

2. Could someone explain/confirm the school registration process for me please?? I thought we had to call the schools from Jan 6th onwards and register that way. Is that right? Bumped into someone in the park today who told me i had already missed the boat for school registrations for this year so now worrying.. All seems a bit complicated and opaque!

3. Any immediate observations about decent schools in our area (NE Uccle/Ixelles) would be much appreciated, before I tackle the websites/phones)

4. Would DD be in Maternelle 1 or 2 for next September? She will just have turned 3, but I'd like her to start in Mat 1 if poss

Thanks so much in advance for any advice that you have - really appreciate it

Have a good rest of weekend... H

Do you speak Dutch at home or are you as a parent willing to learn to a standard needed for effective communication with school? If the answer is no, then forget the idea of Dutch in Uccle full stop.

No idea where you got the impression you don't start phoning schools till 6th January. The Flemish system has already started for those with priority, for those without, it begins 6th January and you should have made your school choices long long time before and prepared proof of level of Dutch for getting yourself to front of non priority. For French, well you're 2 months to late for many schools already, every single school is different, phone, email, post. You ask every single school how you do it and follow what you are told. If you're late, you are too late.

Most schools are decent, so work out those within 1km distance and look at them all. It's your experience that counts, not those of another parent. Take all recommendations with a pinch of salt.

If your daughter is born in 2011, she will be in 1ere maternelle next September.

Your nearest 4 maternelle are likely to be :
IMMI - also has maternelle only annex
Longchamp
Notre Dame des Champs
Tenbosch - Renier Chalon maternelle only annex, priority to Ixelles residents so unless you're under 500m away, may as well throw in the towel for this one before starting

PS Notre Dame des Champs, you missed enrolments there on 4th November, you can give it a go but I'd be surprised, get your name on the waiting list if possible.

I fear it's IMMI or Longchamp for you and nothing else.

Oh and not speaking French in a francophone school is usually far far less of a hurdle than not speaking Dutch in a Flemish school.

If you're moving only possibly in 2 years time to Netherlands, still plenty of time left to learn Dutch in a high Dutch environment, a Flemish school in Uccle is going to give your daughter very little need to learn Dutch, unless you suddenly surround her constantly with Dutch, like lots of after school in Dutch. Now in Uccle, I think this might be harder than in any other area of Brussels region, they might have the lowest percentage of native Dutch speakers of all 19 communes. there is also basically a single Flemish system school anywhere near your house, for maybe 3kms radius, it is kleuter only, priority goes to those who speak Dutch, so chances of a place there is not going to be high.

Hello,
There are a couple of Dutch speaking nursery schools in the area: De Bron's General Lotz straat annex and Floreal. Now is the time to visit schools, then you can make your application online in January. Here is a link to the website with info in English. Good luck!

www.inschrijveninbrussel.be/basis/english.asp

This is how you get a map of local Flemish system kleuter scholen in Ixelles and Uccle.

www.onderwijsinbrussel.be/les-volgen/aanbod/scholen?field_onderwijsniveau=673&field_gemeenten_scholen%5B%5D=1290&field_gemeenten_scholen%5B%5D=1282&naam=&straat=&field_vp_hs_nid_field_onderwijsnet=All&studierichting=&advanced=0&tab=0

PS I know Dutch speaking parent who failed to get a place at De Bron (Lotz), the only Flemish kleuter within 2km of where you are living, they lived just a few streets away. They had priority through Dutch and still not enough, that was for September 2013.

Thanks very much runningmad and luckybmum. That's really useful info and sounds as though the French system is better for us given we don't have long to get up to speed with the Dutch.
A couple more questions in light of your advice if I may.
We'll be looking into Longchamp, notre dame, jardin
Elise, les petits poneys and cambre les petits poneys. If anyone has any feedback about any of those if appreciate it.
Also, I found a couple of official sites of maternelle in uccle and ixelles (incidentally these are the ones that said reg was from the 6th jan...) but the lists don't appear to be complete - I.e. Notre dame and immi were not included). I was looking at ukkel.be and ixelles.be. I'm now thinking maybe there are other schools that are in our area that we don't know about (or is that wishful thinking?!). If there are others in addition to the above please let me know! Also - doesn't definitely have a maternelle? Can't seem to find any info on it..,
Thanks very much again - will be hitting the phones in haste shortly!

PS runningmad you said I've maybe missed the boat for notre dame, but it looks as though it's just enquiries/visits between now and Xmas, and then registration from the 6th jan. Are the enquiries/visits limited in number? I.e if I don't get in there quickly as a prospective parent I stand no chance of registering in jan? Not sure I've quite grasped how it works...

All the schools are here, though a few websites have changed since the map was created.

I must re-emphasize every school has enrolments in a different way, so check it up, it's only the Flemish schools which start 6th January for non priority and Brussels communal only which have central enrolments with are from 6th January too (and it might take up to a week to get through) and the only Brussels communal near you is Catteau-Aurore and completely pointless in applying if you live in Uccle, you won't get a place because you live too far away and are not 1000 Bruxelles resident.
batchgeo.com/map/1f1bf2b3b6e4ad41fe67c1a57d56a826

web page for NDdeC, phone for more information.
www.notredamedeschamps.be/lundi-4-novembre-inscriptions/

It's not hard, you look at the school websites, phone, email or post as according to instructions.

Feedback is pointless, getting a place is what you need to concentrate on, then you can ask for feedback on the schools you have places for. No point wasting energy until you have some places.

Fantastic thanks for the advice. And unfortunately it is hard for me as my French is so poor....!

use google translate, doesn't google chrome translate whole website?