Best international school in Brussels for Grade 9?

[Marivic]

Hi there, we are moving to Brussels from London. Our child is 15 years old and will be entering Grade 9. She's currently in an international school. Any point of view between St. Johns or ISB? Thank you very much for your advice.

Firstly St John's isn't in Brussels, it's several kms south. ISB is in the municipality of Watermael-Boitsfort, part of Brussels region. It's connected the very centre of Brussels by tram and train within a few minutes of the school. St John's is in a self-contained municipality of Waterloo. I would look at work and how to get there. I'd also add in BSB in Tervuren, if you think your child will do IB for the last 2 years, as all 3 schools do it.

St John's would be great for a non special needs child, if you attend any of the sports competitions, the difference in attitude to winnig between ISB / BSB V St John's is quite evident!!!!!

Without knowing where work is, what out of school activities your child does, what languages your child speaks, what sort of environment you are used to living in and would like to live in, would not want to say which is best, but the 2 schools are in different environments and have their own advantages.

Hello cannotseeanend. Thank you very much for your response. I will be working in Wavre. Our daughter likes sports such as swimming and tennis. She also goes horse-riding. She speaks English, a bit of Filipino and is studying Spanish. We don't speak French or Dutch! Do you have any further suggestions with our situation?

I'd always say with a child over the age of 12, their independence in getting to and from school / activities should be a major consideration, so living on an easy public transport route to school should be a consideration. That would put St John's in 3rd place, unless you live virtually next to the school, but that would mean your commute to work would be a slow cross country drive.

ISB living in Watermael-Boitsfort would be a good choice, lots of good public transport passing school, easy access to E411 for work. Warning, if joining the swim team, means early morning drives to Waterloo!!! Tennis team will also be expensive. After school activities are almost all fee paying at ISB.

BSB and living in Tervuren or WSP/Wezembeek/Kraainem would also be a good choice, public transport by 44 tram or bus from these areas or cycling to school. Warning, swim team currently means afternoon at Evere pool once a week, many of the best school swimmers join the local francophone club in WSP called CNSW, French not required, so many anglophones and other languages there. If you're here longer than 2 years, BSB will be the only international school in Belgium with its own 25m competition pool and the best sports facilities. For next 2 years, it will be dust and mud whilst these facilities are being built. Tennis is very low cost at BSB as the school team is subsidised by the school. After school activities are often free at BSB.

Spanish would be best supported at BSB.

Horse riding, not a problem, lots near all schools.

I'd look at ISB or BSB and the areas for living. Both are going to be E411 commute, unless you want to take the bus from WSP which runs regularly Mon-Fri.

Marivic, we have a mumsnetters facebook page (secret group). If you'd like to join and ask more advice on there, just send me a pm.