Moving to Brussels in Summer

Poppins21 · 2024-03-02T07:58:10+00:00

Hi Everyone It is my first time posting on mumsnet and I am looking for some advice. We are moving to Brussels in the summer and we are thinking of enrolling our 9 year old at Montgomery International School in the bilingual French and English stream. We live outside of the UK and she currently attends a bilingual school where we live but it is not French. Though her Dad is a bilingual English French speaker so he can support her learning at home. I am looking for feedback on moving to Brussels we are planning on renting in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert to begin with. Does anyone have any experience of the school? All advice gratefully received.

Original poster

Poppins21 · 04/03/2024 08:47

Does anybody have any experience of Montgomery International School in Brussels?

OP posts:

catmack16 · 05/03/2024 15:54

There is also a bilingual programme at the British School of Brussels but it may be difficult to enter aged 9 without much French.

Where will work be? What areas are you thinking of for housing?

There are other English language private options in Brussels as well, French will be taught but not to a bilingual standard.

catmack16 · 05/03/2024 15:55

Apologies you mentioned WSL. That is a convenient area for many private school options as well as sport, transport, access to central Brussels etc.

catmack16 · 05/03/2024 16:25

www.facebook.com/groups/ParentsandBCTSchoolSupportNetworkinBelgium/permalink/3834649610114557/

This group may be useful to find views on schools in Brussels and nearby.

amyboo · 08/03/2024 08:49

WSL is a nice area - very international, very easy to access on public transport (metro, bus, tram) and has decent green spaces. I don't have experience with the school, but I wonder why you wouldn't choose a local FR speaking school as you already have some French at home? Schools in that area are generally pretty good, and I'm sure you'd find a decent one.... The international community in Brussels can be very transient - people regularly come for 2-3 year postings - so depending on how long you plan to stay, your DD might find it easier to establish friendships in local school...

Original poster

Poppins21 · 09/03/2024 05:26

Thanks everyone we have applied to get her a place into the anglo programme at EIM with the option to move to the bilingual programme the following year and her Dad will be working on French with her over the summer as he is a native speaker.

OP posts:

Original poster

Poppins21 · 09/03/2024 05:30

amyboo · 08/03/2024 08:49

WSL is a nice area - very international, very easy to access on public transport (metro, bus, tram) and has decent green spaces. I don't have experience with the school, but I wonder why you wouldn't choose a local FR speaking school as you already have some French at home? Schools in that area are generally pretty good, and I'm sure you'd find a decent one.... The international community in Brussels can be very transient - people regularly come for 2-3 year postings - so depending on how long you plan to stay, your DD might find it easier to establish friendships in local school...

Thank you, yes WSL seems a good place to rent until we can find a flat or house to buy once I know the city better. Yes the friend thing was a worry but I have found a local ice hockey team for her to join to make local friends too and we may consider a local school once her French is up to standard.

I am getting very excited about the move, we currently live in a rural location, so the though of being able to walk to a local restaurant and enjoy a meal and a glass of wine is making me giddy.

OP posts:

Original poster

Poppins21 · 09/03/2024 05:33

catmack16 · 05/03/2024 15:54

There is also a bilingual programme at the British School of Brussels but it may be difficult to enter aged 9 without much French.

Where will work be? What areas are you thinking of for housing?

There are other English language private options in Brussels as well, French will be taught but not to a bilingual standard.

My husband went to BSB as he grew up in Brussels but he said his French only became fluent once he moved to a local school. Interestingly, BSB was not even on his shortlist of school options to consider

OP posts:

Original poster

Poppins21 · 09/03/2024 05:47

amyboo · 08/03/2024 08:49

WSL is a nice area - very international, very easy to access on public transport (metro, bus, tram) and has decent green spaces. I don't have experience with the school, but I wonder why you wouldn't choose a local FR speaking school as you already have some French at home? Schools in that area are generally pretty good, and I'm sure you'd find a decent one.... The international community in Brussels can be very transient - people regularly come for 2-3 year postings - so depending on how long you plan to stay, your DD might find it easier to establish friendships in local school...

We have missed the deadline for applying to the local schools as far as I can tell and we do not have a Brussels address yet as we are still house hunting, which further complicates matters. Where as the international schools all have rolling deadlines and accept applications without a Brussels address etc. A local school may be an option once we are settled. But we do like IB curriculum that EIM offers for her whole school journey. I think it depends where we end up buying a house and how her French goes.

OP posts:

Original poster

Poppins21 · 09/03/2024 05:50

catmack16 · 05/03/2024 16:25

www.facebook.com/groups/ParentsandBCTSchoolSupportNetworkinBelgium/permalink/3834649610114557/

This group may be useful to find views on schools in Brussels and nearby.

Thanks I have joined the group.

OP posts:

catmack16 · 09/03/2024 06:52

On BSB the bilingual programme started about 15 years ago so perhaps after your husband was at the school. There are classes that do French as a specific subject but in the bilingual programme half the time is spent in French and half the subjects are studied through French. It would probably be difficult to get a place though at 9 without much French.

It might be useful to check if EIM would need more advanced French for their bilingual track as well as it looks like it starts at 7.

As mentioned the Facebook group is likely to have people with children at a variety of schools so can advise further.

Original poster

Poppins21 · 09/03/2024 07:30

catmack16 · 09/03/2024 06:52

On BSB the bilingual programme started about 15 years ago so perhaps after your husband was at the school. There are classes that do French as a specific subject but in the bilingual programme half the time is spent in French and half the subjects are studied through French. It would probably be difficult to get a place though at 9 without much French.

It might be useful to check if EIM would need more advanced French for their bilingual track as well as it looks like it starts at 7.

As mentioned the Facebook group is likely to have people with children at a variety of schools so can advise further.

Thanks catmack yes he is old so it was more than 15 years ago lol. She will be in the English track with French every day as a second language for the first year and then moving to bilingula track. DH is going to work with her over summer to improve her French before she starts school too.

OP posts:

Original poster

Poppins21 · 09/03/2024 07:33

She got to native speaker level in Swedish within 1 year at a bilingual school age 6 to 7- so we are hoping the same with French. And we were unable to support her with Swedish, where as my husband is now speaking more and more French to her. Its a big move for us as a family but I am hoping a good one.

OP posts: