Choosing a school - immersion en anglais or not?

[rog1]

I live in French Belgium. I am native English and dh iranian. We speak French together at home (not perfect as neither of us is a native speaker, lots of missing vocab)as dh doesn't speak English. I speak English to dd and dh speaks French.

I want dd to be able to speak, write and read in both languages so if she wants to study later on in the UK she can.

Dd is only 7 months but already on the waiting list for the popular immersion en anglais school (they start at 2.5 yrs here).

My question is should she go to this school (first 4 years English is dominant language for all lessons - with native speakers, then 50/50 balance English/French, so by secondary school level, French is dominant)? Or to the local French school (all lessons in French)?

I'd send her to the English school ans she will pick up French anyway, by hearing it both at home and in the community.
Why doesn't your dh speak Farsi to your dd, esp. if his French is not great>

Thanks moondog. That's what I want to do, so I'm looking for people with experience of bilinguism to back me up, as dh wants dd to go to the French school as it is opposite the house so pratical, whereas the English school is a 10min bus ride (a long way in this small city but I don't see the problem, coming from London it feels just around the corner!!)

Dh is a political refugee so Iran is not on his list of favourite countries, so nothing would persuade him to teach dh Farsi, unfortunately.

Fair enough.
I'm a trilingual speech and language therapist and this is the course of action i would take.You child/ren will learn French anyway.

Another MNetter in Belgium! Hmmm, I would say it depends on whether you plan to stay in Belgium long term. I would actually do it the other way round. I would put in French speaking school and talk to her in English at home. She'll pick up the English from you before she starts school and the younger they are when they acquire the 2nd language the easier it is. Especially as neither of you is native French speaker.

Then you can revisit the situation when she maybe starts at primary level and go for one of the international schools. It will make it easier for her "socially" speaking if she can communicate well in French, as outside of school most activities/holiday clubs etc will be in French.