CHILD CARE & SCHOOLS IN BELGIUM: FAQ

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NATO HQ badge holders are eligible for the following services at the Staff Centre: 

• Children's holiday camps at the Staff Centre (New Years, Carnival, Easter, Summer, and Toussaint). Details regarding holiday camps can be found at https://natosportcentre.highfive.fit/en/holiday-kids-camps .
• "Stay N Play" Wednesday afternoon child care (12:30-19:30). More details available at  https://natosportcentre.highfive.fit/en/stay-play .
• Children's Birthday Parties to include animation and catering services. More details available at https://natosportcentre.highfive.fit/en/birthdays .

(Source: Expat Welcome Desk )

For children under 3 years, there are different types of child care centres: public, private, subsidised or non-subsidised. To operate legally, all these organisations must have authorisation from the relevant official bodies responsible for childcare (ONE in French-speaking regions and KIND & GEZIN in Flemish areas). Beware of illegal nurseries.
 

Childcare centres are either run by the commune or they are private. Communal centres are subsidised and the charges are calculated according to your income. On the other hand, private childcare centres apply a fixed charge which can be as much as €800 per month (for 5 days a week).
 

You can also leave your child with a childminder (maximum 4 children) if you prefer a more family environment. Pre-school centres are also available, for children aged between 18 and 36 months.
 

You can find a list of local private and public childcare centres on your commune website (in French search for “enfants” or “crèches”). You are not obliged to choose a childcare centre in your own commune but if you don’t, you risk facing a longer waiting list.
 

Your best course of action is to put your name down for various childcare centres after the fourth month of pregnancy. Being on a waiting list won’t guarantee you a place, so it’s best to multiply your chances! When you visit a childcare centre, make sure you ask all the necessary questions: opening hours, holidays and vacation periods, costs, activities, internal regulations, etc.
 

Lastly, you should be aware that you can deduct day care costs from your taxes. For this, you will need the certificate which childcare centres provide to parents every year.

Helpful Links:

http://www.one.be/presentation/about-us/ (French-speaking regions)

http://www.kindengezin.be/algemeen/english-pages.jsp (Flemish-speaking regions)

(Source: Expat Welcome Desk )

International Schools

The Brussels-Capital Region counts some 32 so-called international secondary and primary schools that are not recognized and thus not controlled by one of the national educational systems. They provide education to approximately 22,500 pupils. These private schools offer an international or foreign curriculum and generally provide excellent education.

The four European Schools count the greatest number of pupils, teach in many European languages and are located in different parts of the Region. Other major international schools are the Lycée français, the International School of Brussels, the British school of Brussels, l’Ecole Internationale le Verseau-ELCE, St. John’s International School and the International Deutsche Schule Brüssel.  These private schools charge a tuition fee. Civil servants of international institutions and children of diplomatic personnel have priority while enrolling in some of these international schools.

Belgian Schools

The Brussels Capital-Region offers a choice of hundreds of Belgian primary and secondary schools, as well as higher education. These will either have Dutch or French as their major teaching language, since the schools are organized or at least regulated by every language community and not by the federal bilingual State. These schools can be subdivided following the organizing authority, whether they are private or public and whether they receive subsidies or not.

The tuition fee or other costs for these schools are in most cases limited, but getting your child enrolled in the school of your choice might involve some queuing. The procedure differs from the educational network or even school of your choice. Make sure to inform well in advance  and prepare well to maximize your freedom of choice.

Helpful Links: 

Xpatris comparative platform - International schools

Enseignement.be

Cybercommunauté FR

FWB- Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles

Education in Flanders

Onderwijsinbrussel

European Schools

ECIS

SIEP - Service d'Information sur les Etudes et les Professions

CEDIEP - Centre de Documentation et d'Information sur les Etudes et les Professions

InforJeunes

Belgian schools typically have five holidays across the year: Christmas and Easter breaks which last two weeks each, a two-month summer break in July and August, plus a week off in spring and in autumn. There are also a few individual days off, such as Whit Monday and Armistice Day.

International schools in Belgium generally follow the same school holiday dates as other schools, although summer holidays in some international schools start and end one to two weeks earlier than the general holiday dates. Check with your child’s school for full details.

See the "Tourism & Culture" page for more info.