Creation. The British School of Brussels (BSB) was founded in 1969 as a non-profit making organisation in Belgium and was opened in 1970 by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. It is run by a Board of Governors, comprising distinguished British and Belgian citizens from both the professional and business worlds, together with parent and staff representatives.
Site. The school occupies a beautiful site of ten hectares, surrounded by woodlands and lakes near the Royal Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren, which is 20–25 minutes by car from the centre of Brussels. The site belongs to the Donation Royale, the Foundation which manages the estates left to the Belgian people at the beginning of the 20th century by King Leopold II.
Facilities. The school has excellent modern specialist facilities, situated on a green and spacious campus. These facilities include dance and drama studios, a university standard music suite as well as eleven science laboratories, four art studios and seven technology workshops. The campus is also home to an Early Childhood Centre for children of 1–3 years. The sporting facilities of the school have been extensively developed to include world class amenities such as a multi-purpose sports hall, gymnasium, and fitness suite. In addition, the BSB is the only international school in Belgium to have its own competition standard swimming pool. The school’s outdoor sports facilities were redesigned in 2019 and now include multiple sports pitches, tennis courts and the largest free-standing bouldering wall in any school in Europe. As well as the exterior sports grounds, students also enjoy outdoor learning in the campus grounds and the adjoining forest. To aid learning at most stages of their development, students in most year groups are issued with either their own iPad or laptop computer.
Organisation. The British School of Brussels is an independent, fee-paying, non-profit-making international school. The School is a co-educational, non-selective day school for students from 1 to 18 years of age, with a roll of approximately 1,350. Around 30% of the students are British and there are approximately 70 other nationalities represented. The curriculum, both in the Primary School and Secondary School, is a British-based curriculum up to age 16, adapted to suit the needs of our European context and international students. In the Secondary School, students sit GCSE/IGCSE examinations at the end of Year 11 (aged 16). Senior students then have the choice of three pre-university qualifications: The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma (with English/French or English/Dutch bilingual options), GCE A Levels or BTEC courses in business, sports, applied science, and hospitality prior to moving on to Higher Education in the UK, USA, Belgium and beyond. Provision is also made for Oxbridge tuition and US university applications.
Our examination results, year on year, are very impressive and place us in the top performing schools globally. At A Level in 2023, over half of the total grades attained ranged between A* and B, with an outstanding 32% attaining the coveted A or A* grade – these exceptional results, contributing to BSB’s 99% pass rate. The 2023 IB results contributed to an impressive three-year average of 37 points. Many students surpassed the 40-point threshold, securing admissions to renowned global universities. With a pass rate of 97%, BSB students again surpassed the global average of 79%. At BTEC level in 2023, 56.5% of all grades were awarded at the Distinction or Distinction* level, while a notable 85% achieved Merit or higher grades. At GCSE level, 92% of all grades awarded to BSB students were Grade 4 or above (where Grade 4 is considered a pass).
BSB has an established French/English bilingual programme for children aged 4–14 years to complement its English-medium teaching. We introduce the teaching of Spanish, German or Dutch as optional additional languages in the Secondary School. We have developed programmes to help students with specific learning needs and to help students who join us with little or no English skills. The school also employs a counsellor.
Enrichment Activities. In addition to curricular activities, we run one of the largest extra-curricular programmes in Europe. Our dedicated teachers and coaches offer around 200 different clubs and activities, from tennis to tag rugby and choir to creative writing.
With a three-tier approach, covering all aspects of participation, we offer after-school recreational sports (dance, netball, hockey, water polo, synchronised swimming and many more), competitive sports (our ISST and SCIS seasonal formats – basketball, cross-country, golf, athletics, volleyball) and our tier 1 academy sports that run year-round (football, swimming, and gymnastics).
Elsewhere, among many other options, students can follow their artistic passions in our music, drama, art, and design clubs, and feed their curiosity through our extra-curricular science and technology programmes.
Music and Drama. The Music Department houses an extremely well-equipped music technology studio, a recording studio, and a rehearsal studio for the school’s orchestras, concert bands and instrumental ensembles. Individual instrument lessons are available from visiting specialist teachers, and take place in the suite of music practice rooms. The school is the largest Associated Board centre in Europe. Each year up to fifteen drama productions – including student-directed performances – are presented across the full student age range. The 240-seat Brel Theatre has its own workshop and Green Room, as well as a more intimate studio space that seats 80.
Careers. The school has the highest expectations of its student population and advice on careers, as well as higher and further education opportunities, is of vital importance to the further development of the students. The school takes part in many careers conventions and has its own international higher education and careers team.
Fees per annum (2023-2024). From €33,105 (Reception) to €42,360 (Years 10–13).
Past Students’ Association. The school has a growing association of Alumni and has its own official BSB Alumni Facebook page. Please visit the Alumni section of the school website (www.britishschool.be) to see how to subscribe to the alumni newsletter and follow the school on Twitter and LinkedIn.