Schools in Belgium: local vs. international

First off, the standard of the local school system in Belgium is exemplary. Expats have the option of choosing a French, Flemish or German school for their little ones, depending on the language you'd like your child to become familiar with. Also, different than in many countries, school selection is not mandated by catchment zones, meaning just because you live in a certain area doesn't mean your child will go to a certain school. You have the option of choosing whichever school suits your priorities best.

This can be good and bad. Bad for those who are lazy, and good for those who do the research and find a school in Brussels with a teaching philosophy and curriculum that makes sense for their kids.

In my opinion, choosing between a local school and international school is in large part a decision affected by the age of your children. Those in secondary school would probably be better off sticking to an international school, continuing in their mother tongue, and with a curriculum that will keep them on track to master college-entrance exams.

Those who are younger, would probably benefit from the cultural immersion of local schools, would meet more kids in the area, and would most likely be able to make up for any differences in curriculum between countries over the years. Not to mention, local schools are considerably cheaper than international schools.

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My husband was also given a 3 year contract and we are still here 7 years later. We chose to start our first daughter in a local school because of the short duration. She was just of kindergarten age then.
When we saw we were staying on a couple more years, we decided to switch her and start her little sister in an international school. We found, in fact,  a great compromise between the Belgian system and an international atmosphere - Le Verseau. It's located in Wavre (exit Bierges on the 411). So, depending on where you will be living, this could be an option. That said, their classmates live anywhere from Brussels to Waterloo to as far away as Namur. It's nice because of the about 50/50 ratio of Belgians and internationals. The school follows a Belgian and British curriculum (all students have english class, but the anglophones are  separate from the frrench/dutch, etc. speakers). The school goes from pre-K to 12. There are also secondary counselors to be sure the students have their ACTs, SATs, etc. if needed.
If your children are in high school, it may be easier to keep with a more traditional international school like St. John's or ISB. There the classes are given in english with, of course, a foreign language course. The extra-curriculars like sports, etc. are more like an american or british system. Belgian schools do not have sport teams but children can join various sport clubs around the community.
If you do choose a local Belgian school, rest assured that the schools are very well regarded. You may choose to send your children to any school regardless of where you live. So, feel free to "shop around" and choose the one that best suits your educational philosophies.
For more information, you can refer to Education and Schools in Belgium and International Schools in Brussels.

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