FAQs

In Primary School, teaching in English and French alternate every other day and on Wednesdays, every other week, in order to allow equal immersion in both languages. In Year 2, our students have a half day of English and a half day of French; providing daily exposure for the acquirement of important foundations.

The school provides English as a Second Language (ESL) and French as a Foreign Language (Français Langue Étrangère – FLE). Children will be assessed and placed in these classes if necessary with a view to acquiring the foundations required for integration into the main class. In addition to these smaller sized classes, we also offer important immersion opportunities for these beginners in specific subjects.

It can take an average of two years to acquire the basics in English and French, particularly for the reading and writing skills to enter the main class. Total fluency in both languages can be expected by the end of the primary school years.

Children have a great capacity to assimilate several languages at a very early age and we take extreme care in our teaching methods. Foundationally, it is important to begin reading and writing in just one language; in Year 1 in English and in the first year of Primary school (Year2) in French.

In our Primary School, Science is taught in English, and History and Geography are taught in French.

Mathematics is taught equally in both languages, following the progression of the Cambridge curriculum.

In addition to the homeroom teachers, our teaching staff includes specialised language teachers, who provide courses for beginners in English and French, and teachers for Sports, Music and Religion. An Art teacher also instructs our Year 7 class.

Our school is a Cambridge International School, and as such offers the Cambridge Primary Programme (CPP) and the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). Our Secondary School is an established accredited test centre of the University of Cambridge, offering the International GCSE and Advanced Level examinations.

In the French section, pupils who wish to do so at the end of their primary schooling may take an external examination to obtain the Certificate of Basic Studies (Certificat d’Etude de Base – CEB), a diploma that provides access to the Belgian public secondary school system.

Our programme and these examinations are recognised both nationally and internationally and satisfy the educational obligations in Belgium and throughout the world.

In the primary school there are two classes per year. This enables pupils to have alternate days in English and French with their native speaking classroom teachers. Wednesday is a half day so every two weeks will be in either English or French. In Year 2 (Age5-6), half a day is taught in English and French enabling daily exposure to both languages.

Mathematics is taught daily in both languages, Science in English and History and Geography in French.

Our school accepts children of all faiths or none. The school seeks to pursue its mission of education in the context of Christian values. We have a mission statement and families should be able to feel comfortable with this.

BICS follows the Cambridge International Curriculum which is recognised internationally. The Belgian Government recognises BICS as fulfilling the legal obligation of education in the country.

Our school is a non-profit organisation. We try to keep are fees as low as possible as most of our parents pay their fees privately and some make considerable sacrifices to attend our school.