Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

When was St Paul’s British Primary School founded?

St Paul’s British Primary School was founded in 1975. Since April 2006 it has enjoyed a close association with St Paul’s Anglican Church Tervuren.

Who owns St Paul’s British Primary School?

An NV is a Naamloze Vennootschap which is the Dutch term for a Limited Liability Company. St Paul’s British Primary School NV owns all of the land, buildings and financial assets.  It is also the employer of the school staff.
99.2% of all the shares in the NV are owned by the St Paul’s British Primary School Foundation. The Foundation is established under Belgian law as a not-for-profit charitable trust. The Foundation has a Board of Directors and it is a requirement in the statutes of the Foundation that all Board Members are in good standing with St Paul’s Anglican Church.
The remaining 0.8% of the shares are owned by two private individuals who have made clear to the Board that they do not wish to derive any financial gain from owning these shares.

Who runs St Paul’s British Primary School?

The school is lead by the Headteacher who is fully responsible for delivering the curriculum, managing the staff and for all matters relating to the health, safety and protection of the children. In every sense the Headteacher is the “chief executive” of the school.  The Headteacher is supported by an Executive Committee made up of “critical friends” of the school. This is roughly comparable to the Board of Governors in a UK school.

The school system our children are currently in is very different from St Paul’s British Primary School. How will you know their level of education?

Before joining St Paul’s British Primary School your child must have an informal interview with the Headteacher. In this meeting the Headteacher will confirm the year group of your child. Children whose mother tongue is not English will also have an appointment with the English as an Additional Language teacher for an initial assessment of your child’s needs.

Does my child have to join St Paul’s British Primary School on a specific date: the beginning of the school year, for example?

Your child can join our school at any date during the school year.

How does my child get to and from school?

 
The school is easily reached by car or public transport. A door to door mini bus service is organised to cover certain local areas and is charged for on a cost recovery basis.

Is financial assistance available towards the cost of tuition fees?

Criteria for granting a Bursary are strictly financial. The Scheme is administered by the Management Team (Headteacher, Bursar and Admissions Director) under complete confidentiality and their decision is final. To apply for a Bursary please write to the Headteacher.

Is the application fee refundable in any circumstances?

No, the application fee is non-refundable

My child has specific learning needs. What kind of support can the school provide to my child?

Children with special needs are admitted to the school at the discretion of the Headteacher and only after careful consideration that we can truly meet their requirements. Speech and language therapy can be arranged through the school.

How will my non-English-speaking child manage in an English-language school?

We offer additional support to those children joining us who may be learning English for the first time. We employ a specialist teacher who can provide children with tuition on an individual basis.

How big are the classes?

Our target staff:pupil ratio is 1:16.

What are the school hours?

NB: The Nursery curriculum is taught over the five mornings. Children may be enrolled to stay full days on a schedule which is appropriate to their stage of development. This may be for 2, 3, or 4 full days. There are no classes for the Nursery children on Wednesday afternoons.

Do you have uniforms?

Although the school does not have an official uniform we are very pleased to have a range of polo shirts and sweatshirts in our school colours of red white and blue. Each child receives a welcome pack of three polo shirts and two sweatshirts. The wearing of these is entirely optional although we do request that children wear them for school journeys or for those occasions when we are performing in public.

Do you offer after school care?

No, we do not offer any out-of-hours child care ("garderie") either before or after school hours.

How often will I receive information concerning my child's progress?

Many parents have informal daily contact with their child's class teacher either at the start or at the end of the day. Regular parent-teacher consultations are conducted at all levels. Parents of all pupils have individual interviews with the child's class teacher in the Autumn and Spring Terms. Written reports are provided at the end of each school year, or when a child leaves. Parents have the opportunity to review this report with their child’s teacher.

How is the communication between the school and the parent?

At all times we encourage parents to maintain a dialogue with the school staff. More formal “Open Parents Meetings” help keep the parent body involved and informed of school developments. A weekly newsletter features activities in the classrooms and details forthcoming events in school. During the course of the year we hold a number of open mornings where all parents and friends of the school are welcome to come in and are shown around classrooms by the pupils. We believe that parents and teachers working together make a real difference to the quality and enjoyment of learning in these early years.  In addition there is this website!  On the Welcome page parents can find the latest Announcements and details of forthcoming events.

Are all the teachers qualified?

Our class teachers are all fully qualified teachers who have trained in the UK. Many of our staff have worked at the school for a number of years providing continuity and stability. We also have some staff members who have joined us more recently, bringing with them experience of recent curriculum development. Our specialist teachers are all qualified and experienced in their own fields.

Does the school support professional development for the teachers?

The school holds In-service Training days each school year allowing all staff to have training in specific areas of education. This, along with opportunities to travel to other training centres, enables staff to keep abreast of new education practice even though we are based outside the UK.

Is the school accredited?

The school is accredited by the Council of British International Schools (COBIS). For more information please visit their website at http://cobis.org.uk/.

Does the school have a strong sense of community in which I and my family can become involved?

St Paul’s British Primary School has a Parent Association, that is active and has an important role in the life of the school. A small committee meets regularly to organize social and fund-raising activities in and out of school.
Besides the Parent Association, we also have  a class representative scheme, who act as a central point of contact for the class teacher; this aids the flow of information between parents and school and supports the school's fund-raising and social activities. The class reps organize coffee mornings and social events which provide a valuable opportunity for parents to get to know each other and exchange useful local information. Each summer during the holidays, the reps organize weekly meetings, usually at a local play park, where existing and new families can meet before the new school year.

To what extent can I be a partner in my child's learning?

 
Our approach is to foster a positive partnership between school and home. Through this partnership in learning children can reach their full potential. Our homework policy is based on a progression through the school from learning phonics and reading in Reception, to learning multiplication tables and completing written work in Years 3 and 4. The development of homework continues throughout Years 5 and 6, preparing children for the transition to secondary education.

Are there opportunities for me as a parent to contribute to the school by sharing my own skills and knowledge?

We encourage strong home school links and enjoy a friendly open door approach within a very caring school community.  Parents are welcome in the school and are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s learning. Each class has a parent who acts as a link with the class teachers and helps co ordinate volunteers. We will often ask for helpers as they are needed in the classroom, gardens or out of school activities. We fully encourage parents to share their time, talents and skills. The class reps also organise social events for the children and parents. An active Parents Association organises a number of social and fund raising events throughout the year.