New with kids in Liege

We will probably be moving to Belgium in a month or two.  If we do, I'd love to meet you.  I have 5 kids, and two of them match your kids in age.  I am wondering about schools there as we consider our education options.  Do your kids attend the schools?  What can you tell me about the school system?

Hi. Thanks for your reply. Where about are you moving into in Belgium? I can tell you a bit about schools in Liege, which is where we live. My kids attend a state-funded school which offers English immersion, so they do some subjects in French and others in English. For them it has been great, since being able to communicate in English until they acquire a good level of French has aided a lot in their adjustment. The school is ok. It was greatly recommended to me and it includes both primary and secondary, so both kids attend the same school which is also good for me. Teachers seem nice, although communication with parents doesn't seem to be a strong point (unless you're on their backs). On the other hand, the building is a bit rundown and discipline doesn't seem to be a strong point either. They don't do much homework either, and I have heard mixed comments about the academic level. There are other English-immersion schools in Liege, and of course lots of French state schools. No private ones that I have heard about.

If you're moving to Brussels, then that's a completely different story. I have found out a bit about it since I'm thinking of moving there later on this year. Lots of private English-speaking schools, but extremely expensive and have heard very mixed reports about them as well. And don't know much about state schools there. Only that there's no English-immersion ones, so they all teach in French and Dutch (Dutch is compulsory, apparently). If you want to know more about it, there is a person in Expatblog that seems to know a lot so let me know and I'll pass on the details.

Good luck with the preparations, and if you need more help don't hesitate to let me know. I hope you are able to come so we can catch up over here!

Best

Anastasia

Here is a map of Liege and a few other post codes.
http://batchgeo.com/map/2c03ca628fc5944 … e9e3ff49e7

Anastasia, I am now visiting Liege to get settled in before we bring over the whole family.  Which English immersion schools are there?  Do you know if they accept kids who do not speak French well yet?  I am fluent in French, so I've been working with them, but they have a long way to go!!!
Robin

The schools doing English immersion are on the map, just look down the list. However it s not always the best choice if already English speaking.

List here too.
http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=23801