For over 30 years, BJAB has been committed to preparing pupils not only for academic success but also for the challenges and opportunities of life beyond the classroom.
BJAB's recent acquisition of an additional building for its burgeoning secondary school campus, coupled with a new accreditation from Cambridge International Education and its induction into the Round Square collective, sets the stage for this school’s journey forward.
Laying the groundwork for an ambitious secondary school
Building upon its strong foundation laid in the primary school, BJAB is set to introduce a new Year 10 section in September 2024, followed by Year 11 in September 2025, a move aimed at meeting the evolving needs of students as they transition into higher levels of education and prepare for university or work.
Central to BJAB's ethos is its commitment to personalized pastoral care for each child. Extending this philosophy into the secondary years, the school employs a tutor system. Each student receives individualized guidance and mentorship from dedicated teachers, ensuring that all can access the support they need to excel academically and personally.
Expanding its academic offerings, BJAB's secondary school now provides students with the opportunity to pursue International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) qualifications. Furthermore, the school is preparing to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma. The school recently made strides towards expanding its pastoral and co-curricular offering, becoming the first institution in the Benelux region to join Round Square as a candidate school.
“We are absolutely delighted to be candidate members at Round Square,” says Headteacher Francis Retter. “We join a diverse group of 250 schools worldwide sharing a broad commitment to values education, based on the Round Square IDEALS: Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership and Service. The opportunities for collaboration, via teaching and learning, videoconferences, projects and exchanges are immense; our pupils will share experiences with like-minded peers all around the world. It is a really exciting development for us as a school.”
Further developments are on the horizon for BJAB: this spring, the owners announced the acquisition of an adjacent building on Boulevard Louis Schmidt. From its beginnings in a single building on Boulevard Saint Michel in 1992, BJAB has since grown to encompass three buildings across two sites. This new space extends the existing Prep and Senior school site which initially opened in September 2020.
Scheduled for completion in two stages during the summers of 2024 and 2025, the new building project promises to enhance the educational environment at BJAB. Featuring two state-of-the-art science and technology labs, informal study areas for student gatherings, an extra library for older students and more, BJAB continues its commitment to offering a welcoming 'second home’ for its diverse student body, representing over 35 countries.
Values education remains a cornerstone of the secondary school experience, guiding students through their teenage years with a focus on independence, democracy, environmental stewardship, adventure, and leadership. Overnight residential trips beginning as early as Year 2 serve as catalysts for these values, where students tackle challenges and conquer new horizons each year. In the secondary school, themed residential trips (such as an upcoming History and French focused visit to Normandy’s shores) serve to ignite intellectual curiosity, bridging the gap between classroom theory and real-world application.
Having recently launched the adventurous Duke of Edinburgh programme, BJAB’s Year 9 students will embark on its inaugural expedition in May, marking an exciting milestone in its commitment to hands-on learning. Participation equips students with vital survival skills and fosters independence through progressively more difficult outdoor expeditions. Classroom preparation covers map navigation, teamwork and the essentials of first aid. Regular forest trips begin building outdoor learning skills from Year 1.
When students enter Year 7, an extensive team-building scheme helps students consolidate their previous knowledge and put it to practical use. Building and sailing DIY rafts, rock-climbing and escape rooms are all high on the agenda.
Head of Sport, Tom Mitchell, explains, "There’s immense value in these kinds of activities for our students' holistic development. They learn adaptability and problem-solving, skills crucial for navigating whatever challenges they may face later in life. Our goal is to instill an appreciation for physical fitness, but also for team pursuits, for the outdoors and a positive growth mindset overall.”
Recently, motivated pupils led the call for the development of more environmentally friendly initiatives as the school prepares to expand. Further to its 2020 recognition as a 'sustainable school' by Flemish organisation MOS Vlaanderen, BJAB has now formed an Eco Council with the goal of achieving the Eco School Brussels title, supported by UNESCO's Greening Education Partnership and COREN (‘Coordination Environnement’).
“Our primary objective is to empower student voices and enhance their involvement in shaping sustainable practices,” states Sandy MacDonald, class teacher and Eco Council leader. “Projects are guided by students and supported by the broader community. We’re cultivating an environment where students gain the knowledge, skills and motivation to confidently tackle global environmental challenges that are at the forefront of young minds.”
Student voice makes all the difference at BJAB, where leadership positions in the Eco Council and general School Council are democratically elected by fellow pupils. Children are empowered and involved in decisions ranging from extracurricular activity choices to new acquisitions for the school library. Notably, the recent acquisition of a school table tennis table stemmed from a student-led initiative, starting from gathering pupil feedback, arranging fundraisers and finally deciding on a model to purchase.
With a rich legacy of fostering values-based education over the past three decades, BJAB anticipates challenges and opportunities on the horizon. “The school has a tremendous history preparing children for secondary – our ethos at BJAB of ‘Education for Life’ has never been more relevant,” Mr Retter concludes. “We are aiming to equip our students with the tools and skills they will need to lead successful, happy and fulfilled lives in the dynamic, ever-changing world of the future. It’s a new era for BJAB".
