Three years ago we embarked on the ambitious plan of adding five additional year groups to our 3-13 school, this plan in itself following the introduction of Year 7 and 8 cohorts back in 2019.
Now in Autumn 2025, we are already at the half-way stage of our development to being a true 3-18 all-through school, albeit one in a vastly different mould, with our secondary classes benefitting from a true sense of continuity from the year group before.
In so many ways this evolution has been a very different one to many schools - by adding a single year group at a time we have enjoyed the luxury of steadying continuity between year groups, eschewing the somewhat anachronistic polarity of 'primary' and 'secondary', sadly so often the case in other schools. We have truly been able to build on the 30-year ongoing success of our junior school provision, adding extra layers of academic rigour, challenge and adventure to the traditional broad and balanced, holistic BJAB diet of educating ‘the whole child’.
And now we approach the most exciting stage yet - in a year's time we plan to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma, as a current IB candidate school. As an experienced IB teacher and examiner I sensed that the IBDP would be the perfect fit for BJAB’s curriculum, based on the National Curriculum of England and Wales. Following extensive discussion with school stakeholders, the process continued with an initial 3-day course in Berlin with other school leaders, instigating a school journey involving extra resourcing, staff professional development and curriculum provision.
The ultra-committed and inspired owners of the school, the De Maertelaere family, have backed the school vision most fully, adding experienced international teachers from all around the world, to complement the existing staff, many of whom have taken on additional responsibilities and training to supplement their outstanding academic qualifications. Resisting the lure and repeated interest of many an educational group, BJAB stands proudly independent, offering a unique experience in Brussels, blending successfully the best of the National Curriculum of England & Wales, alongside Cambridge Checkpoint tests in Year 9, the IGCSE in Years 10 & 11 and from 2026 onwards the IBDP.
We take with us too a hugely successful Independent Schools Inspectorate/British Schools Overseas inspection in May, as one of only three schools to subject themselves to such scrutiny and validation in the whole of Belgium, a standard of inspection which equates us to all independent day and boarding schools in the UK. Buoyed on by this and by our successful application to become a Global member of Round Square, with its focus on character education, following a successful two-year candidacy period, we are confident, yet not complacent, about the remaining steps to be included before our IBDP accreditation visit, early in 2026.
Six of our lucky Year 11 students are about to head to Dubai, along with me and our Round Square rep, Lauren Payne, where they will meet with 1400 students and teachers from the other 264 Round Square schools from all around the world, discussing a whole host of topics linked to the Round Square Ideals of Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership & Service, making life-long friendships and committing to positive action in the future.
We are launching a Sixth Form experience unique in Brussels - an excellent value, academically rigorous school programme for years 12 and 13 in which we will strive to prepare fully our students for the uncertain world of the future. We will be offering an unusually broad range of subject options, taught by well-qualified and experienced IB teachers from Europe and around the world. In addition, BJAB Sixth-formers will have the opportunity to benefit from the Gold Duke of Edinburgh award programme, myriad Round Square activities, as well as the traditional elements of the BJAB diet of trips, sports fixtures and enrichment activities, all backed up with outstanding levels of pastoral care and tutorial support.
At this stage we are delighted to be able to launch our Sixth Form assistance programme, with scholarships and bursaries available for strong candidates who would benefit from a BJAB education. If you are keen to challenge yourself to gain a strong IB Diploma result, contribute to a Sixth Form community based on fairness and equality and to challenge yourself in so many new areas, get in touch with us on this email: admissions@bjab.org.
We would be delighted to go through our bespoke range of Personalized IB DP Options with you. Particularly exciting is the opportunity for bilingual students to complete a hugely respected Bilingual Diploma – quite an accolade and highly regarded by the world’s leading universities. In this way our graduates of 2028 are likely to espouse the true virtues of our tagline of ‘Education For Life’, preparing young people for enriching, challenging and ultimately successful lives in the future.
Our aim is to develop learners who have a true sense of values, engendered by our own set of BJAB values, enhanced by the IB Diploma Learner Profile. Join us where well-being, self-expression and academic success go hand in hand. We are truly excited at what our first Sixth Form cohort is going to achieve and invite you to join us.
Whilst developing upwards to be a true 3-18 all-through school, BJAB remains faithful to its traditional elements of offering a bespoke education, tailored to the needs of the individual child. We look forward to welcoming you to our exciting school and to discuss with you your potential. With over 300 students and 41 nationalities BJAB is the place for your child to find their place in an increasingly complicated world as a truly global citizen.
Open Day
Come and speak with your peers, teachers, adults or other parents. Subscribe to our mailing list to receive all the updates including the registration form and visit our website to explore event details and view highlights from last year.
The next Open Day is on Wednesday, 8th October - do come and see what a BJAB education has to offer.
