ᐅPRIMARY School Brussels, PYP | St. John's Primary School

A Leading Primary School in Waterloo, Brussels

As a top international primary school in Brussels, we provide a warm, welcoming environment where students from diverse backgrounds come together to learn, grow and flourish as future leaders.

Our dedicated team of highly qualified teachers nurtures the unique potential of each learner, leveraging 40+ years of academic excellence. Primary schoolers follow the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP), considered a leading educational framework, and cultivate talent outside the classroom too. As a result, learners emerge from our Waterloo primary armed with a growth mindset, strong values and modern, in-demand competencies.

Our multilingual approach equips learners with the skills and knowledge they need to flourish in middle school and well beyond. Many students join our English and French Dual Language Programme, with around half earning the prestigious IB Bilingual Diploma.

Why Choose Our Primary School in Brussels?

At our primary school in Waterloo, Brussels, every detail is meticulously crafted to inspire, stimulate and motivate young learners. Driven by a commitment to academic achievement, our talented teachers work hard to promote excellence in all areas of the PYP syllabus. Our ambitious, globally recognised primary programme nurtures students into confident, curious, and multi-skilled individuals.

Our personalised primary curriculum is designed to promote key academic and personal competencies, as well as proficiency in English and French. This in turn contributes to enhanced cognitive development, cultural awareness, and future success in the 21st century.

As students progress through the primary years, we encourage them to cultivate their talents in the arts, sports and other areas. Our comprehensive extracurriculars help learners to succeed in class, onstage and on the sports field, and cutting-edge learning facilities support growth in all areas. Many of our students excel in their interests and achieve top accolades at local, national and global levels.

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World-Class Primary Programme

Our primary school curriculum is based on the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP), highly regarded by top universities around the world. The PYP programme is both challenging and stimulating: in addition to fostering exceptional outcomes, the curriculum is carefully crafted to meet learners’ diverse goals for their academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural development.

Continuous monitoring in our primary school ensures students are meeting the guidelines for the IB PYP. Assessment is ongoing and involves careful planning and resourcing to gather information vis-a-vis progress, plan lessons and feed back to students and parents.

Subjects and Themes of the PYP

The IB Primary Years Programme is organised around six transdisciplinary themes: who we are; where we are in place and time; how we express ourselves; how the world works; how we organise ourselves; and sharing the planet.

These themes allow students to explore knowledge in a way that is both impactful and relevant to their lives. Within this framework, students study traditional subject areas including language, arts, maths, visual arts, drama, music, dance, and physical, social and personal education (PSPE).

We follow this programme at St. John's because we believe it provides an outstanding education for all our learners. Benefits of the programme include:

Developing the academic, social and emotional wellbeing of students.
Encouraging students to become independent and take responsibility for their own learning.
Supporting students in their efforts to understand the world and function comfortably within it.
Helping to establish personal values that support an international mindset.

Language Programme in Our Primary School

St. John's has a proud tradition of fostering talent in all disciplines. After school, Primary students can participate in extracurricular activities such as Swimming, Lego, Introduction to Robotics, Dance Team, Art Club, Badminton, Football, Chess, Cooking Club, Basketball, Choir, Gymnastics, Science Club and Multisports. All our students take part in drama productions in our state-of-the-art professional theatre; we are the top performing arts school in Belgium.

Taking part in additional activities helps learners build confidence, leadership and strong social skills. Through engaging lessons and activities that nurture invaluable skills and expertise, we help learners develop lifelong competencies, knowledge and understanding outside the classroom and cultivate their full potential as confident, multi-skilled individuals. We also organise regular day trips and annual residential excursions that complement the primary years programme.

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Talented Primary School Teachers

Our highly qualified primary school teachers work diligently to prepare pupils for success in our inquiry-based PYP syllabus. Each member of the primary school teaching staff is dedicated to delivering an exceptional educational experience. As qualified specialists with top credentials, they understand the requirements of the IB PYP. Their experience and expertise add depth to the PYP framework, and they are passionate about getting the best out of each student. Our primary teachers are more than just educators; they are mentors who nurture a love of learning and foster supportive, engaging environments where each child can flourish.

Our teachers are lifelong learners: as well as engaging in professional development, they work closely with their colleagues to share strategies and ideas in order to provide an engaging, enriched learning experience.

Purpose-Built Learning Facilities for Primary School

At our Brussels primary school, we endeavour to inspire, motivate and stimulate learners by providing a setting that cultivates their full potential in the classroom and outside. Our primary school facilities are purposefully designed to support inquiry-based learning, nurture students’ creativity and provide ample opportunities for development in academics, sports, the arts, and other areas.

Our classrooms are specifically crafted to promote excellence at the primary level, with age-appropriate resources to facilitate practical learning.

Technology is seamlessly integrated into our cutting-edge learning environments. From Samsung smartboards and document cameras to smart screens and a full suite of VR headsets, our Waterloo primary school offers modern resources and tools to help elevate our core curriculum and cultivate skills for the 21st century.

Beyond traditional academic provision, our learners enjoy top-of-the-range creative-arts spaces, such as arts studios and a professional theatre, and extensive sports facilities both indoors and outdoors.

Extracurriculars in Our Primary School

St. John's has a proud tradition of fostering talent in all disciplines. Through participation in sports, the arts and academic programmes, learners are able to pursue their unique interests while nurturing the tools and qualities for later life.

Transportation

A convenient bus service is available for families around Waterloo and the greater Brussels region. Door-to-door service is provided wherever possible, ensuring a safe and comfortable journey for primary students. For specific pick-up and drop-off times tailored to your needs, our dedicated bus coordinator is here to assist you.

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Parent Involvement

We believe that education is a partnership between school and home. As such, we encourage parents to be actively involved in school life. Regular parent-teacher meetings, workshops and events provide opportunities for parents to stay well-informed about their child's progress, become part of the St. John’s community, and learn more about our primary years programme.

To find out more about our parent initiatives and get involved, please click on the button below.

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Begin your child’s journey to unlimited opportunities. Discover more about Brussels primary school and how we can help your child unleash their full potential.

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