Welcome to Upper Primary at The British School of Brussels
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please ensure the Primary Office has your current phone number, in case the school needs to contact you during the school day.
Primary Secretary/Office: primary@britishschool.be Direct line: 02 766 0435
All communications must come through the Primary Office and class teacher; please never contact your child on their school email.
CALENDAR DATES - MY SCHOOL PORTAL (MSP)
All information and communications from school will be shared through the school’s parent portal, MySchoolPortal (MSP).
britishschool-be.myschoolportal.co.uk/login
We encourage parents to consult the calendar on MSP for upcoming events in Primary.
Britishschool-be.myschoolportal.co.uk/events-list/352
Throughout the year, we hold a variety of school events, including class assemblies, exhibitions, music performances and year group productions, many which parents are invited to. Invitations are sent prior to the events.
Please check the calendar regularly for the latest updates.
You can also see a quick overview of all upcoming events in one place on the MSP Calendar.
DROP OFF AND PICK UP
Supervision starts at 08.15 on the sports pitches and at 08.40 teachers will greet the children and go to class.
The register is taken at 08.45. Any child arriving after this should sign in at the Primary Office before going to class.
The school day ends at 15.50 and your child should be picked up from the designated pick-up area.
EARLY PICK UP AND LATE DROP OFF
Please contact the Primary Office if you need to pick up or drop off during regular school hours
BUSES
If your child uses the school bus, it is very important that you keep the class teacher and the Primary Office informed of any changes to the normal routine.
We utilise the BatOnRoute app to manage our daily bus services. Parents should use the app to track their child’s bus in real-time and, more importantly, to update their child’s daily bus usage. Keeping your status current on the app ensures our bus supervisors have accurate manifests at all time.
The children must know the correct information about their daily after-school routine. However, for any last minute changes, please phone the Primary Office.
Please read the full information on MSP. britishschool-be.myschoolportal.co.uk/ forms/331
UNACCOMPANIED CARD
With written parental permission, it is possible for children in Year 5 and Year 6 to enter and leave campus unaccompanied. Please send a brief email to the Primary Office, and the secretary will issue an ‘unaccompanied card’ for your child. This card is not a swipe card and does not open gates, but can be shown to the security guards upon entering and leaving campus. Please note that children will not be able to leave school during school hours. Unaccompanied students are not allowed to leave campus to go to Tervuren Park or Carrefour for example and return for an enrichment activity; students need to go directly home. School reserves the right to deny unaccompanied cards.
ABSENCES
If your child is sick and unable to come to school, please contact the Primary Office by email or phone as soon as possible on the day. A doctor’s note is required from day 3.
We ask that families do not take time off during term time as we have a very generous holiday allocation published in advance. If there are exceptional circumstances, please email Neil Ringrose, Vice Principal & Head of Primary: NRingrose@britishschool.be and the absence may be authorised according to school policy.
Please read the full information on MSP. britishschool-be.myschoolportal.co.uk/view/document/10
HEALTHY EATING MORNING SNACK
We encourage a healthy morning snack, including fresh fruit, raw vegetables, or yogurt for example. We ask that children bring in ‘nude food’, without plastic packaging. Children should also bring a refillable water bottle each day (no disposable bottles please).
LUNCH/LUNCH CARDS
In Upper Primary, lunch is eaten in the school cafeteria. Please ensure your child has either a packed lunch (we encourage ‘nude food’ without plastic packaging) or sufficient funds on their lunch card to buy lunch in the cafeteria.
Please ensure you load money onto your child’s lunch card electronically at home, via MSP. It is also possible to check your child’s balance and what they have bought. britishschool-be.myschoolportal.co.uk/login
Primary Lunch cards must stay in school and should not be taken home.
Primary students are not permitted to use their cards at the vending machines around school.
READING
Your child will have regular opportunities to choose books to read, and we actively encourage communication about what your child enjoys reading at home.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE)
The children have two PE lessons each week, and each Upper Primary class will have 2 half terms of PE swimming lessons per school year during one of these weekly lessons. Parents will be informed before the swimming terms start. Children must wear the school PE kit for PE lessons, and children will change at school.
Please read the full PE information on MSP which includes PE kit items, and excusing your child from PE lessons. britishschool-be.myschoolportal.co.uk/page/319
PE
Every week, all children have a dedicated time in our school library, discovering a variety of books – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, graphic novels, wordless picture books, and more! While enjoying these books for pleasure, children also build their reading skills, developing fluency, confidence, and a love of learning. Trying different types of books helps them find new favourites and become lifelong readers.
The children have two PE lessons each week, and each Upper Primary class will have 2 half terms of PE swimming lessons per school year during one of these weekly lessons. Parents will be informed before the swimming terms start. Children must wear the school PE kit for PE lessons, and children will change at school.
We love working in partnership with parents to help the children develop positive reader identities and offer weekly sessions for families in our Library where parents and children are encouraged to share stories together and can borrow additional books from our wide collection to read at home.
Please read the full PE information on MSP which includes excusing your child from PE lessons The British School of Brussels (myschoolportal.co.uk).
1:1 DEVICE
As part of the school’s Technology for Learning provision, all children in Years 3-6 are provided with their own device for use at school as a learning tool and will be allowed to take the device home once a user agreement has been signed by parents. Children are also asked to sign a simplified agreement which outlines the basic 1:1 device rules for responsible use. Do not contact your child on their school emails; all communications must come through the Primary Office and class teacher.
HOME STUDY
Each week your child will have Maths, English, (bilingual) French and/or Discovery Home Study. It will be given out on a Friday and should be completed and returned no later than Wednesday. Occasionally, additional extended home study may be sent home. Details of this will be included in the Home Study file and/or accessible through your child’s 1:1 device on OneNote.
TAPESTRY IN YEAR 3
All children up to Year 3 have been set up with an Online Learning Journal, called Tapestry. Here you can view observations of your child, photographs and videos of their learning achieved. Please check and sign the Tapestry consent forms.
PROGRESS MEETINGS AND SCHOOL REPORTS
You receive a school report for your child in Term 2 and in Term 3. The reports can be viewed and downloaded from MSP.
Online progress meetings are held in Term 1 (two evenings) and Term 2 (two evenings). Please consult the calendar for exact dates in advance, and more information with details on how to register and how to log in for your meeting will be sent to you closer to the dates.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
There is an extensive range of enrichment activities available before and after the school day, and during lunchtimes. If your Upper Primary child has a lunch enrichment activity (12.0012.30), it is strongly advised to bring lunch from home, but it is also possible to purchase lunch in the cafeteria after 12.30.
If you would like to receive more information on what activities are available, and how to register your children, please contact the enrichment office: sports@britishschool.be
MOBILE PHONES AND SMART WATCHES
All phones and smart watches must be handed into the Primary office at the beginning of the day, and the children collect them at 15.50. They will be stored securely for the duration of the school day.
Please also see our Respect Charter on MSP for more information.
britishschool-be.myschoolportal.co.uk/page/294
LOST PROPERTY
Please ensure all items of clothing as well as lunch/ snack boxes and water bottles are clearly labelled with your child’s full name. Named property is easily returned.
The lost property room is next to Brel theatre near the Music department. Valuable lost property (such as watches, jewelry and mobile phones) is held by the receptionist in Jacques Rogge Main Reception.
Please read the full information on MSP.
britishschool-be.myschoolportal.co.uk/page/317
CLASS PARENT
FoBSB has an extensive network of parent class representatives in both Primary and Secondary school. Class parents extend a warm welcome to new families, organise social activities for the parents in their classes, circulate FoBSB communications via class WhatsApp groups, and provide advice on non-curricular questions. Importantly, they also ensure that parents have a “voice” in school.
Please read the full information on MSP. britishschool-be.myschoolportal.co.uk/page/373
AFTER SCHOOL PROVISION
After school provision is available.
Please read the full information on My School Portal (MSP). britishschool-be.myschoolportal.co.uk/login
SCHOOL NURSE
A school nurse is available at school.
Please read the full information on MSP. britishschool-be.myschoolportal.co.uk/page/391
