PRIMARY LOWER PRIMARY

Lower Primary at The British School of Brussels A GUI DE F O R PARE N T S

Lower Primary at BSB When your child joins the Lower Primary years at The British School of Brussels (BSB), they will experience learning as an adventure. Every day is designed to encourage curiosity, creativity, and a sense of discovery. Children are guided to share ideas, ask questions, and build confidence in themselves and their abilities. We aim to make this the most welcoming and joyful start to school, nurturing independence, imagination, and a genuine love of learning.

Our Lower Primary welcomes children aged 5 to 7. We blend play, inquiry, and strong academic foundations. Building on the early years’ focus on exploration, your child will begin their journey through the English National Curriculum in ways that are natural and engaging. Our teachers are experienced in understanding both childhood and learning. The classrooms are bright and welcoming, and small class sizes mean that every child is known and supported as an individual.

Each class is led by a teacher and a skilled learning assistant, offering challenge and care in equal measure. This allows every child to thrive.

From day one, children at BSB are encouraged to develop skills in reading, writing, and maths, but more than that, we nurture a love of learning.

Specialist lessons in languages, PE, and music broaden your child’s world, while forest and outdoor sessions create opportunities for curiosity and a real connection with nature. Every day is thoughtfully structured, balancing focused activities, play, and time to wonder. This helps children grow in confidence, independence, and imagination, and prepares them well for upper primary.

The school day: calm, warm, purposeful We want every child to feel comfortable as soon as they enter school. Our day is organised to be calm, welcoming, and well structured. Younger children come straight into their classrooms from 08:35 (Kindergarten) or 08:40 (Reception, Year 1, and Year 2). Teachers are ready to greet your child by name, help them settle in, and start them off with gentle, purposeful activities. Registration is at 08:45 or 08:55, so learning starts quickly but without rush.

Kindergarten children finish their day at 14:00, which gives them a full morning of learning while ensuring they don’t get too tired. Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 finish at 15:50, like older primary children. On Wednesdays, all Lower Primary children finish at 12:00. This shorter midweek day provides time for rest, appointments, or family activities.

What your child needs each day Every child receives a BSB book bag with a home/school diary and other essentials.

This helps you stay in touch with what’s happening in school and communicate easily with teachers. A full hot meal is served at lunchtime, and we provide a PE kit, so there’s one less thing for you to organise each day.

In our Lower Primary classrooms, children are comfortable, well equipped, and ready to move between learning indoors and outdoors. We ask families to provide: • A healthy, nut-free snack and a named water bottle each day.

• Comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing, plus labelled waterproof clothing and wellington boots for frequent outdoor and forest learning.

• Any personal items that support your child’s routine, agreed with the teacher.

A connected, modern learning environment Technology is used in a controlled and age-appropriate way in class. In early years and Years 1–2, children share iPads to access educational apps supporting phonics, early maths, and language. These apps are used briefly and purposefully, always to enhance, not replace, hands-on learning.

Each classroom also has an interactive whiteboard and full WiFi. Teachers use these tools to bring lessons to life with images, video, and activities. Your child will experience technology as a tool for thinking and creating, while spending most of their time exploring, talking, playing, and working with real materials.

We put social, emotional, and personal development at the heart of Lower Primary.

Curriculum Lower Primary learning at BSB: a strong, joyful start Our approach in Lower Primary combines high academic expectations, a warm and nurturing atmosphere, and a curriculum that reflects how young children learn best.

For children aged 1 to 7, we use a British-based curriculum with an international outlook. It combines play-based and inquiry-led learning, underpinned by leading research in child development. In practice, this means your child will: • Talk, explore, and make sense of ideas through play.

• Work in small groups with a teacher on early reading, writing, and maths.

• Move confidently between indoor classrooms and high-quality outdoor spaces.

We intentionally build on the early years’ strong foundations. Like many successful systems internationally, we treat Lower Primary as an extension of the foundation stage. There is a rich, playbased environment as well as the expectations of the English National Curriculum, so your child is well prepared for upper primary and receives provision that matches their age and stage.

How learning is structured You will not see children simply sitting in rows at BSB. Learning is structured around the UNESCO pillars of education: learning to know, to do, to live together, and to become. This means: • Classrooms where contribution, diversity, and international-mindedness are visible and valued.

• Children taking an active role in their learning, asking questions, and making choices.

• A balance between structured teaching and playful exploration, especially in maths, where handson investigation supports understanding.

Our teachers plan carefully so every child experiences strong academic content and also develops curiosity, collaboration, and resilience. Many parents comment on how purposeful and engaged the children seem, even at a very young age.

What children learn: subjects and priorities We focus on building strong foundations while making learning exciting and meaningful. Core priorities include: • English and early literacy, with a strong focus on reading, writing, and communication.

• Mathematics, using the White Rose Maths mastery approach so that understanding is secure rather than rushed.

• Critical and creative thinking, fostered through open-ended questions, discussion, and problemsolving.

From the beginning, your child will also benefit from specialist teaching in: • French and Dutch (as appropriate to age and language pathway) • Physical education (PE) • Music • Outdoor learning This specialist input ensures that even the youngest pupils are taught with real expertise and encounter a rich variety of experiences weekly.

We put social, emotional, and personal development at the heart of Lower Primary. Programmes such as SEAL (social and emotional aspects of learning) and a whole-school focus on wellbeing help children learn to manage feelings, build friendships, and develop confidence. Developing resilience and independence is just as important to us as a student’s academic success.

Inquiry-based projects and cross-curricular themes run through the year. These help children connect ideas across subjects and see the bigger picture, building confidence, independence, and a lifelong enthusiasm for learning.

Key stage 1: building secure foundations Key stage 1 at BSB covers Years 1 and 2 (ages 5 to 7). In this phase, play and discovery gradually give way to more structured learning, without losing the joy and curiosity of the early years.

Children follow the English National Curriculum, which includes: • Daily lessons in literacy and mathematics • Topic-based work that weaves in science, history, geography, art, design technology, music, computing, and PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) From key stage 1 onwards, all students are taught by subject specialists for French, Dutch, PE, music, and outdoor learning. If your child is interested and with the right aptitude, there is also the option of a bilingual English–French class in each year group.

The key aims in key stage 1 are to: • Build strong foundations in reading, writing, and maths • Develop your child socially, emotionally, and academically • Encourage children to ask questions, persevere with challenges, and work well with others During this stage, you will see your child reading in small groups, writing for real purposes, using practical equipment to solve maths problems, and learning to share ideas, listen carefully, and show resilience. By the end of key stage 1, they will be ready to step confidently into upper primary.

Units of discovery: learning that feels joined up A distinctive feature of primary at BSB is our “unit of discovery” structure, running from lower to upper primary. These units make learning feel connected and meaningful, rather than just a series of separate subjects.

In lower primary, units of discovery emphasise: • Play • Curiosity • Early research skills • Confidence in speaking, listening, reading, early writing, and early maths, all in meaningful contexts As children move into upper primary, the same model allows them to go deeper, try more independent research, and tackle more complex content, building on the foundations laid early on.

What are units of discovery?

Each unit of discovery is built around a central theme or “big idea” (such as beauty, change, or endeavour) and a guiding inquiry question. Over several weeks, children revisit this big idea through various activities, stories, and experiences.

Within one unit, teachers plan age-appropriate learning that covers the necessary elements of the English National Curriculum in subjects like science, history, geography, design technology, and art, with English and PSHE woven in where possible. For your child, this means topics feel coherent and memorable; for you, it means key curriculum content is thoroughly covered in a way that makes sense to young learners.

How this looks in lower primary In early years and lower primary, these units of discovery feel playful and exploratory. You might see: • Children acting out a story linked to the unit theme • Small groups investigating materials, colours, or animals • Trips outdoors or into the local area to collect real-world experiences • Role play areas transformed into a shop, a jungle, or a story setting A unit might centre on questions about animals, colour, or familiar stories.

Children investigate, create, problem-solve, and share their findings, while teachers ensure age-appropriate curriculum goals are met.

Skills and habits children develop Units of discovery help your child develop important learning habits. They are encouraged to: • Ask questions and be curious • Investigate and test ideas • Talk about their thinking and listen to others • Reflect on what they have learned Because ideas are revisited in different contexts, children start to make links between subjects, recognise patterns, and think both creatively and analytically. This understanding allows them to talk more thoughtfully about the world, and they can explain what they are learning in their own words.

How subjects fit together Although learning is organised into broad units, we also plan explicit teaching of subject-specific skills and knowledge. For example: • In science, children learn to “work scientifically” by observing, predicting, and recording • In history and geography, they meet key concepts and vocabulary in age-appropriate ways English texts, trips, and special events are chosen to connect with each unit theme wherever possible. This repeated exposure from different angles strengthens understanding and makes learning more engaging.

English: building confident, joyful readers and writers If you visit a lower primary English lesson at BSB, you’ll see that high-quality children’s literature is central, and that reading and writing are both valued and enjoyable.

English learning is built around books and is designed to be engaging and joyful. A “whole book” approach means that carefully chosen picture books and early chapter books are at the heart of classroom life and language development. Children read, listen to, talk about, and write around these texts, building a deep love of stories and language.

Throughout lower primary, English is reinforced through interactive and playful activities that build:

Learning to read is given the attention it deserves as a crucial life skill. Children learn the relationship between sounds and letters (phonics) using a structured scheme called Letters and Sounds. This approach, combined with immersion in books students love, is shown by research to be highly effective in developing early reading skills, and is exactly what we use at BSB.

Lessons emphasise oral language, writing, and comprehension as foundations for all other subjects. Children learn from several specialist teachers in a supportive setting, and we monitor progress closely to make sure each child moves at the right pace.

• Vocabulary • Comprehension • Confidence in speaking and listening

For your family, this means your child can develop strong English skills in a context that is multilingual and inclusive, with support tailored to different starting points.

Additional language support (EAL)

Bilingual learning in lower primary

If your child is new to English or needs extra help, we provide English as an additional language (EAL) support promptly. There’s no waiting for problems to build up before we help.

If you are interested in a bilingual pathway, BSB offers a structured bilingual programme.

Admission is not automatic for all students; we discuss suitability with you to make sure the pathway is right for your child.

EAL is usually delivered through small groups or in-class support, focusing on: • Pre-teaching and reinforcing key vocabulary • Building everyday social language • Supporting understanding in core subjects Our aim is to help your child build enough English fluency, quickly and kindly, to access the full curriculum. If needed, extra immersion in English is provided before other languages such as Dutch are introduced. This means children gain confidence in English while still feeling valued for the languages they bring from home.

There is one bilingual class per year group from Year 1 to Year 6. In these classes: • Teaching is split about 50/50 between English and French • Children are taught by native speakers in both languages • Students follow the full BSB curriculum in both English and French, rather than repeating content All lower primary children learn French, either in bilingual classes or through specialist French lessons. Dutch is introduced from around age seven in upper primary for those not receiving intensive EAL support.

This offers your family real flexibility: your child can follow an English-led route with strong extra languages or a balanced bilingual programme that opens doors to different education systems later on.

Maths: mastery, confidence and enjoyment In lower primary, our maths curriculum is designed to help your child genuinely understand what they are doing and feel confident with numbers, rather than just memorising procedures.

We follow a mastery-based approach using the White Rose Maths scheme. In the early years and key stage 1, this is enriched with lots of playful, investigative activities. For example, your child might: • Use real objects and equipment to explore number and shape • Work in pairs to solve practical problems • Explain their thinking in simple, ageappropriate language

Core areas include number, calculation, shape, space, and measures. Until Year 5, all children are taught maths together as a class, which research suggests helps everyone achieve more and builds self-belief. Teachers check progress closely to ensure children who need more support or challenge receive it.

This approach helps your child develop a secure understanding and a positive attitude towards maths from the very beginning.

Enrichment: discovering interests and talents Learning at BSB goes far beyond the classroom. There are many opportunities for your child to try new activities, build confidence, and discover what they enjoy.

We use the word “enrichment” to describe all the fun clubs, sports, music ensembles and lessons, trips, and extra activities that happen alongside regular lessons. In lower primary, we introduce children gently to a selection of these activities, so they can explore new interests without being overwhelmed.

As your child moves up, they’ll have more chances to try different clubs and activities, building on their experiences and finding out what they enjoy most.

Clubs and activities in lower primary Lower primary children benefit from a timetable of lunchtime clubs, chosen each half term so that every child can try different things during the year. Recent examples for younger pupils have included: • Story club • Drama • Origami and simple sewing • Mindfulness and yoga • Creative art and craft • Early sports and beginner music such as recorder These clubs are relaxed and fun. At the same time, they help children develop social skills, independence, and the confidence to try something new.

Sport and physical activity BSB has extensive sports facilities, including sports pitches, a swimming pool, and a gymnasium, all of which are used from the early years onwards. Age-appropriate sports clubs such as tennis, swimming, and tag rugby run alongside more general activity clubs.

In lower primary, the focus is on: • Enjoyment • Teamwork • Basic movement and coordination skills We introduce competition gently, helping children build a positive relationship with sport and physical activity.

Music: confidence through creativity Music is an important part of life in lower primary at BSB. From Kindergarten to Year 2, children have regular specialist-led music lessons where they: • Sing • Keep a steady beat • Explore tuned and untuned percussion • Begin to work with simple musical notation, following the English National Curriculum Music is part of a broader creative curriculum and connects to classroom themes when appropriate. Singing assemblies and informal performances give even the youngest children the chance to perform with others, building confidence on stage in a supportive setting.

These musical experiences are linked to increased self-assurance in children, whether or not they choose to focus on an instrument later.

Trips: bringing learning to life Short, local trips are a regular feature of lower primary at BSB. These visits are designed to enhance classroom learning through real-world, hands-on experiences that link with units of discovery in subjects like science and history.

For younger children, typical outings include: • Visits to wildlife parks and farms to observe animals and explore nature • Trips to toy museums to connect with history and creativity • Visits to open-air museums where children can experience historical settings first-hand All costs for primary trips, including those in lower primary, are covered by school fees so that every child can take part. These trips are kept brief and within Brussels or the immediate area, which suits younger learners and supports social development and environmental awareness.

Computer science: technology as a tool, not a toy In lower primary, computer science is introduced in ways that feel natural and enjoyable. It sits within our broader science and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) curriculum. You are as likely to see children moving physical robots on the floor as you are to find them using screens.

Learning is organised into six-week units, often linked to the units of discovery, so that computing skills support real work in other subjects. Your child will: • Be introduced to simple coding and algorithms through guided, playful activities • Be encouraged to design and create age-appropriate digital artefacts such as simple animations, games, or multimedia presentations • Be taught basic skills such as using presentation, drawing, or publishing tools to record and share their learning From the beginning, we teach e-safety and digital responsibility, closely linked to PSHE. Children learn about: • Safe searching • Respectful online behaviour • Careful use of images and information Practical activities may include controlling robots, moving objects on screen, collecting and displaying data, or creating a “talking book.” Our message is clear: technology is a tool for thinking, creating, and communicating, rather than an end in itself.

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