Strengtheningskills,confidence,andindependencethrough meaningfullearning
Grades1-4
TheJuniorElementary Programme
OurLearning Philosophy
WhatDoesaTypical DayLookLike? LanguageLearningPathwaysto Multilingualism
WhatMattersMostin JuniorElementary?
Personalisation attheCore
Purposeful LearninginAction
OurCurriculum
VoicesFromOur Community
NextSteps
Together with students, we co-create short-term learning goals that guide progress over time As childrenmovethroughtheJuniorElementaryyears,theytakeongreaterownershipofthisprocess–reflectingmoredeeplyontheirlearning,settinggoalswithincreasingindependence,andresponding to ongoing teacher feedback. This continuous cycle of reflection, feedback, and goal-setting builds confidence,motivation,andastrongsenseofresponsibilityforlearning.
Throughout the year, Learning Conferences provide valuable opportunities to share this personalised journey with families. Teachers, students, and parents come together to discuss progress, celebrate growth, and plan next steps. These conversations strengthen the home-school partnership and ensure that each child’s learning is supported in a consistentandcollaborativeway.
Through this personalised approach, we ensure every learner is seen, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential We use Seesaw to document and share learning in action – capturing students’ progress, reflections, and next steps – while keeping families closely connected to their child’s development
Advancing literacy, numeracy, and socialemotional understanding through a balance of guided exploration and structured learning, with increasingly complex, ageappropriate challenges across Grades 1-4 that promote depth of thinking and skill mastery.
Purposefully building on Early Years foundations and progressively designed across Grades 1-4 to strengthen core skills, ensuring readiness for the increasing academic and social demands of upper elementarylearning
Students engage as active investigators, from hands-on exploration in the early grades to more structured inquiry in later years, deepening understanding through questioning,discovery,andthedevelopment of conceptual knowledge and flexible thinking
Instruction is differentiated and adaptive across Grades 1-4, using observation, assessment, and student voice to tailor learning pathways that extend each child’s interests, strengths, and areas for growth withincreasingindependence.
Learning experiences are deliberately designed to balance guided instruction and independent application, and are continuously refined through reflective practice, data-informed insights, and evidence-basedpedagogy
Strong foundations are secured and strengthened across Grades 1-4, developing confident, independent learners equipped with critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and personal well-being skills forfuturelearning.
Studentsdevelopfromearlyreading,writing, and phonics skills into confident, fluent communicators. Through structured literacy instruction, guided reading, and exploration of a range of genres, they strengthen comprehension, writing craft, and their abilitytoexpressideaswithclarityandvoice
Students build strong mathematical foundations,progressingfromnumbersense and pattern recognition to increasingly complex reasoning and problem-solving. They apply their understanding across number, geometry, measurement, and data, developing accuracy, flexibility, and confidence.
Students engage in outdoor learning and STEM experiences that promote curiosity, problem-solving,andreal-worldapplication. Through hands-on exploration, design challenges, and interaction with the natural environment, they develop resilience, collaboration, and an understanding of scientificandtechnologicalconcepts.
Students develop self-awareness, selfmanagement, and a sense of responsibility within a community. They learn to collaborate effectively, make thoughtful choices, and demonstrate empathy, integrity,andrespectintheirinteractions.
Through specialist-taught music, art, drama, and movement, students express ideas and emotions while developing creativity, confidence, and critical thinking Drama, in particular, supports communication, perspective-taking, and collaboration, while these experiences also contribute to the refinement of fine motor skills and aesthetic awareness.
Through integrated units of learning, students explore concepts across science, social studies, and the arts They ask questions, investigate ideas, analyse information, and communicate their understanding, while also engaging in community-based activities that allow themtosupportandconnectwithothers. These experiences foster curiosity, critical thinking, and a growing sense of social responsibility.
The curriculum is designed to provide children with a comprehensive and sequential set of content, understanding, and skill progressions across all subject areas Clear benchmarks at each grade level, closely aligned with leading curricula from around the world, guide instruction and ensure consistentdevelopment.
Teachers differentiate learning to support students who are working below the benchmark and extend opportunities for those ready to move beyond. The curriculum encompasses all traditional elements, including core literacies, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music, physical education, and drama, while also integrating progressive componentssuchasSTEM.
This balanced approach ensures that every child receivesawell-roundededucationthatfostersboth foundational knowledge and innovative thinking, preparingthemforsuccessinaglobalcontext.
While English is the primary language of instruction, ISB places great value on fostering multilingualismthroughFrenchandhome-languagelearning
InJuniorElementary,studentshavethreehoursofFrenchinstructionaweek, deliveredinthreelessons.Studentsaregroupedintogood-fitlearninglevels from Foundational to Advanced/Independent. The French programme follows the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) to ensure developmentally appropriate and internationally aligned progression.
ISB supports mother-tongue classes in Japanese,Dutch,Korean,Swedish, Hebrew,Mandarin,andSpanish,taughtonceaweekbyqualifiedteachers. These classes strengthen language skills, cultural identity, and pride in multilingualism, reflecting ISB’s belief that every language a child speaks is anessentialpartofwhotheyareandhowtheylearn.
“My child's teacher and learning support teacher listened to us parents,valuedourinput,andmost importantly, they demonstrated to have a good understanding of him andhisneeds.Ifeltoptimisticabout his educational journey and I look forwardtoit.”
-CurrentGrade2Parent
“Wefeelveryconfidentinhislearning programme and that he is seen first andforemostasanindividual,butalso for where he is in his learning journey and the next tangible steps to move forward.”
-CurrentGrade1Parent
As children progress from Grade 1 to Grade 4, we continuetohonourwhatfamiliesvaluemost:
A safe, welcoming community where childrenfeelseenandsupported.
A balance of structure and creativity thatfostersindependence.
A commitment to excellence through research-informedteaching.
A connected journey to the wider ISB pathway.
“We honour each child’s unique journey,usingdatatopersonalise learning that nurtures academic, social,andemotionalgrowth.Our goal is to support, challenge, and inspire every learner to reach theirfullpotentialwithconfidence andcuriosity.”
-Grade1 Learning SupportTeacher
At ISB, every child’s story begins with connection We invite you to meet our team, explore our learningspaces,andexperiencethepurposefulenergyofourJuniorElementaryGrade1toGrade 4atISB.
Ourteamisreadytoconnectwithyourfamilyandintroduceyouto ourJuniorElementaryProgramme.
SeeISBinAction:You’reinvitedtovisit,observe,andexperience ourvibrant,intentionallearningenvironment
StayinTouch: Callus:+3226614211 Email:admissions@isb.be
LearnMore:Visitourwebsiteatwww.isb.be
FollowOurJourney:
