ISF Tervuren International School vs Roots and Wings School

	I ISF Tervuren International School Brussels, Belgium	R Roots and Wings School Brussels, Belgium
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €14,020 - 20,820	Fees / year €12,300 - 14,500
Age range	Age range 2 - 11 years	Age range 2 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IEYC (International Early Years Curriculum), IPC (International Primary Curriculum), British Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, Reggio Emilia Approach
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size 18	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, French
Opened	Opened —	Opened 2009
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Stationsstraat 3, 3080 Tervuren, Belgium. Located in the quiet, international village of Vossem in the commune of Tervuren, ISF Tervuren is approximately 15 minutes from Brussels.	Location The school is located in Brussels, Belgium, in the Woluwe-Saint-Lambert area at Avenue Jacques Brel 30, 1200 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert. It has recently moved to a green setting near the woods of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, with daily outdoor surroundings described as welcoming for learning. The woods provide a natural environment for daily activities.
Stages	Stages Early Years and Primary School. Early Years serve children aged 2.5–4 (Pre-School and Pre-Primary) and Primary School comprises Years 1–6 for ages 5–11.	Stages Preschool; Primary; Secondary
School type	School type International School of Flanders (ISF) Tervuren is an English-speaking international school and is part of the ISF group, with campuses including ISF Waterloo.	School type international school
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support EAL (English as an Additional Language) support is provided; EAL and French classrooms are located in Dotremont House.	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Belgium	Country affiliation —
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure School hours: Primary 8:55–15:30; Early Years 8:55–12:30 (mornings) or 8:55–15:30 (full day). Pre-School finishes at 12:30 on Wednesdays. Breaks: 10:30–11:00; Lunch: 12:30–13:30. Before/After School Care: 7:45–8:45; 15:30–17:30; Wednesdays clubs 12:30–17:30. Lunch is nut-free.	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details Bus service is available with morning and afternoon door-to-door pickup for an extra annual fee; tariffs: under 7 km €3,300; 7–15 km €3,500; 15–25 km €4,000. Routes cover Tervuren, Wezembeek-Oppem, Kraainem, Woluwe-St-Pierre and Sterrebeek.	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application & one‑time fees - Registration fee (first child): EUR 750 (one‑time, non‑refundable). - Registration fee (each subsequent child): EUR 250 (one‑time, non‑refundable). - School Development Fund (per family): EUR 1,000 (one‑time, non‑refundable). Annual tuition — personal (private) tariff (year groups and per‑term breakdown) - Pre‑School (Early Years): EUR 14,020 per year. - Per‑term schedule (50% / 25% / 25%): Term 1: EUR 7,010; Term 2: EUR 3,505; Term 3: EUR 3,505. (Per‑term figures are calculated from the annual fee using the school's published three‑instalment billing split.) - Pre‑Primary to Year 2: EUR 19,430 per year. - Per‑term schedule (50% / 25% / 25%): Term 1: EUR 9,715; Term 2: EUR 4,857.50; Term 3: EUR 4,857.50. (Per‑term figures calculated as above.) - Year 3 to Year 6: EUR 20,820 per year. - Per‑term schedule (50% / 25% / 25%): Term 1: EUR 10,410; Term 2: EUR 5,205; Term 3: EUR 5,205. (Per‑term figures calculated as above.) Annual tuition — professional (employer‑sponsored) tariff (year groups and per‑term breakdown) - Pre‑School (employer): EUR 19,740 per year. - Per‑term schedule (50% / 25% / 25%): Term 1: EUR 9,870; Term 2: EUR 4,935; Term 3: EUR 4,935. - Pre‑Primary to Year 2 (employer): EUR 27,900 per year. - Per‑term schedule (50% / 25% / 25%): Term 1: EUR 13,950; Term 2: EUR 6,975; Term 3: EUR 6,975. - Year 3 to Year 6 (employer): EUR 29,455 per year. - Per‑term schedule (50% / 25% / 25%): Term 1: EUR 14,727.50; Term 2: EUR 7,363.75; Term 3: EUR 7,363.75. Billing schedule and payment terms - Standard billing uses three instalments: 50% due on the first invoicing date, then two instalments of 25% each due on the two subsequent invoicing dates. Example dates and instalment pattern are published as 50% then 25% and 25% across the school year; invoices are issued in EUR. Invoices and the school's three‑instalment structure are used to calculate per‑term amounts. - Invoices are payable in EURO; bank charges are the payer's responsibility. The school publishes bank transfer details (ING, with IBAN and BIC shown on fee invoices). A charge for late payment applies and school reports may be withheld until all fees are settled. - Late enrolments are charged on a pro‑rata basis; the school publishes pro‑rated fee examples for starters after the academic year begins. Early withdrawal can affect the total charge for the year (the school's published terms specify reductions depending on withdrawal date). Sibling discount - Families paying the full personal (private) tariff receive a 10% reduction on the second child and any subsequent child. Transport (school bus) fees - School bus is charged separately as an annual tariff based on distance (daily round‑trip service during term time). Typical published annual tariffs are: - Under 7 km: EUR 3,300 per passenger per year. - 7–15 km: EUR 3,500 per passenger per year. - 15–25 km: EUR 4,000 per passenger per year. - The tariff distance is measured by the fastest route and one‑way contracts are offered at a reduced rate (published reduction: 10% off the annual tariff for one‑way service). Bus service is optional and billed in addition to annual tuition. Boarding - No boarding provision: the school is a day school (daycare, preschool and primary provision for ages from early years through Year 6). Boarding fees are not applicable. Other costs and what is / is not included - Items explicitly included in the annual tuition: all classroom supplies and educational materials, school day trips to museums/zoos/educational sites, one school T‑shirt, and school photographs. - Items explicitly not included in the annual tuition and charged separately where applicable: school bus service, annual overnight (residential) school trip, occupational therapy, before and after school care (garderie), and most clubs and extracurricular activities. Before and after school care is available at additional cost with a separate fee structure. - Dress code and uniform: there is no compulsory school uniform; the school issues an ISF Tervuren T‑shirt for sports and additional ISF clothing items (polo shirts, sweaters) can be purchased from the school office at additional cost. Refunds and withdrawal adjustments - Registration fee and School Development Fund payments are non‑refundable. - Withdrawal during the school year may result in a reduction of the full year's fees according to published withdrawal terms; the school's published examples show a graduated reduction if withdrawal occurs before a cutoff date and no reduction after later cutoff dates. Specific reduction percentages and deadlines are published in the school's fees and general conditions. Fee payment options and practical notes - Payment method shown on invoices: bank transfer in EUR (school bank account details, including IBAN and BIC, are provided on invoices). Bank charges are the payer's responsibility. A late‑payment charge can be applied and outstanding fees may affect release of school records. Summary of the main figures (annual) - Registration fee (first child): EUR 750. - School Development Fund (per family): EUR 1,000. - Tuition (personal tariff): Pre‑School EUR 14,020; Pre‑Primary–Year 2 EUR 19,430; Year 3–6 EUR 20,820. - Bus tariffs (typical annual ranges): EUR 3,300–EUR 4,000 depending on distance. (Where instalment amounts are shown above, they were calculated from the published annual tuition totals using the school's published three‑instalment billing split of 50% / 25% / 25%.)	Fee details Application fees - There is no registration fee. Tuition fees by year group (annual, per-term and per-month breakdown) - Preschool — EUR 12,300 per year. - Per term (calculated by dividing the annual fee equally across three terms): EUR 4,100.00 per term. (Calculation is an arithmetic division of the published annual fee and the school's stated option to bill “each term”.) - Per month (if billed monthly over 12 months): EUR 1,025.00 per month. (Monthly amount is an arithmetic division of the published annual fee.) - Reception & Primary — EUR 14,500 per year. - Per term (calculated by dividing the annual fee equally across three terms): EUR 4,833.33 per term. (Calculation is an arithmetic division of the published annual fee and the school's stated option to bill “each term”.) - Per month (if billed monthly over 12 months): EUR 1,208.33 per month. (Monthly amount is an arithmetic division of the published annual fee.) - Secondary — EUR 14,500 per year. - Per term (calculated by dividing the annual fee equally across three terms): EUR 4,833.33 per term. (Calculation is an arithmetic division of the published annual fee and the school's stated option to bill “each term”.) - Per month (if billed monthly over 12 months): EUR 1,208.33 per month. (Monthly amount is an arithmetic division of the published annual fee.) What the annual fee covers - The yearly fee includes all the school material needed throughout the entire year. Billing schedule and payment terms - Billing frequency options: the school accepts payment each term or on a monthly basis. (Specific term dates, the number of terms used for billing, and exact monthly billing schedule are not specified in the published fee summary; the per-term and per-month figures above are arithmetic divisions of the annual amounts to match the school's stated payment-frequency options.) Boarding fees - Boarding is not applicable. The school operates as a day school with stated daily hours for preschool, primary and secondary. Other costs or fees (uniforms, after-school care, extracurriculars, etc.) - School materials: included in the yearly fee. - After-school garderie: an after-school garderie runs every day from 15:00 to 17:00; the cost of the garderie depends on frequency of attendance (no fixed rate published in the fee summary). - Uniforms / uniform fees: no uniform fee or mandatory uniform is listed in the published fee summary. Refund information - No refund terms or a published refund policy appear in the fee summary; no specific refund amounts or conditions are provided in the published yearly-fees material. Fee payment options (methods) - The published information confirms the school accepts payment by term or by monthly instalments; specific payment methods (credit card, direct debit, bank transfer, etc.) are not specified in the published fee summary.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement No compulsory school uniform. An ISF Tervuren t-shirt is provided for sports lessons; parents supply additional clothing. Polo-shirts and long-sleeve sweaters can be purchased from the office.	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options The school promotes healthy eating. Students bring a snack for mid-morning break and lunch; lunches are eaten in the lunchroom. There is a no-nut policy.	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership ISF Tervuren is governed by a Board of Directors as a Belgian not-for-profit association. The Board handles legal and financial probity, long-term strategic planning, and policy setting, including recruitment and evaluation of the Executive Head. The Advisory Board supports the Board in decision-making and includes representatives from the ISF community.	Governance and ownership Founded by Soraya Yavari.
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details —	Curriculum details Roots and Wings uses a project-based curriculum across preschool, primary and secondary education. Preschool offers a full-time program for 2.5 to 5 year olds with 2 teachers for up to 12 children and emphasizes social skills, emotional awareness, imagination, self-directed learning, and play-based activities such as yoga, gardening, cooking, and storytelling. Primary education uses an integrated project-based approach where learning comes to life through self-organised learning environment (SOLE) sessions; themes combine maths, sciences, language skills, and arts, with the outdoors used as a second classroom in a wooded park setting to support mindfulness and practical understanding. Secondary education provides full coverage of the British Curriculum preparing students for IGCSEs and A-Levels, with co-creation of an individualized academic journey and a focus on collaboration, inclusiveness, innovation, creativity, resilience and curiosity. The outdoors continues to serve as a learning context.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio Preschool class size is up to 12 children with 2 teachers.
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression The school provides full coverage of the British Curriculum preparing students for IGCSEs and A-Levels.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning The school promotes social skills. It models emotional awareness and expression. It supports self-directed learning and independent thinking. It promotes respect for self, for others and for nature. It fosters mindfulness and emotional regulation through play and project-based learning.
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing Mindfulness is emphasized in students, with the ability to focus, be present, and manage frustration and intense emotions. The approach fosters greater self-reliance and independent thinking. Outdoor learning in a wooded park supports brain development and emotional balance. The school values collaboration, empathy, and a growth mindset as part of well-being. Emotional awareness and expression are integral to daily learning and relationships.
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview Roots and Wings School is a small international school in Brussels, Belgium that opened in 2009. It offers preschool, primary and secondary education. The school uses a project-based approach aimed at unfolding of each child's full potential. Its setting is in the middle of a wooded park, with the outdoors used as a second classroom.
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities Preschool weekly activities include free and spontaneous play, cooking, gardening, nature walks, yoga, storytelling, songs and games, experiments and creative arts. These activities are non-academic in nature yet crucial for building a strong foundation for future academic and life success, and they support self-directed learning. Parents actively participate in their child's educational journey in preschool, and once a month they share a passion or talent with the class.
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History ISF Trust was legally established in 1998 as ISF Educational Trust vzw and took on its present name in May 2012. Its objectives are to provide teaching and care for children of all nationalities, with English as the main teaching language, and to support institutions following internationally recognized curricula. The Trustees engage in operations to promote the Trust's purpose, including reinvestment to fund scholarships and grants to support education. ISF Tervuren has served expatriate families in the Tervuren area for over 40 years.	History Roots and Wings School was founded by Soraya Yavari, a Canadian-trained child psychotherapist and play therapist, who established the school to provide individualized education in small groups in Brussels. Roots and Wings preschool opened its doors in 2009, and strong parental interest led to the creation of a primary and a secondary section. The school identifies each student's learning style and adapts teaching accordingly. A project- and theme-based approach provides a meaningful context for learning. The team is multinational, and Soraya's 20 years of experience help create a welcoming atmosphere for Brussels' international community.
Community	Community ISF Tervuren is located in the village of Vossem, Tervuren, about 15 minutes from Brussels. The campus comprises Dotremont House (Years 1–6 and resource rooms), Frantzen House (gym, music room) and Van Dyck Villa (Early Years), with Boch House housing the Daycare; the grounds include green spaces, a Wild Life Garden, a pond, a vegetable garden and an outdoor classroom. English, French and Dutch are offered, and ISF Tervuren is a Google for Education School with staff who are Google Certified. Friends of ISF coordinates activities and provides a welcoming community, with regular coffee mornings with the Head of School to help new families settle in.	Community Roots and Wings School serves an international community in Brussels and is a small international school with a multinational team. The founder and team are dedicated to an individualized, collaborative learning approach that supports students from preschool through secondary education. The atmosphere is welcoming to Brussels' international community and fosters cultural diversity through a project- and theme-based learning approach.
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association Friends of ISF is ISF Tervuren's parent-teacher association. Joining helps you meet other families, build a supportive network and engage with the school community. Regular coffee mornings with the Head of School are held for informal contact, and new parents are paired with a support family. The Friends of ISF are active and arrange a wide variety of activities for the children; parents can participate or volunteer for events. To get involved with the PTA, contact Friends of ISF.	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual Project-based learning brings learning to life through integrated themes that cover maths, sciences, language skills and the arts. Students and teachers co-create learning experiences in self-organised learning environment (SOLE) sessions, ensuring learning is relevant and meaningful. Learning areas are connected across subjects so that themes link academic disciplines with real-world ideas. The outdoors serves as a second classroom, providing hands-on, experiential learning that supports focus, independence and thoughtful problem solving.
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative Creativity is woven into everyday learning. In Preschool, weekly activities include creative arts, music, storytelling, acting and circus-inspired movement, along with yoga and outdoor exploration. These expressive activities are integrated with other learning through hands-on experiences such as crafts, songs and performances. In Primary, artistic learning is embedded across themes alongside maths, sciences, language skills and arts as part of an integrated approach. In Secondary, Creative Arts is a dedicated core subject alongside Language Arts, Maths, Sciences and Humanities.
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language Preschool features storytelling and songs as part of weekly activities, with acting and singing enriching language development. Language Arts are a core part of the Secondary program within the British Curriculum, which prepares students for IGCSEs and A-Levels. Through the project-based approach, language and other subjects are learned in meaningful contexts, integrating language skills across themes. The school's structure supports language development across age groups, from storytelling and songs in early years to formal language arts in secondary.
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies Social skills are cultivated through free play, group work and emotional awareness in the early years, with the Educational Approach emphasising self-expression, imagination and respect for self, others and nature. Parents participate in class monthly by sharing a talent, enriching the learning environment. The school encourages self-directed learning and collaboration within teams, strengthening social and cooperative competencies. Mindfulness, patience and the ability to stay focused are fostered through routines and outdoor activities.
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing Outdoor learning is central, with the outdoors treated as a second classroom and frequent nature-based activities such as nature walks, outdoor games, gardening and yoga. Mindfulness, focus and emotional regulation are supported by routines that promote patience and independence. Yoga and physical education are integrated into the program, contributing to both physical and mental wellbeing. The emphasis on outdoor time is linked to brain development and overall wellbeing.
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision English, French and Dutch are taught at ISF Tervuren. In Early Years, Pre-School offers lessons in English, French and Dutch, promoting bilingual development from an early age. In Primary School, French and Dutch are delivered as specialist language programmes alongside English instruction. English is the main language of instruction at the school.	Language provision The school offers the British Curriculum for secondary education, preparing students for IGCSEs and A-Levels.
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching The school offers English, French and Dutch. In Pre-School (Early Years), lessons are provided in English, French and Dutch, exposing children to bilingual development from an early age. In Primary School, French and Dutch are delivered as specialist language programmes by language specialists. English is the main language of instruction.	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions —	Admissions —
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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