The anticipation of new beginnings filled the air at The British School of Brussels as our newest families arrived for their very first taste of life at BSB this week. The annual New Families Welcome Day, held on Thursday 28 August, provided the latest members of our school community with essential information for the year ahead while also serving as an opportunity to meet staff, students and to make connections with other parents.
The day began in the Jacques Rogge Sports Hall, where around 125 families were greeted at registration desks by student and staff volunteers. True to the BSB spirit, the process was relaxed yet efficient, easing any anxieties of first-day nerves.
From there, families fanned out across campus, following their carefully planned (or happily improvised) routes through the many opportunities on offer. Some headed straight to the Brel Theatre, where Principal & CEO James Penstone and our Heads of School hosted a series of welcome talks. With three identical sessions staggered throughout the morning, everyone could find a slot in their own individual schedules to hear about BSB’s vision for the present and the future.
For many pupils, the day’s highlight came when they finally visited their new classrooms and tutor bases. Wide-eyed Year 1 pupils discovered the spaces where their learning journeys would truly begin, while older students met their Heads of Year – a friendly face and guide for the next part of their journey. These encounters were small but significant, helping new students to picture themselves as part of the school’s thriving life.
Practicalities were also smoothly woven into the morning. Families collected their all-important parent cards, while students from Year 1 to 11 picked up their PE kits – a rite of passage that brought its own sense of excitement. Information stands bustled with lively conversation, with helpful staff offering guidance on everything from the bus system to musical instrument lessons, school enrichment, health support and the ever-useful MySchoolPortal, our online hub for parents.
Meanwhile, parents enjoyed the chance to pause and connect at the Families of BSB café in the Swoosh Lounge, a calm, welcoming space created for chatting and swapping stories. And when queues threatened to grow too long, volunteers gently redirected visitors to the next welcome talk, the café, or the much-anticipated food trucks. By mid-morning, the forecourt outside main reception had transformed into a mini festival space, with families gathered around the vans selling Belgian frites and ice-cream.
For those stepping into Year 12, the day carried additional importance. Students headed to the school’s Mercator block, where they met the Post-16 team, exchanged GCSE results where needed, and – for some – sat assessments that marked the next leap in their academic careers. While an important part of the registration process, our faculty created a supportive, welcoming atmosphere that helped new students relax.
By the time midday drew near, visitors had ticked off checklists, met their teachers, shared laughter over cones of ice cream, and – most importantly – begun to feel like they belonged. As the families left the campus, many now felt the reality of their new beginning: a vibrant school journey within an inclusive international community.
As one parent remarked on the way out, “We arrived as strangers, but we’re leaving feeling like part of the school already.”
And truly, that summed up the spirit of our New Families Welcome 2025 event.
Interested in joining the BSB community? Please contact our Admissions team for more details.