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Glossary

Organization of the European schools

Board of Governors
A great deal of useful, and at times very detailed, information on the European School system can be found on the Board of Governors’ website: www.eursc.org
For educational questions, finance, and administration the Board of Governors is the final decision-making body. The Board of Governors meets three times a year: in October for general business, in January for educational matters (enlarged committee), in April for budget and financial issues. Each member has one vote. Decisions are usually taken unanimously.

Composition:
Members who can vote:

  • A representatives of each Member State (one vote per delegation)
  • A representative of the European Commission
  • A representative of the European Patent Office (Munich).

The following representatives can participate but not vote:

  • The representative of the Board of Governors and his deputy.
  • The Heads of the European Schools.
  • Two parents.
  • Two teachers.

At the January meeting the european schools inspectors, two parents representatives of each Association, and two teachers representatives of each school may also attend.
Teaching: The Board of Governors decides on the orientation and organisation of teaching (curricula, timetable, general instructions for choosing methods, exam regulations, etc.).
Finances: The Board of Governors decides on the budget of the schools, which is proposed by each school administrative board. It also grants discharges to the administrative boards after the annual closing of the accounts.

Secretary General of the Board of Governors
Between sessions of the Board of Governors, the Secretary General (also called the representative of the Board of Governors) represents it, and chairs meetings of the administrative board of each European School.

Enrolment policy: highlights
Duties of the Central Enrolment Authority created end of 2006:

  • To draw up and publish a clear enrolment policy each year.
  • To ensure a balanced distribution of pupils between the Brussels schools in global terms and between the language sections and to ensure the optimal use of the resources of the schools with a view to serving pupils’ needs and ensuring pedagogical continuity.
  • To perform a constant monitoring of the evolution of pupil populations in the various language sections and schools.

The Authority shall meet again each year as often as it sees fit during the period from 1st March to the end of the school year in order to monitor the on-going administration of the enrolment procedure in the schools on the basis of the evolving predictions of numbers in classes for the following school year.

Composition:

  • The Secretary General of the European Schools (President)
  • A representative of the European Commission (representing EU institutions).
  • The Directors of the European Schools of Brussels.
  • A representative of parents.
  • A representative of the authorities of the host country.

Preparatory committees:
Matters for discussion and decision by the Board of Governors are first studied by preparatory committees: the Administration and Financial Committee (CAF) and the Teaching Committees.

Administrative and financial committee:
This committee of experts has a similar composition to the Financial Committee of the Council of Ministers. Its responsibility is to examine the financial implications of council decisions and the budgets of the individual schools. This committee meets several times a year.

Board of Inspectors:
There are two Boards of Inspectors, one for the Kindergarten (Maternelle) and Primary, and the other for Secondary. They are made up of the national inspectors. These inspectors, who also have responsibilities to their own national governments, visit classes, give instructions to the Head (Director) of each school and to the teachers, and submit proposals for curricula and teaching methods to the Board of Governors.
Pedagogical committee:
These meet twice a year to prepare proposals which have to be approved by the Board of Governors. Only the inspectors can vote on these proposals. There is a Teaching Committee for Primary, and one for Secondary, which together form the Joint Teaching Committee.

Composition:

  • The inspectors (one for each Member State for Primary and/or Secondary).
  • The representative of the Board of Governors and his deputy.
  • The representative of the European Commission.
  • The Heads (Directors) of the schools and their deputies.
  • Two representatives of the Primary and/or Secondary teachers.
  • Two representatives of the parents for Primary and/or Secondary

Interparents:
The representatives of the parents’ associations of all European Schools meet before each meeting of the Teaching Committee and the Board of Governors to coordinate their work, to exchange information, and to prepare common proposals to the Board of Governors. Delegates of each parents’ association represents Interparents in the meetings of the Teaching Committees.

The Representatives of the teachers:
The national Ministries of Education appoint full-time teachers at the schools. Part-time teachers – “chargés de cours” – are locally hired by the Director. Each year the teachers elect their representatives who will participate in meetings of the Board of Governors and Committees.

Traditionally, a number of terms commonly used in the school are in French and are widely used by speakers of all languages. These French terms are in italics below.

APEEE: The Parents’ Association (from the initials in French)

A-mark: From the 4th year secondary onwards, the teacher for each subject bases this mark on a student’s attitude in class and on his/her homework. It should not simply reflect “A” test marks.

Activités périscolaires: Extra-curricular activities organised by the Parents’ Association, both cultural (activités périscolaires culturelles) and sporting (activités périscolaires sportives).

Assemblée générale: the Annual General Meeting of the Parents’ Association.

B-mark: From the 4th year Secondary onwards, this reflects the results of “B” tests which are held twice a term in each subject (see B Test below). From 5th secondary, the B-mark for the main subjects is based on the results of an exam which is held at the end of each term.

B Test: From 4th year Secondary, two tests per term determine the B-mark. (But see B-mark, above.). Absence needs to be justified by a medical certificate.

Bac – Baccalauréat Européen: See European Baccalaureate.

Board of Governors: Term sometimes used for the elected committee that administers the Parents’ Association (usually just referred to as the “Board”, Conseil d’Administration de l’APEEE in French), but normally used to refer to the Board of Governors (Conseil Supérieur) of the European Schools, which has overall responsibility for all the schools in the system.

CEA – Central Enrolment Authority: Created by the Board of Governors in order to draw up and publish a clear enrolment policy each year.

Chargés de cours: Part-time teachers, recruited locally to teach certain subjects.

Classes de mer: Class trip to the seaside organised by the school for the 3rd year Primary classes, these classes are part of the curriculum.

Classes vertes: Five-day class trip to the countryside organised by the school for the 4th year Primary classes, these classes are part of the curriculum.

Classes de neige: See Skiing trip

Comité des Elèves: See Students’ Committee (CDE)

Complementary studies: These are two-hour courses on the timetable for 6th and 7th year Secondary students; one or more subjects may be chosen so that the student has a minimum of 31 hours of courses per week.

Conseil d’Administration: French term for board of governors or directors. Used for both the Parents Association’s Board and for the Administrative Boards of individual schools, including ours, but not used for the Board of Governors which has overall responsibility for all the European Schools, which is known in French as the Conseil Supérieur.

Conseil de discipline: See Disciplinary Council

Conseil Supérieur: Board of Governors of the European Schools

Conseillers d’Education: See Educational Advisers

COSUP: Conseil Supérieur des Éleves. Represents students in all the European Schools. Two pupils from the Students’ Committee at our school are members of COSUP.

Counselling centre (Centre de Guidance): Secondary pupils who want counselling on any type of problem can consult, in confidence, members of the teaching staff. A list of trained volunteers for the various language sections is available. Pupils may also contact any teacher of their choice.

Countryside trip: See Classes vertes

Cours complémentaires: See Complementary studies

Cours de rattrapage: Offered to pupils new to the school in Primary and Secondary to reinforce their knowledge of Second Language (1st foreign language). Classes take place on Wednesday afternoons.

Cours de soutien: Coaching is available in First Language, Second Language, and Maths for years 1-3, Secondary school. A pupil may only receive coaching in two of the subjects offered.

Director: Alternative title for the school Head.

Disciplinary Council (Conseil de discipline): This committee is composed of the Headmaster and one teacher per nationality. It meets if a student has committed some serious misdemeanour. The pupil, accompanied by his/her parents, can request the help of a member of the Board of the Parents’ Association or a teacher of his/her own choice. At the request of the parents or of the pupil a member of the Students’ Committee (Comité des Elèves) can attend the meetings as an observer.

Educational Advisers: There are 9 of these, each having responsibility for one year of the Secondary school. They supervise discipline and safety in the Secondary school and undertake administrative tasks, including checking on absences. They play an important role in relations with pupils, parents, teachers, and the school management. They are concerned with the integration of pupils, individual problems, group problems, counselling of pupils, etc. The Principal Education Supervisor attends the Enlarged Education Committee of the Secondary School.

Ethics: Non-denominational alternative to religious education classes. See Religious education.

Eureka: The lost property room for both Primary and Secondary, run by parent volunteers is generally open twice a week: check WoluwInfo for times as well as the APEEE website. At the end of the school year all unclaimed articles are given to charity.

European Baccalaureate (“The Bac“): School leaving qualification for all the European Schools. The final exam comprises 5 written papers and 4 orals, which together account for 36% and 24% of the final Bac mark. Another 40% is based on class grades, 15% on continuous assessment during the year (A-mark) and 25% split between exams and tests (B-mark). The Baccalaureate certificate is recognised by all Member States and accepted as an entrance qualification for their universities and colleges of further education.

European Hours: One afternoon a week the pupils of the Primary School, from 3rd year upwards, are put into mixed groups for artistic or sports activities, so that they can have more contact with pupils from other language sections and get to know about traditions in other EU countries.

First Language: The language of the student’s language section.

Footfest: Annual school festival involving the whole school, usually in May, profits from which go to projects, mostly in Third World countries.

Fourth Language: Third foreign language which a student may choose as an option from 4th year Secondary onwards.

Guidance (Centre de…): See Counselling Centre

Interparents: represents parents in all the European Schools.

Langue véhiculaire: Second Language

Language I, II, etc.: See First Language, Second Language, etc.

Learning support: Assistance provided by the school for pupils with difficulties, mainly in Primary, on the advice of the class teacher and with the consent of the parents.

Lost property: See Eureka

Maternelle: Term widely used for the kindergarten or pre-Primary classes.

Medical check-ups: Yearly check-ups are planned. All new pupils must have a TB skin test.

Meetings with individual teachers: A list giving the time and place for meeting individual teachers during the school week is distributed to pupils at the beginning of the school year. These meetings are encouraged by the school as they help parents follow their children’s progress. In addition, in Secondary school it is possible to meet a number of teachers, separately, on a particular evening early in the calendar year. Primary parents meet class teachers in November for individual discussions about the progress of the children. See Reports below.

Options: For Secondary. Availability of particular options may depend on the numbers applying.
– 3rd year: students must take 2 options, choosing from Latin, Art and Music.
– 4th and 5th years: options include Fourth Language, Economics, Art, Music, etc.
– 6th and 7th years: in a further choice, a student takes at least two options. These will be part of the 5 written exams at the baccalaureate.

Orchestra: For Secondary school children who play an orchestral instrument. For details of rehearsals, contact music teachers.

Périscolaires: See Activités périscolaires

Psychologist:

  • In Primary school the role of the psychologist is to work with the teachers in kindergarten and the 1st year of Primary, and the remedial teachers, in diagnosing problems on a regular basis.
  • Secondary pupils may consult the psychologist. A timetable is posted on the door.

Religious education/ethics (Morale): A compulsory part of the school curriculum. Pupils who do not take religious education must take the non-denominational “ethics” class. The number of religions taught varies according to demand.

Reports: There are school reports every term. These must be signed by parents; they give the marks for each subject and comments by the teachers. In Primary, there is a pilot project for the introduction of new report cards: a description of skills and knowledge acquired by the child and his/her evolution, as well as a parent-teacher interview, replace traditional marks. Marks in the Secondary school are from 1 to 10, 6 being the pass mark. There are also mid-term reports.

Seaside trip: See Classes de mer.

Second Language: (Sometimes called “working language” or “langue véhiculaire”): From 3rd year Secondary onwards students study some subjects (e.g. history, geography) in their second language, which they have been learning since 1st year Primary (or whenever they started attending the school). This is either English, French or German.

Skiing trip (Classes de neige): two weeks in the Alps organised by the school for the 5th year Primary classes before the Carnival holiday, these classes are part of the curriculum.

Special Educational Needs: Parents of SEN children may submit a full dossier on their child, which is examined by a group of specialists. As a result, some SEN children may be admitted to the school, with specialised assistance for some classes.

Students’ Committee (Comité des Elèves): Representative body elected by students in senior secondary classes.

Surveillant: Supervisor, for example in the school playground, or one of the part-time staff employed by the Parents’ Association to ensure order and safety on the school buses.

Third Language: Second foreign language which is taught from 2nd year Secondary onwards.

Visite médicale: See Medical check-ups.

School EEBII

School website: http://www.eeb2.be/new_site/index.php?id=49&L=1

Administrative board of the school
Meets three times a year. The Administrative Board draws up the school budget and oversees its implementation.

Composition:
Members who can vote:

  • The representative of the Board of Governors (he chairs).
  • The representative of the European Commission.
  • The representative of associated institutions (EUROCONTROL in the case of the Woluwe School).
  • The Head (Director) of the school.
  • Two teachers’ representatives (one for Primary and one for Secondary).
  • Two parents’ representatives (the President and Vice-President of the APEEE)
  • The representative of the administrative staff of the school (PAS: Personnel Administratif et de Service de l’école).

Other persons attending without voting rights:

  • The Deputy Representative of the Board of Governors
  • The Deputy Heads (Directors)
  • The Bursar of the school.
  • Pupils’ representatives (at part of the meetings).

The head (director)
He is appointed by the Board of Governors, and is responsible for the administration of the school and for the coordination of the curricula in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Board of Governors, the Inspection Committee, and the Administrative Board, both for Primary and Secondary. He is assisted by two Deputy Heads (Directors) of the Primary and Secondary.

Enlarged primary and secondary education committees
(Conseils d’éducation élargis du primaire et du secondaire) The committees discuss all matters concerning the day-to-day functioning of the school.

Composition:

  • The Head (Director) of the school.
  • The Deputy Head (Director) of Secondary or Primary.
  • Teacher representatives.
  • Parents’ representatives.
  • Pupils’ representatives (in the Secondary Committee only).
  • The representative of the administrative staff of the school (PAS: Personnel Administratif et de Service de l’école).

Educational advisers (Conseillers d’éducation)
There are 9 of these, each having responsibility for one year of the Secondary school. They supervise discipline and safety in the Secondary school and undertake administrative tasks, including checking on absences. They play an important role in relations between pupils, parents, teachers, and the school management. They are concerned with the integration of pupils, individual problems, group problems, counselling of pupils, etc. The Principal Education Supervisor attends the Enlarged Education Committee of the Secondary School.

School EEBII

School website: http://www.eeb2.eu/site/

Administrative board of the school
Meets three times a year. The Administrative Board draws up the school budget and oversees its implementation.

Composition:
Members who can vote:

  • The representative of the Board of Governors (he chairs).
  • The representative of the European Commission.
  • The representative of associated institutions (EUROCONTROL in the case of the Woluwe School).
  • The Head (Director) of the school.
  • Two teachers’ representatives (one for Primary and one for Secondary).
  • Two parents’ representatives (the President and Vice-President of the APEEE)
  • The representative of the administrative staff of the school (PAS: Personnel Administratif et de Service de l’école).

Other persons attending without voting rights:

  • The Deputy Representative of the Board of Governors
  • The Deputy Heads (Directors)
  • The Bursar of the school.
  • Pupils’ representatives (at part of the meetings).