Belgium

The basic school of the Heliport is located in the center of Brussels, near the Nord station. His name makes reference to the fire station next to the school.

The school is the result of a total renovation of an older building which no longer met standards. His resolutely modern architecture offers all the comfort of a passive construction and contributes to respect for the environment. Its central geographical location close to the Nord station has many advantages : easy accessibility, either by public transport for long journeys or on foot to reach the riches of the city center (institutions, cultural sites such as theatres, museums, creative houses, libraries, etc.).

Our basic school is made up of 118 kindergarten and 222 primary students. Its strength is to be a fundamental school and consequently the exchanges between nursery and primary teachers aimed at offering continuity.

Our establishment is part of the official subsidized network. It is in line with the movement of legal prescriptions, defined by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and organizes an apprenticeship that aims to develop skills at through civic pedagogies.

In harmony with article 6 of the Mission Decree, the Heliport school provides education based on the values of democracy, neutrality and pluralism. Its credo is the “well-being of all”, adults and children alike. The Heliport is a school in which it is good to live. The pedagogy that is put in place aims to place ALL children at the heart of teacher concerns.

Based on the importance of giving meaning to learning, it aims to make each child autonomous, actor of his learnings and able to demonstrate critical thinking. The child’s speech is at the center of the lessons, his argumentation is encouraged and the place for error is demystified. By means of multiple and varied workshops calling on the manipulation and reflection, challenges, board games, but also projects, students learn while taking confidence in themselves and their skills. They are also trained in the responsible use of digital tools and handle tablets and ITV themselves in the context of researches, projects under the care supervising of their teacher.

Differentiation is the basis of the pedagogical devices implemented. Thus, the learning rate of each child is respected, among other things, by means of a belt (or star) evaluation system, offering the fastest the opportunity to move forward and for those who are slower the opportunity to train but also to get help from peers or from the teacher.

Collaboration with parents is essential in order to place children in the best learning conditions. Communication between all school’s actors is strongly solicited and encouraged thanks to an educational team open to dialogue. Always with this objective of not leaving any child facing their difficulties, many additional aids are organized such as tutoring, study hours, workshops to help with success, scientific workshops or theater.

Students also discover the cultural and artistic world that surrounds them and learn to appropriate it through projects and partnerships with cultural bodies (“Théâtre Royal de La Monnaie”, Museums of the City of Brussels, etc.). They experiment and develop their respect for the environment through various projects (vegetable garden, garden). Still with the aim of opening up to the world, educational stays with overnight stays are organized in various regions of the country ( North Sea, the Ardennes,…).  The opportunity for these children is to discover other landscapes, to open up to World but also to develop and ensure their autonomy. Throughout the stay, they question their new

environment, they construct a research approach, they experiment, express themselves, argue, present their strategies, all through meaningful educational activities.

Given its ISE of -1.3; the school benefits from the General Differentiated Supervision Project (PGAED) which allows didactic and pedagogical enrichment, additional student supervision, participation in the costs of travel and participation in the various activities and pedagogical days organized by the school.

“Mens sana in corpore sano”. In order to aim for both cognitive and physical well-being, in addition to official periods, school instituted a period of learning to swim from the third kindergarten as well as a period additional weekly physical education in primary. Sport and all the values it conveys (mutual aid, collaboration, perseverance, team spirit,…) proves to be an additional asset in leading all children to success.