Ghent school search
ISG and De Kleine Icarus solve different problems. ISG offers paid English-medium continuity and a developing secondary section. De Kleine Icarus is a Dutch-medium public primary school, so it better suits families ready to enter Flemish education.
International School Ghent, or ISG, is a private English-medium day school at De Pintelaan 258. It starts from age two and a half and continues into a growing secondary section. Choose it when English continuity during a move is more important than immediate entry into the Flemish curriculum.
De Kleine Icarus is a Dutch-medium GO! state primary school at K. L. Ledeganckstraat 4. GO! is the public education network of the Flemish Community. Its Dalton approach organises learning around independence, responsibility and cooperation; Dalton is a teaching method, not an international qualification.
These schools do not cover the same age range. De Kleine Icarus ends after the sixth year of primary school, so a secondary-age child needs a different option. ISG’s secondary section is still expanding. Its site says it currently has Years 7–9 and planned Year 10 from September 2026. Ask which year groups actually opened before applying.
ISG primary uses the International Primary Curriculum, not the IB Primary Years Programme. The secondary section teaches towards the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, but the school’s current curriculum page identifies ISG as an MYP candidate school. Candidate status is not authorisation and does not guarantee it.
The same page says an IB Diploma Programme is an aim for the future. It is not a current leaving qualification. A teenager who needs a complete route to university entry should ask where pupils progress after the highest class now operating. Request written confirmation of the qualification available in the child’s expected graduation year.
ISG’s published 2026–27 tuition is €17,100 in pre-primary, €17,600 in Primary Years 1–4 and €18,200 in Primary Years 5–6. Secondary tuition is €21,700 for MYP Years 2–3 and €22,800 for MYP Years 4–5. There is also a one-time, non-refundable €950 registration fee per family.
Tuition includes classroom resources, textbooks, online platforms, Dutch, music, sport, swimming and day trips. It excludes overnight trips, lunch, after-school care and clubs. ISG accepts mid-year and short stays, but applies stated percentages of annual tuition. Ask for a complete quote for the exact start and withdrawal dates.
De Kleine Icarus is part of publicly funded Dutch-language education, so this is not a private-tuition comparison. Its documents page still displays a 2025–26 school regulation and information brochure as of September 2026. Request the current permitted charges, meals, care and trip costs rather than carrying the older maximum-invoice figures into a new budget.
Ghent uses a common application system for mainstream primary schools. The regional admissions page says general 2027–28 applications will begin in spring 2027, but does not yet publish the full window. It does give an earlier process for sibling and staff priority among children born in 2025. Check the page again before the relevant cycle; do not use the special-education registration page for an ordinary application.
For a short posting, ISG may preserve English-medium continuity, subject to available years and the candidate-status caveat. For a family staying in Flanders, De Kleine Icarus may provide the stronger route into Dutch-language education, provided the child can access the curriculum and there is a place.
Test both addresses from home and ask about finish times and after-school provision. For De Kleine Icarus, plan the move to secondary education from the start. For ISG, ask about the next accredited programme. The Ghent school list, Belgium guide and language guide provide the wider context.
Friendly orientation, not formal admissions advice. Always confirm dates with the school.
De Kleine Icarus is a Dutch-language GO! school for preschool and primary pupils in Ghent. Its Dalton approach emphasises independence, cooperation and responsibility. Regional applications and direct enrolment for remaining places are different stages.
GhentAn English-medium private day school from age 2.5, with IPC primary education and a developing secondary section. The cited pages identify ISG as an MYP candidate, not an authorised IB World School. Confirm operating year groups and the next qualification before committing to secondary entry.
AntwerpAIS is a fee-paying English-medium day school in Ekeren, north of Antwerp. It offers IB programmes from the early years through secondary school. Admission and any learning support must be agreed individually; families should also review fees and withdrawal terms before accepting.
LiègeWaha is a municipal secondary school combining French-language education with Freinet methods. Families choose between an active-pedagogy route and immersion in English, Dutch or German. Confirm the child’s exact route and an available place before relying on the immersion label.
Start with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.
7 minTuition is only one line of the budget. Separate charges from advance payments, record what each figure includes, and ask the school to confirm your calculation in writing.
7 minA useful visit should help you picture your child’s school day and resolve the questions that matter to your family. Ask for concrete examples, then separate what you observed from what you were told.