The language of the classroom and the playground

A child may understand a lesson but still find it difficult to join a conversation at lunch. Another may speak comfortably with friends but need help with reading or assessed writing. Ask about learning and social participation separately.

Start with an honest account of the languages your child uses now: at home, with friends, in lessons, and in written work. Then describe your likely plans. A family expecting to stay needs a different conversation from one expecting another move during an examination course.

The aim is not to decide that English-medium, bilingual, or local-language schooling is always better. It is to understand what each option would ask of this child, and what support the school can actually provide.

Separate four language questions

What language is used to teach?

Ask which subjects are taught in which language in the intended year group. Check the books, homework, assessments, and eventual examinations as well as the spoken lesson.

A “bilingual” programme may use both languages across the week, allocate particular subjects to each language, or change the balance as pupils get older. Request a sample timetable and a clear description.

How is the local language taught?

Find out whether it is a compulsory subject, the language of some other lessons, or an optional activity. Ask how beginners and fluent speakers are grouped, how much teaching they receive, and how progress is assessed.

Do not assume that living in the country will, by itself, provide the language teaching your child needs.

What support is available in the teaching language?

A school may provide support for pupils who are learning English or another classroom language. Check who qualifies, which years are covered, how the support works, and whether it costs extra.

What happens to the languages used at home?

Ask whether a home language can be studied during the timetable, through a supervised independent course, with an external teacher, or only through arrangements made by the family. Confirm the cost and the qualification, if any.

These four answers may come from different departments. Ask admissions to help you put them together before accepting a place.

Local-language study is not the same as bilingual teaching

Oslo International School provides a useful example of a local language taught within an English-medium school. Its language page says pupils in Years 1–10 study Norwegian at three levels, from beginner to native speaker. Norwegian A pupils take the Norwegian National Tests in Years 6, 8, and 9.

That tells you there is a defined programme. It does not tell you how many hours your child would receive or which group they would join. Ask those questions for the relevant year.

The British School of Brussels offers a different model. Its French–English bilingual programme runs from Year 1 to Year 9. In primary, English and mathematics are taught by the English-speaking teacher, while other subjects are taught in French. In Years 7–9, the language balance varies by subject.

After Year 9, pupils move into the British GCSE programme and may later pursue a bilingual IB Diploma. Ask about selection into the bilingual class, the current subject timetable, and the transition after Year 9. Do not assume that all years at the school use the same bilingual model.

Our view: compare the actual teaching arrangement with your child’s readiness and your longer-term plans. Extra exposure to a language is useful only if the child can also access the subjects they need to learn.

EAL: ask about the programme, not only the label

English as an Additional Language (EAL) is a common name for English-language support. Schools may use other terms, including ELL or ELA. The initials alone do not tell you the amount or type of support.

Ask:

• Is the language assessment used to plan support, decide admission, or both?
• Who teaches the support lessons, and how often do they happen?
• Does the child receive help in the ordinary classroom, in a separate group, or both?
• If support replaces another lesson, which lesson is missed?
• How does the school review progress and decide when support should change?
• Is the provision included in tuition?
• Is it available through the years your child is likely to attend?

“Support is available” should lead to a description for your child’s year group, not end the conversation.

Check the limits in later years

A school’s provision for young beginners may be different from its requirements for an older applicant. Two published examples show why the distinction matters.

The British International School of Stockholm says it supports pupils joining with little or no English, but its admissions FAQ makes an exception for IGCSE and IB Diploma applicants: English proficiency is required. It may also recommend external language support paid for by parents.

AIS Vienna’s admissions criteria distinguish elementary, middle, and high school. High School, Grades 9–12, requires advanced/native English proficiency, described as C1, and does not offer EAL support. Middle School applicants need intermediate or advanced English, and the available EAL places are limited.

These are school-specific conditions, not a Europe-wide cut-off. Ask every school when academic-language requirements become stricter and whether the child’s intended subjects remain realistic.

If you are comparing CAISL, Campion in Athens, or International School of Hellerup, check both the current support policy and the fee schedule. Availability, admissions thresholds, and extra charges are separate questions.

A bilingual programme is not a separate diploma by default

Ask what qualification the child will receive, who awards it, and which languages are used in its examinations.

For example, Dutch tweetalig onderwijs (TTO) is bilingual education within the national system. Pupils still take the regular Dutch-language final examinations. An additional language certificate does not turn the underlying havo or vwo diploma into the IB. Nuffic explains the examinations and certificates.

A French BFI route, the IB Diploma, and the European Baccalaureate are also distinct qualifications. The curriculum guide explains the differences.

If a school uses language sections, ask how it assigns the child’s section and first-language course, what evidence is required, and what happens if the relevant language is not offered. Do not assume that parents can simply choose any section with space.

Ask about inclusion outside lessons

During a visit, ask how a new pupil joins lunch, clubs, games, and informal conversations. Find out who notices if the child is isolated and who follows up.

Useful questions are:

• Who welcomes a new pupil during the first week?
• How does the school help children communicate when they do not yet share a fluent language?
• What languages are commonly used in this year group outside class?
• Which adult can the child approach if they cannot explain a problem confidently?
• How are parents told about difficulties or progress?
• Can you describe the induction arrangements without identifying another child’s private circumstances?

A visit gives a snapshot, not a guarantee of the child’s eventual friendships. Combine what you observe with the school’s practical arrangements.

For a family hoping to settle locally, also consider activities and friendships outside school. An English-medium classroom can be one part of a local life, but the school should not promise a level of local-language fluency that its programme does not support.

Compare the whole plan

Write down the teaching language, local-language programme, support arrangements, home-language options, costs, and examination requirements for each shortlisted school.

Then ask what changes over time. A suitable Year 3 arrangement may not answer the questions for Year 10. If your family may move again, check transfer between programmes before making a decision that depends on continuity.

Our recommendation is to choose a language plan your child can realistically follow, with support confirmed where needed. Social belonging and academic preparation both matter; neither should be left to a reassuring slogan.

Friendly orientation, not formal admissions advice. Always confirm dates with the school.