perfect location in south of Brussels

Take a look at the train line between Charleroi and Brussels. It s a 1 hour journey.

Of course you don't state exactly where work locations are so I don't know how close to the train stations in these cities your work locations are.

I d consider living in Brussels and one person commuting by train to Charleroi. It means 1 parent near school and home.

I d consider waterloo- braine l'alleud. 20 minutes to Brussels, 40 minutes to Charleroi.


Once you've decided which option, come back and I ll recommend schools

Thanks a lot Currylover - Waterloo and braine l'alleud - is the area we where also aiming, together with Nivelles..
My wife is a doctor and she will work a a privat hospital in Gosselies and I will work not far away of gare centrale in Brussels. Most probably my wife will commute by car and me by train.
Our biggest concern now is the school for our son (11 years in September 18) who doesnt speak french for the moment (only English). As we try to avoid the private schools I think this could be an issue...So any recommendation regarding the school would be very usefull. Do you think that his enrollement in a public french school could be feisable or, at least for the first year, we should make an effort and attempt an English private school?

It s perfectly feasible to enrol now in French school, he ll be in p6 or 6th primary but I'd say consider strongly dropping to p5.  There is an exam called ceb at end of p6, would have to be an exceptional student to pass it with just 1 year in school, whereas 2 years in school, less pressure and very likely to pass.

If you're really near gare centrale and likely to drive to gosselies, I d go for stockel which is wsp/kraainem/wezembeek. 20 minutes by metro to gare centrale. Or joli bois in wsp, tram and metro to gare centrale, 30 minutes. Immediate access to ring road to gosselies. Or near tram museum in wsp, tram and metro. Or near Herman debroux metro in watermael/auderghem, again direct access to ring, 20 minutes metro to gare centrale.


Schools
La fermette
Notre dame de la tribute
St Georges
These 3 must live in 1970 or 1950 post code, all near stockel.
Ecole communale stockel
Sacre coeur de stockel
Ecole communale joli bois
Jean 23 Parmentier
Jean 23 woluwe
College bon bosco

St Hubert
Souverain
Blankedelle

Thankyou

We consider wsp starts to be to far from Gosselies - 45-50 min by car. I think Waterloo would be the northern limit of our area of interest. Are there any advantages in beeing at wsp compared to  Waterloo ... ?
I will consider the advice regarding school P5/P6

Waterloo is further from gare centrale than wsp with less frequency of trains. So that journey will be at least 10 minutes more than wsp.

Waterloo to gosselies is 35 + minutes, so you're saving only 10 minutes on that journey.

Wsp is tons better for your son.

Your choice. 10 minutes less travel choosing Waterloo or the happiness and more chance of school integration in wsp/kraainem/auderghem/wezembeek/watermael. Whilst waterloo is fine, the east side of Brussels for an older child in particular is a bit of a no brainer. Both are not the cheapest for housing but a 3 bed house (apartments more expensive) are 1.2 to 1.6k, I m sure your 2 salaries will cover.

Cross off my first 3 suggested schools in wezembeek, forgot about the 8 hours dutch you cannotbppt out of. Go for schools in wsp, auderghem and watermael with easy access to metro for gare centrale and ring road for gosselies.