The school combines nursery, primary and secondary education, with 3,097 students enrolled at the start of the 2018–2019 academic year, spread over seven language sections (English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Greek and Czech).

[3] Following the so-called "Big Bang" EU enlargement of 2004 and the consequent arrival of additional EU staff, a surplus of students attempting to enrol in the school led to the opening of the European School, Brussels IV in the Brussels suburb of Laeken.

[4][5][6] All European Schools have the same goal set by Jean Monnet, inscribed in Latin and buried in the foundation stones on their respective campuses.

Translated into English, it reads: "(…) Educated side by side, untroubled from infancy by divisive prejudices, acquainted with all that is great and good in the different cultures, it will be borne in upon them as they mature that they belong together.

Without ceasing to look to their own lands with love and pride, they will become in mind Europeans, schooled and ready to complete and consolidate the work of their fathers before them, to bring into being a united and thriving Europe.”