ABSTRACT
The new curricular venture at the English Academy took its main lead from recent developments at the convent school a rare and very early example of female education influencing the curriculum provided for young men. This resistance was soon overcome when it was demonstrated that school fees would be no higher than those at the English College at Douai. Velbruck was fully alive to the economic advantages of allowing a school to be set up within the buildings of the English College and fully aware of the manner in which the city of Bruges had benefited from the presence of the English Jesuits and their students over the previous decade. With such thoughts in mind, Velbruck made a radical decision to invite the English ex-Jesuits to combine all their educational provision into a single institution a new Acadmie anglaise or English Academy to be housed in its entirety in the existing buildings of the English College.
