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9 Things you Need to Know about starting Primary School in the Netherlands

Is your little one about to start primary school in the Netherlands? Or as it’s called out here the ‘Basisschool’. If you’ve just moved here with your soon to be 4 year old and are wondering how to navigate the early year’s education system in Holland or are just curious at how primary school compares to the UK then look no further. Here is a list of 9 things you need to know about starting primary school in the Netherlands.

#1 Primary school in the Netherlands: Kids start school the day after they turn 4

This is perhaps the biggest difference to the UK education system. There is no single intake date. As soon as your child turns 4 they are welcome to join Group 1 (the first year of primary school). However it must be noted that school is not verplicht compulsory until the child turns 5. And most schools allow you to be flexible with the school hours if you think that your child is finding it too much. Also holidays from Dutch schools can be taken during term time without issue as they are not legally required to be at school.

#2 Primary school in Holland: It’s not full time

This was a strange one for me to get my head around. Having experienced primary school myself in the UK where I was expected at school for 9am and was picked up by my parents at 3:15, Monday to Friday. In the Netherlands, most primary schools can pick their own hours which follow a similar pattern. There are 3 full days (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) and two half days (Wednesday and Friday). Some primary schools, however, extend the half days to three-quarter days as the child progresses up the year groups. So instead of finishing at 12:30, your child would then finish at 2pm.

I actually struggle with this timetable as Wednesday and Fridays just feel like really long days with the boys finishing at 12:30. Having said that though, almost everybody plays a sport outside of school. Therefore the two half-day afternoons are normally taken up with swimming lessons and football/tennis training.

It means that it’s a lot easier to plan a weekend away with the schools finishing so early. It also gives the kids a break, because being in school full time so young must be absolutely exhausting (many adults struggle with a Monday to Friday 9-5 routine and that’s only two hours more than what is expected from a 5-year-old).

#3 Primary school in the Netherlands: They come home for lunch

And if having two half days off a week isn’t enough to recharge the batteries, then coming home every day for lunch certainly will! Yes, you heard that right, the kids come home for lunch – for an hour! We live walking distance to the school so it’s not actually a hardship to walk back and forth 4 times a day. But it does mean that your days at home are actually really short. I actually had to give up ironing as by the time I got the ironing board out and started on the pile I had to be back at school again to pick up the boys (to be honest I’ve never done it but this sounds like a great excuse to use ?).

For the parents that work there is always a TSO, a 3rd party organization that comes into the school and supervises the lunch hour. There is no canteen and so packed lunches are needed. This isn’t free though, ours costs 2.50 euros. I have been known on occasions to ship the kids off with a packed lunch to school just so I can GET SHIT DONE.

#4 Primary school in Holland: There are no lunchbox police

#5 primary school in the netherlands: kids wear mufti everyday.

There is NO school uniform. No last minute rush on the 31st of August looking for a white shirt and trousers that actually fit. No panic washing on Sunday night. No labeling! Just normal clothes. The exact same clothes that my boys wear on the weekend. The biggest downside is the amount of jeans and trainers that we go through. I don’t think my boys own a pair of trousers without a hole in the knee.

When I tell my Dutch friends about school uniforms they find it hilarious. It’s a concept that they just can’t get their heads around, forcing everyone to look the same. I was always brought up to see that as the advantage of uniform, no one would be singled out for wearing the wrong thing. But what I’ve noticed in the Netherlands is that the whole idea of not fitting in isn’t a thing. The Dutch have a saying ‘ Doe maar normaal dan doe je al gek genoeg’ which translates to just be yourself because that’s crazy enough.

#6 Primary school in Holland: The first two years are just play based

Probably very similar to a UK pre-school rather than the first two years of a primary school, Group 1 and Group 2 are just about learning through play. They start to learn the alphabet in Group 2 (equivalent to year 1) but will only learn about half of the letters. The ‘real’ learning begins in Group 3, in which they will finish learning the alphabet and then start to put together letters into words.

The most important part of the early years education is social development. When you get the school report at the end of the year there is a whole page on the social and emotional development of your child (the report itself is 2 pages so you can see how important this is!).

#7 Primary school in the Netherlands: Repeating a year is NOT a big deal

I don’t ever seem to remember anybody at my primary school in the Netherlands repeating a year, nor being moved up for that matter. If a child was struggling then they received extra work. And if a child was doing really well, then they also received extra work.

In Holland, it works a little differently. If your child is finding the work a bit too challenging or isn’t quite ready to sit still and concentrate for a period of time, then it will be suggested that he or she blijft zitten- stays sitting. Not repeating the year, or being moved down a year group. Just stays where they are for another year. And because of the way the Dutch intake work there is normally a variety of ages in one year group, meaning that the groups are based on ability rather than age. Every year since my boys have started school, they have had two or three classmates who ‘stayed sitting’ and have had a few new ones that have joined. And it’s absolutely not a big deal. It’s actually a relief. Knowing that your child is at a level where they no longer have to struggle means that their confidence rockets. Definitely an advantage of the Dutch school system.

#8 Primary school in Holland: Kids cycle to and from school alone!

Ok, so it’s not expected that your 4 years old will cycle to and from school all by themselves. But from about Group 5 (year 4) it’s not unusual to see kids arriving at school on their bikes unaccompanied. They park them up in the designated bike racks, lock them and deposit the key in a special tub in the classroom.

All Dutch kids receive bike lessons at school from about 6 years old and more importantly they learn the rules of the road.

Because of all the designated cycle paths, biking to school is incredibly safe. So safe in fact almost no one wears a helmet. I can hear your gasps now but cycling to Dutch people is just like walking to us. In fact, from about 9 years old Dutch kids go to school trips on their bikes, cycling as a whole class, with fluorescent yellow vests but no head protection!

My daughter, who was born in the Netherlands, learned to walk at 1 and ride a bike without stabilizers at 2 so I can see where the confidence comes from. Kids are cycling almost as long as they have been walking.

#9 Primary school in the Netherlands: There is NO homework

Perhaps my most favorite thing about Dutch education is the kids having no homework. When we first moved here I remember chatting with the headteacher about my son starting. When I asked how much homework to expect she looked at me with a shocked expression and said “Homework?! There’s no homework, when he gets home from school we expect him to go out and play!”

There is not even any compulsory reading!! Of course, I still read to my kids every night but the fact that we don’t HAVE to makes it feel a lot less like a chore.

My son is now in Group 5 (Year 4) and the most ‘homework’ we have had throughout his time at school, has been to prepare a book report. Though I have heard the rumors that we may be expecting proper homework this year but so far nothing!

This “no homework” policy gives kids unbelievable freedom when they get home from school. They can go straight out to play (no need to get changed as they’re in school uniform remember) and just be kids. No responsibility, no deadlines, no worrying that because mummy isn’t so good at maths they won’t be able to complete their work!!

They are children for such a short period of time and the Dutch seem to have realized that and are happy just to let kids be kids for that little bit longer, a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with.

So these are the 9 things you need to know about starting primary school in the Netherlands. Is there anything we missed out on? Let us know in the comments below!

The Gif of the boy abusing the other kid on the soccer field is truly triggering since bullying is a real problem in Dutch schools! Also, don’t expect them to do much about it but instead call it “directness” even if your child is being tortured daily!

Oh gosh that’s terrifying to hear about the bullying. What options did you feel you had? Any meetings with administrators? Switch schools?

okay… my english is not so very good, but I can try it! you may know, on my Dutch primary school I learned Dutch in the second class (groep 2) now I’m in the first class of secundary school. its really fun! but I can say: on my school in the Netherlands, nobody go to home on lunchtime! why? there are pupils, they go by schoolbus and live 30 kilometres from school. I was one of them. and it costs nothing! I wanted to clarify that. thanks for reading!

Beautifull written and correct. And for reacting on the bullying, yes bullying is there but any school with or without uniform has this. The school and sportclubs have policies for bullying and there are special cursus schools can give in classes and for the special kid who is being bullyed. Like ‘Rots en water training”. And Judo or other specifiek sports can give the child tools, so that support ables the kid to react on the bullyers and defend him self, better now then when your older.

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5 Impressions of the Dutch Educational System

When I wrote “ The 8 Secrets of Dutch Kids, the Happiest Kids in the World “, I received quite a few disgruntled complaints, especially in regards to my 4th secret -“Dutch kids feel no pressure to excel in school and have very little stress. They have no homework or have very little and thus have plenty of time to play after school.”

Since my time is actually very scarce (I am an expat mom with absolutely no family help, a workaholic husband and a precocious toddler), I decided to dedicate a blog post directly addressing the comments about the Dutch educational system.

I’m convinced that part of the underlying reason for the resounding happiness of Dutch kids is because they are in a relatively, stress free educational environment that emphasizes learning and here are my five reasons why:

1. Dutch researchers reiterate the stance that pressure on academic performance is not as high as compared to the rest of the world.

Utrecht University , the Trimbos Institute and the Netherlands Institute for Social Research participated in a comprehensive study where 200,000 children aged 11, 13 and 15 from 39 different countries were surveyed. The children were asked how happy and healthy the children felt, their relationships with their parents and friends and their overall school experience.

According to Professor Wilma Vollebergh of Utrecht University , “The Netherlands has a social culture, with open and safe relationships between parents and their children, and the same applies to the relationships that children have with each other. The pressure to perform is also not as high here .”

I’m trusting that the Dutch kids surveyed were honest about their answers and that these Dutch researchers know a thing, or two about the Dutch educational system. Wouldn’t you?

2. For the most part, Dutch students under the age of 10, receive very little or almost no homework .

Some newspapers circulating around actually state that abslutely no homework given to school children under the age of ten. The amount of homework depends upon the discretion of the local schools, but overall, Dutch teachers and parents recognize the importance of play after school is more important than hitting the books. Students start receiving homework at the end of their primary school year but definitely not in the same quantity as those in the United States. Who really benefits from homework anyway ?

3. Dutch students are tested for their relative intelligence , but the advice given is not binding .

At the end of the their 8th year of school, usually around age 12, Dutch children must take a CITO test designed to evaluate their overall “ intelligence “. While there might be some moderate levels of stress, overall, Dutch students take it with stride. Here is what is crucial to understand –the results of the CITO test are suggestion only .

According to the Dutch government’s official stance, “primary schools advise each child and their parents the most appropriate type of secondary education, based on the CITO test score, the child’s performance in previous years and his/her personal interests.” An important caveat is-“ The advice is not binding .”

The parents and child are ultimately the ones who decide which best educational track the child would be happiest in. For a more detailed, official explanation of the Dutch educational system, please refer to the official Dutch Education website.

4. Dutch high school students do not face the same high anxiety stress levels as students from the rest of the world ( such as the United States , Singapore, China, and Korea to name a few).

When a group of VWO Dutch students were shown a video called Race to No Where depicting the streotypical American high school experience, they unanimously agreed that they did not experience anything even remotely similar to what they saw in the video.

5. There is a general acceptance of mediocrity among Dutch parents and kids.

In the same Volkskrant article , one pre-university VWO student, which supposedly means that she is part of the intellectual elite, stated:

The relatively relaxed environment can (being the operative word, not always) also extend to places of higher education. According to the University of Twente , international students are given the impression that:

“Competition hardly plays a role in Dutch educational culture: students are seldom graded against each other. The teacher sets a minimum score and passes all students that meet this criterion. Dutch students are usually not very interested how they rank in class; they are mainly concerned with passing the course. Students striving to be the best will not talk about it as it is not done in the Netherlands to be too competitive or work too hard

You can still become very successful regardless of how well you do in school, or what level of schooling you’ve accomplished. Supposedly more is being done in parliament to change this attitude. The Volkskrant cautions this movement as being spearheaded by “ a significant number of ministers who only got nines by holding their report cards upside down .”

Bonus Number 6 : If you actually graduate from a pre-university VWO program, you can apply directly to medical school. High school students who graduate with an 8 get automatic admission into a 6 year medical school program. Those who scored lower can join a weighted lottery to get into medical school. And they can keep reapplying to the medical school lottery up to a certain number of times. How lucky is that?

In all fairness, Dutch students may still face moderate levels of stress. However , it is important to keep in mind (assuming that I am writing to a world audience ), that the “stress” Dutch students encounter is definitely not the same degree as to those students in much more competitive environments, particularly their Asian counterparts. There are also many Dutch families who place a lot of importance on the academic performance of their children. In fact, times are changing and there might be a social revolution that would end the cultural emphasis on being mediocre, the infamous zesjescultuure .

Most importantly, the current and future happiness of Dutch children is not inextricably linked to what level schooling they are placed under, nor does it really determine their future earning potential . Actually, being born Dutch pretty much guarantees you a decent life (but that’s a whole other blog post all together-please come back to read that one!).

Perhaps the rest of the world can learn a bit more about this obscure Nothern European country that consistently ranks time and time again as having the happiest kids in the world.

What’s it like in other countries? Do they also experience a similar institutional educational system where there is less stress?

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Composite image of children and lines saying 'I will not follow rules'

Rutger Bregman: ‘What if we give children the freedom to play and learn on their own?’

A school with no classrooms, homework or grades encourages creativity and imagination, rather than an ability to sit still and nod

Time to reset: more brilliant ideas to remake the world

I n many places around the world, education has become something to be endured. A new generation is learning to run a rat race where the main metrics of success are your résumé and your pay cheque – a generation less inclined to colour outside the lines, less inclined to dream or to dare, to fantasise or explore.

Can schools operate on a wholly different view of human nature? What if we give children much more freedom to play and learn on their own?

The thing that moved me the most while I was researching my latest book was visiting such a school in the Netherlands . This school, Agora, relies on the intrinsic motivation of the children. There are no classes or classrooms, no homework or grades, no tests, no timetables. There is almost no hierarchy within the staff. Often, there is no hierarchy at all – the students are the ones in charge.

At Agora, children of all ages, academic levels and socioeconomic backgrounds are mixed together. Difference is perceived as normal, and what I quickly noticed was the lack of bullying. Bullying is often regarded as part and parcel of being a kid. Not so, say sociologists, who have compiled extensive research on the places where it is endemic, such as British boarding schools (the kind that inspired William Golding’s Lord Of The Flies). And little wonder: these schools resemble prisons. You can’t leave, you have to earn a place in a rigid hierarchy, and there’s a strict division between pupils and staff.

At the moment, we spend billions encouraging our biggest talents to rise up the career ladder, but once at the top they often ask themselves what it’s all for. Recent research in 47 developed countries found that a quarter of workers doubt the importance of their work. Most of these “meaningless jobs” are in the private sector – in banks, ad agencies and law firms. Meanwhile, politicians tell us we need to be more educated, earn more money and bring the economy more “growth”.

But what do all those degrees really represent? Are they proof of creativity and imagination, or of an ability to sit still and nod? It’s like the philosopher Ivan Illich said decades ago: “School is the advertising agency which makes you believe that you need the society as it is.”

Schools like Agora prove there is a different way. The question is not: can our kids handle the freedom? The question is: do we have the courage to give it to them?

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Understanding the Dutch Education System

by Annebet van Mameren | Education , New to Amsterdam , Quick Start

One of the main challenges for families new to Amsterdam is figuring out the school system. Annebet van Mameren, from relocation specialists New2nl, explains the basics.

Introduction

In the Netherlands, school is compulsory for children from the age of 5 until 16, or until they have a diploma. The philosophy behind the Dutch education system is to encourage pupils to live and learn in an open-minded, independent, and creative manner.

Generally, schools in the Netherlands offer high-quality education. For example, the renowned global Pisa/OECD survey among 15-year-olds shows high rankings for Dutch pupils, especially in mathematics, and all 13 state-funded Dutch universities score well in The Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

School Types

All Dutch schools are obliged to adhere to core objectives set by the government. These specify what pupils in all schools need to accomplish each year. Individual schools may fill in specific details. For example, some schools have chosen to dedicate some extra attention to arts (the ‘art magnet’ ( kunstmagneet) schools), science and technology, or foreign languages.

In the Netherlands, there are both regular ( openbare ) and special ( bijzondere ) schools. The regular schools are funded and run by the government, whereas special schools have their own board, usually consisting of parents or the foundation that set them up. The special schools get the same funding from the government as the regular schools.

Special schools should not be confused with special-needs schools that teach pupils with (severe) learning problems. Most special schools are religious (e.g. Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, Jewish), or follow specific pedagogic principles (e.g. Montessori, Waldorf/Steiner, Dalton, Jenaplan). Usually, the religious schools are fairly moderate in terms of religion and are open to children who have a different religion or are not religious.

Some schools follow new educational trends. You’ll find, for example, iPad schools and those with a bilingual curriculum (usually Dutch and English). The bilingual schools in Amsterdam are De Visserschool, DENISE, School of Understanding, Kindercampus Zuidas, and Little Universe School. These schools vary in the amount of time they teach in English, and they usually require a child aged 6 or older to have a decent level of Dutch before they can join classes with their Dutch-speaking peers (see below).

International Families in Dutch Schools

4 and 5-year-olds who don’t speak Dutch can usually start a regular primary school straight away. They normally pick up the language quickly and are (almost) fluent before the ‘real learning’ starts at age 6. In Dutch schools, children usually start the first day after their fourth birthday, and most schools combine ages 4-6 in one class called the kleuterklas . In the kleuterklas, the focus is on learning through play, Dutch language acquisition, social and motor skills, and gradual preparation for reading and writing.

Children aged 6 and older are usually required to follow a Dutch immersion programme first. This takes about a year, after which they can continue their education with children of the same age at a regular school.

As the schools’ approach and experience with non-Dutch families vary greatly, it is always a good idea to ask specific questions about this before you choose a school.

Most Dutch primary schools don’t give homework until the higher classes, or give no homework at all. This means that, as a non-Dutch speaking parent, you won’t need to worry much about not being able to help your child with his or her homework.

It is usual that two parents volunteer to be a ‘class parent’ ( klassenouder ). They meet with the teacher regularly and keep the other parents updated (usually by email) about what is going on in the class and what is expected from the parents. If you don’t speak Dutch, you could ask the class parents to regularly explain to you what is happening, to avoid missing anything.

The Application Procedure

The application procedure for Dutch schools differs by city, and sometimes even by school. Schoolwijzer is your starting point for the Dutch schools in Amsterdam.

In general, you have priority for the eight schools closest to your house which take part in the central application system. On the application form that the Municipality sends to your home address, you rank at least 5 schools in order of preference, and then a lottery decides which school your child will be placed in. You may also apply to a school where you don’t have priority, but there your chances will be much smaller. On average, the application deadline is when your child is 3 years 2 months old, although the actual cut-off point can differ from this by a few months.

There are some schools, called eenpitter schools, which have pulled out of the central application system. Most of these are located in the South (Zuid) part of Amsterdam. They have their own lottery, application form, and deadline. You can apply to these schools in addition to the central schools. Read more about Amsterdam’s school application policy.

I hope that your children have a happy and successful time in their chosen school(s) in the Netherlands!

Useful Education-Related Websites

National websites

Scholen Op De Kaart

10,000 Scholen

National school holidays

Special needs education in the Netherlands (in Dutch)

School inspection

Private (fee-paying) schools in the Netherlands (all levels)

City-Specific Websites

Information for International Families

Amsterdam Mamas’ Dutch Education Group on Facebook

Expat Special Educational Needs Group in the Netherlands

Dutch immersion classes (for non-Dutch speaking children aged 6+)

Article: Going Dutch with your children?

Article: Helping your child integrate into Dutch School

Independent education consultant for international families in the Netherlands

photo credit: Flickr via Photo Pin

Annebet van Mameren

Annebet van Mameren is Dutch, and married to an American. They are based in Amsterdam, and have two sons who they are raising bilingually; and who go to Dutch primary. Annebet has a research background in Intercultural Conflicts at Work, along with many years of experience in the corporate world. She has spent time living abroad, and has a thorough understanding of the issues faced by international families when selecting a school for their children in the Netherlands.

New2nl is a network run by Annebet van Mameren, bringing together experts in schooling, housing, and taxes, to provide services for international families in the Netherlands.

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Social Change

Secondary education for the future – agora.

Posted on June 2, 2017

Agora Education in the Dutch media

There are no school subjects, no tests, no homework, no textbooks or methods, no classroom instruction. Sjef Drummen, one of the co-founders of the Agora school in Roermond, the Netherlands, says “We work fully personalized. That is, every student has his or her own learning path. You can compare it to the medieval guild system where every master had four students, fellows. Every child learned in a different way. That’s a fantastic system. Because of all the new technology we have today, we can also work that way again. Knowledge is everywhere, inside and outside the school. But everyone has a different pathway to that knowledge. Teachers are there to support students in that quest.

“We invest in the personal development of children in the early years. They must feel safe, free. We teach them to look at the world, to wonder, to develop. Wow! The world is so beautiful! But also: what’s my role in it? The modern world calls for people who are flexible, creative, inventive, people who can make choices themselves, people with a high degree of adaptability. We strive to help children embrace the uncertain future of tomorrow. “

The final state exams still have to be taken for now, even at Agora. “After two or three years of Agora, the children are so motivated that they are willing to learn. We explain it this way: ‘Kids, the system in the Netherlands is so designed so that we have a little challenge to take together. That challenge is the final exam. After that you get a diploma. You have to do silly things for it. But after that you can head out to meet the future.’ “

The starting points are clear. Drummen: “First, you need to use your common sense. For example, the fact that boys and girls are different, and learn differently. Secondly, teachers must get space to use their intuition. So the regulations may dictate that the approach has be a certain way. But if you find that this does not fit the child, shouldn’t you do something different? Teachers should always be able to make a choice for the student. Thirdly, it is essential that teachers know how children learn, how the brain develops. And if you involve science – six university professors have helped us to develop our concept – then you know that qualification test are for example awful for children. Whether it’s level or age. You must not put children in a cage. You’ll see,” Drummen explains with a twinkle in his eye, “If you don’t put children in cages they don’t act like rats. Suddenly it does not seem necessary to keep children under the thumb. Keeping order – what rubbish! The children create their own order. ”

Categorising children by their educational level is an abomination to Drummen. “What is that, a ‘havo’ learner? How can you know that at 12, 13 years of age? It is well known that the brain is only mature when children are well into their twenties. Why would you give them that stamp now? I am convinced that every child is able to reach any level. In fact, every child can go to university. Not that they should. Not at all. I am only sure that it is possible theoretically if the educational conditions were good. All children want to grow, want to get better, want to progress. Motivation problems? The Agora students do not suffer from this. There are even students who are disappointed when we reach the weekend or holidays. That’s how much they want to be here. It’s really their place.”

The first seven weeks a student spends in Agora is a “brain bootcamp” where they “de-school” and “un-learn” the children from all the expectations they have of a school. “We are not going to teach you. You are going to learn to teach yourselves”.

The children belong to groups of 15 which are looked after by a coach. The coach’s job is to help the child follow their learning passion, make explicit what they are learning and invite them to complement areas of their development to make it more holistic.

The groups meet at the start of every morning and the discuss an item that is in the news. There is also 30 minutes of silence each day.

All their learning happens through “challenges” which they determine themselves (examples I saw were about how to create a tropical fish tank, to the pyramids of Egypt to understanding lucid dreaming). The coach documents the competencies they are developing and demonstrating in a rigorous digital platform that parents also have access to.

At the start of their time at Agora they are given a guarantee that they will pass the exam they want to pass in the traditional number of years it would take, or less.

The Agora track has been running for four years within the innovative Niekee school and next year they are going to convert the whole school of 600 to the Agora approach.

For reports in Dutch, including a glowing commendation from Paul Rosenmoller who heads up the Dutch organization of secondary schools, and from the government’s educational inspectors, see http://www.agoraroermond.nl/nieuws-media/ .
See this website for the new national network of Agora Schools in the Netherlands (c.15 end 2021).
Here is another English-language article on Agora .

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Professor of Education, Penn State

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Reformers in the Progressive Era (from the 1890s to 1920s) depicted homework as a “sin” that deprived children of their playtime . Many critics voice similar concerns today.

Yet there are many parents who feel that from early on, children need to do homework if they are to succeed in an increasingly competitive academic culture. School administrators and policy makers have also weighed in, proposing various policies on homework .

So, does homework help or hinder kids?

For the last 10 years, my colleagues and I have been investigating international patterns in homework using databases like the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) . If we step back from the heated debates about homework and look at how homework is used around the world, we find the highest homework loads are associated with countries that have lower incomes and higher social inequality.

Does homework result in academic success?

Let’s first look at the global trends on homework.

Undoubtedly, homework is a global phenomenon ; students from all 59 countries that participated in the 2007 Trends in Math and Science Study (TIMSS) reported getting homework. Worldwide, only less than 7% of fourth graders said they did no homework.

TIMSS is one of the few data sets that allow us to compare many nations on how much homework is given (and done). And the data show extreme variation.

For example, in some nations, like Algeria, Kuwait and Morocco, more than one in five fourth graders reported high levels of homework. In Japan, less than 3% of students indicated they did more than four hours of homework on a normal school night.

TIMSS data can also help to dispel some common stereotypes. For instance, in East Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan – countries that had the top rankings on TIMSS average math achievement – reported rates of heavy homework that were below the international mean.

In the Netherlands, nearly one out of five fourth graders reported doing no homework on an average school night, even though Dutch fourth graders put their country in the top 10 in terms of average math scores in 2007.

Going by TIMSS data, the US is neither “ A Nation at Rest” as some have claimed, nor a nation straining under excessive homework load . Fourth and eighth grade US students fall in the middle of the 59 countries in the TIMSS data set, although only 12% of US fourth graders reported high math homework loads compared to an international average of 21%.

So, is homework related to high academic success?

At a national level, the answer is clearly no. Worldwide, homework is not associated with high national levels of academic achievement .

But, the TIMSS can’t be used to determine if homework is actually helping or hurting academic performance overall , it can help us see how much homework students are doing, and what conditions are associated with higher national levels of homework.

We have typically found that the highest homework loads are associated with countries that have lower incomes and higher levels of social inequality – not hallmarks that most countries would want to emulate.

Impact of homework on kids

TIMSS data also show us how even elementary school kids are being burdened with large amounts of homework.

Almost 10% of fourth graders worldwide (one in 10 children) reported spending multiple hours on homework each night. Globally, one in five fourth graders report 30 minutes or more of homework in math three to four times a week.

These reports of large homework loads should worry parents, teachers and policymakers alike.

Empirical studies have linked excessive homework to sleep disruption , indicating a negative relationship between the amount of homework, perceived stress and physical health.

What constitutes excessive amounts of homework varies by age, and may also be affected by cultural or family expectations. Young adolescents in middle school, or teenagers in high school, can study for longer duration than elementary school children.

But for elementary school students, even 30 minutes of homework a night, if combined with other sources of academic stress, can have a negative impact . Researchers in China have linked homework of two or more hours per night with sleep disruption .

Even though some cultures may normalize long periods of studying for elementary age children, there is no evidence to support that this level of homework has clear academic benefits . Also, when parents and children conflict over homework, and strong negative emotions are created, homework can actually have a negative association with academic achievement.

Should there be “no homework” policies?

Administrators and policymakers have not been reluctant to wade into the debates on homework and to formulate policies . France’s president, Francois Hollande, even proposed that homework be banned because it may have inegaliatarian effects.

However, “zero-tolerance” homework policies for schools, or nations, are likely to create as many problems as they solve because of the wide variation of homework effects. Contrary to what Hollande said, research suggests that homework is not a likely source of social class differences in academic achievement .

Homework, in fact, is an important component of education for students in the middle and upper grades of schooling.

Policymakers and researchers should look more closely at the connection between poverty, inequality and higher levels of homework. Rather than seeing homework as a “solution,” policymakers should question what facets of their educational system might impel students, teachers and parents to increase homework loads.

At the classroom level, in setting homework, teachers need to communicate with their peers and with parents to assure that the homework assigned overall for a grade is not burdensome, and that it is indeed having a positive effect.

Perhaps, teachers can opt for a more individualized approach to homework. If teachers are careful in selecting their assignments – weighing the student’s age, family situation and need for skill development – then homework can be tailored in ways that improve the chance of maximum positive impact for any given student.

I strongly suspect that when teachers face conditions such as pressure to meet arbitrary achievement goals, lack of planning time or little autonomy over curriculum, homework becomes an easy option to make up what could not be covered in class.

Whatever the reason, the fact is a significant percentage of elementary school children around the world are struggling with large homework loads. That alone could have long-term negative consequences for their academic success.

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20 Netherlands Education Facts (all about schooling in The Netherlands)

Did you know that the Dutch were the best non-native English speakers in the world? Or that a regular school day in the Netherlands ends at 3 PM?

Discover more thanks to these 20 interesting facts about schooling in the Netherlands ! 🇳🇱 🎓

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Best Facts About School in The Netherlands

Dutch school hours, general facts about schooling in the netherlands, more education facts, the full list of 20 dutch school facts.

The Netherlands is a small lowland country. It is located in western Europe, and it also has territories in the Caribbean. Its capital city is Amsterdam, which has a bit more than 872,000 inhabitants.

An interesting part of the country that I wanted to tackle is its education. In light of that, I have listed my 20 best facts about the Netherlands education system, and I hope you will love them:

1. There are bilingual primary schools in the Netherlands

Because of how important the English language is nowadays, the Dutch government has decided to try using bilingual primary schools .

Even though most primary schools still teach in Dutch, these bilingual primary schools teach in English for about 30 percent to 50 percent of the day, starting at age 4.

1 - netherlands schooling facts about primary schools

2. It can be tedious to relocate to the Netherlands

If you have a family, and you want to live in the Netherlands, think about education.

While it should be easy for young children, older children who have never spoken Dutch in their lives might have trouble. And even if you choose bilingual primary and secondary schools, Dutch is spoken around 50 percent of the day!

3. There are options for foreign students in the Netherlands

Nevertheless, if you do not plan on staying for very long in the Netherlands, or if you chose to teach English only to your children, there are still international schools that exclusively teach in English.

Another option is choosing some bilingual schools which offer special programs for non-Dutch speakers.

4. There are 3 types of secondary education institutes in the Netherlands

Primary education in the Netherlands lasts 8 years, for children aged 4 to 12.

After that comes secondary education, the equivalent of high school in the Netherlands. Depending on their results as well as the advice from the school, they need to choose between one of the following paths: “voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs”, “hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs” or “voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs”.

4 - facts about the dutch education system

5. The first secondary education institute in the Netherlands is VMBO

“Voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs”, often called VMBO, is the first possibility when it comes to secondary education in the Netherlands.

It is pre-vocational secondary education, and it lasts 4 years. It combines both theoretical and academic training. 60 percent of Dutch students choose VMBO.

6. There are four levels in VMBO

Depending on their score, students will be assigned to one of the four education levels in VMBO.

Their acronyms are VMBO-TL (theoretical learning path), VMBO-GL (mixed learning path), VMBO-KBL (middle management-oriented learning path), and VMBO-BBL (baic profession-oriented learning path). There is also full-time practical education for children who would not obtain a VMBO-diploma otherwise.

7. The second secondary education institute in the Netherlands is HAVO

“Hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs”, often called HAVO, is the second possibility when it comes to secondary education in the Netherlands.

It is higher general continuing education, and it lasts 5 years. After graduating from HAVO, students can access the HBO level (polytechnic) of tertiary education.

8. HAVO is divided into two phases: general and specialized education

The first three years of HAVO are very general, and are the same for everyone: languages, history, sciences, mathematics, and arts are taught.

Then come the last two years, where students need to choose one of four profiles: culture and society, economy and society, nature and health, or nature and technology.

9. The third secondary education institute in the Netherlands is VWO

“Voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs”, often called VWO, is the third possibility when it comes to secondary education in the Netherlands.

It is preparatory scientific education, and it lasts 6 years. With a VWO diploma, students can access WO training in universities (though not all of them have the same admission criteria).

10. There are two possibilities in VWO: “atheneum” and “gymnasium”

Atheneum and gymnasium programs are the two possible paths in VWO. The gymnasium program is similar to the other one but adds Latin and Greek as compulsory courses.

Depending on schools, these ancient languages might be taught in the first or the second year, usually starting with Latin.

11. Dutch students do not have many homework to do

In the Netherlands, students can enjoy their free time: there is not that much homework.

They follow what research has shown: play and exercise are vital to children’s school performance. Because of this, Dutch children aged under 10 will receive little to no homework every day, so they can have time for daily exercise. This may be one of the reasons why Netherlands has one of the best education systems in the world!

11 - netherlands education system facts about homeworks

12. Dutch students usually eat at home instead of at the school cafeteria

While school days last from around 8:30 AM to 3 PM in the Netherlands, students go home for lunch instead of eating at a school cafeteria.

Also, Wednesdays are even more dedicated to out-of-school activities, since schools dismiss students at around noon.

13. Learning a second language is very important in Dutch education

While not many countries put that much emphasis on it, learning a second language is primordial in the Netherlands.

As you know, there are bilingual schools, but generally, all Dutch students learn English, starting very early. There are even schools that require a third language.

14. Education in the Netherlands is affordable compared to Dutch people’s income

Education in the Netherlands is compulsory and free until the age of 16. After that, parents need to pay annual tuition fees for their children’s higher education.

The average cost of said tuition fees is around $2,000 per year, and low-income families can also apply for grants.

14 - cost of the education system in the netherlands

15. There are 152 international schools in the Netherlands

English is very important for Dutch people, and this is why so many of them speak it. As a matter of fact, Dutch people are the most proficient English speakers in the world !

To make this possible, they added English very early in their curriculum, but there are also more than 150 international schools in the country that mostly (or only) teach in English.

16. Every child in the Netherlands has access to the regular school in their neighborhood

Education in the Netherlands is very inclusive: even children who require very specific additional support are welcome and will be able to attend regular school, which is responsible for providing a suitable place for these children to learn.

If the support is too intensive, there are also special needs schools.

17. Homeschooling is generally not allowed in the Netherlands

Generally speaking, homeschooling is forbidden in the Netherlands.

Nevertheless, exceptions can be made for families with no school satisfying their religion or life conviction needs in the vicinity. When a child joins this system, it will be very hard for him to go back to regular school though.

17 - netherlands school system facts about homeschooling

18. There are two types of higher education institutes in the Netherlands

Higher education is divided into two parts in the Netherlands: research-oriented education (WO) and higher professional education (HBO).

The first one is typically offered by research universities, while the second one takes place in universities of applied sciences . They both lead to Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees, but in WO students can also pursue a PhD degree.

19. The Netherlands use a credit system for their education

In order for education to be on equal footing in Europe, many countries use the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, better known as ECTS. This enables anyone to move to another country, or temporarily study abroad.

These credits represent 28 hours of study each, and a year is worth 60 credits.

20. There are examinations as early as primary school in the Netherlands

At the end of primary school, children need to pass their first examination. Each school decides which of the government-approved tests they choose, but all students in one school take the same type of test.

There is also an examination at the end of secondary education.

20 - netherlands education statistics and facts

So there you have them, these were all my 20 interesting facts about the Netherlands school system. I hope you enjoyed them and that you learned something new today.

In case you want to learn more about the rest of the country, feel free to keep reading, as I still have lots of things to tell you about:

Let’s keep going with our next part, dedicated to Dutch school hours. The typical school schedule in one country can often be very different from your own, and it’s always interesting to have more details on how students go on about their day.

The Netherlands Primary School Schedule

Mandatory education in the Netherlands starts with primary school, for children aged 5 (though some schools accept 4-year-old kids).

Between the ages of 4 and 12, Dutch children attend primary school. The first 2 years are dedicated to basic skills, before shifting to a more academic path starting in group 3 (primary education ranges from group 1 to group 8, similar to grades).

At the end of group 8, almost every school administers the “ Cito test ”, an aptitude test. It is not mandatory though.

Usually, school starts between 8:30 AM and 8:45 AM before ending between 3 PM and 3:15 PM. The school year typically runs from August or September to June or July.

Dutch High School Schedule

After primary school comes secondary education in the Netherlands.

Dutch children immediately enter high school at the age of 12: depending on their Cito results and the advice of the school, they will choose one of the three possible tracks (“pre-vocational secondary education”, “higher general continued education” or “preparatory scientific education”).

High school lasts 6 years.

This last part is dedicated to general facts about the Dutch education system. More specifically, we’ll check 2 key figures that will give you a better understanding of the Netherlands education level.

Enrollment in tertiary education for The Netherlands: 78.5%

Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO

The Netherlands literacy rate: 99%

Do you want even more education facts about other countries?

Check out these facts:

Education in Germany
Education in Poland
Education in Ireland

Or click here to see ALL the education facts up on the blog!

There are bilingual primary schools in the Netherlands
It can be tedious to relocate to the Netherlands
There are options for foreign students in the Netherlands
There are 3 types of secondary education institutes in the Netherlands
The first secondary education institute in the Netherlands is VMBO
There are four levels in VMBO
The second secondary education institute in the Netherlands is HAVO
HAVO is divided into two phases: general and specialized education
The third secondary education institute in the Netherlands is VWO
There are two possibilities in VWO: “atheneum” and “gymnasium”
Dutch students do not have many homework to do
Dutch students usually eat at home instead of at the school cafeteria
Learning a second language is very important in Dutch education
Education in the Netherlands is affordable compared to Dutch people’s income
There are 152 international schools in the Netherlands
Every child in the Netherlands has access to the regular school in their neighborhood
Homeschooling is generally not allowed in the Netherlands
There are two types of higher education institutes in the Netherlands
The Netherlands use a credit system for their education
There are examinations as early as primary school in the Netherlands

Share the knowledge! Click on the buttons below to share these Dutch school facts with your friends, and help them learn more about the world 🙂

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Where the school is without classrooms! Netherlands’ School sets new benchmarks in Innovative Learning

This school in netherlands has the formula for holistic development - no classes, curriculum. setting new standards of truly innovative learning, the school allows the child to choose..

School with no classes, curriculum believes in learning more than teaching

We all dream of schools which are open spaces of learning, filled with joys and laughter and possibly no books! Well, Netherlands has found the formula. A school in Netherlands has no classes, no classrooms and no curriculum. Yes, you read that right! The educational institution does not believe in limiting learning with education. The student can choose what he wishes to learn and take his own unique developmental journey.

Break from the conventional? True. The Agora School in Roermond, Netherlands has 250 students and a long waiting list. School's entire approach is centred around projects as it focuses on "learning, not teaching". Students at Agora range from 12 to 18 years in age and each of them is given control over their own educational journey. They are able to explore and learn about topics and things which interest them.

Students can choose from diverse subjects such as German mountain guides, Mongolian horses, blacksmithing, Harry Potter patronuses, tables and skateboards. Each staff member at school is responsible for nearly 17 students each. They have to ensure that there are tangible results and genuine development. Staff also works with each student on ways to continue developing the learning journey.

Rob Houben, Manager of the Agora School in Roermond, the Netherlands said, "We get around 70 requests a week from all over the world from people wanting to come and see what we do here." He told online publishing platform Medium.com that "And I turn most of them down, I just don't have the time to do all that!". Houben can also be called the school's principal or headteacher.

Houben describes Agora "as a blend of a university (where you have knowledge), a Buddhist monastery (where you can think), a theme park (where you can play) and a communal marketplace (where you can trade and swap things)".

Students at school are encouraged to customize their desk. A student has the front of a car attached to his desk which was made with the use of local scrapyard. Students say what they enjoy most about Agora is "the freedom to explore and learn whatever they want".

Houben told, "People look strangely at us. They think because of their school experience you have to have things like four mathematics lessons a week, but in the Netherlands, that isn't the case. The government only asks you to bring students to a certain level within a certain time period."

Agora permits ubiquitous mobile phone and Internet use. "All our children have Chromebooks for free, so they (students) have access to the Internet all day. We allow them to use their phones, all day, because you need to learn how not to use your phone in certain moments. And you don't learn that when you put your phone in a locker or container because then you have to have a container your whole life," according to Houben. Agora tracks the students' progress through Egodact which is a piece of software designed by three students.

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The school with no classes, no classrooms and no curriculum.

We start with you. What do you want to learn? What are your talents, interests, and ambitions? You can use everything in the world that’s worthwhile to investigate, make or develop as your personal starting point for learning. Your personal coach will support and supervise your learning process. At Agora we traded courses, timetables, classes, and tests for challenges, collaboration and coaching by teachers.

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About the innovation

The basics...

At Agora, we believe that school has to be a good mix between:

Harvard University ... a place where all the knowledge of the world is within reach.

A Buddhist monastery ... where you feel comfortable and at ease andwhere you discover what is valuable to you in life.

A creative laboratory ... where you can make and try everything you can imagine: painting, welding, graphicdesign, 3D printing...from cooking to programming to making a robot: if you canimagine it, you can make it.

A marketplace … where you can see new things, meet and inspire each other, debate and interact.

Disneyland … a place where you feel happy, amazed and above all: welcome, supported andchallenged by the staff!!

A day at Agora

At Agora we have a simple daily structure. Within this structure, your coach teaches you to plan your challenges and other activities. Coaches start at 8 in the morning. Students start at 9 with a ‘dagstart’ (start of the day). This takes half an hour, and it’s all about interacting with other students about working together, or for instance debating about topical subjects.After the ‘dagstart’ everybody has their own agenda. After the lunch break, we have half an hour of silence, so everybody can do their obligatory reading. Most of your days end at 3pm. It’s possible and sometimes necessary to stay longer for instance to visit physical education.

> We start with you. What do you want to learn? What are your talents, interests, and ambitions? You can use everything in the world that’s worthwhile to investigate, make or develop as your personal starting point for learning. Your personal coach will support and supervise your learning process. At Agora we traded courses, timetables, classes, and tests for challenges, collaboration and coaching by teachers.

> Challenges are your personal questions, problems, things you want to learn or know, research or make. To start a challenge you have to be well prepared. Good preparation is half the battle. You and your coach decide what the end result of your challenge will be and answer questions like: What are you going to learn during this challenge? Who are you going to collaborate with to achieve a great result? How long will your challenge take? Of course if necessary your coach and other students will be there to help you with this.

> After your preparation, you present your plan for your challenge. During this presentation, you explain who might be able to help you in the various stages of the challenge to come. You explain where and how you expect to get information and knowledge. If this goes well you can start your challenge. During this execution phase, you keep track of your progress. You write down how you found information and which information you found where and how. If you’re making something you can also add pictures or videos to show and explain the progress. You, for instance, explain the difficulties and problems you encountered. You also explain how you overcome them. And of course, you write down what you want to achieve tomorrow.

> At the end of the challenge you present your end product. There are lots of ways to do this. You can make a video, a sculpture or painting to show off what you learned. Maybe you will invite us to come to a stable because you want to show us what you learned about horses in practice. Your parents, other students, and your coach are all invited for your presentation.

> After this, you have a ‘review- talk’ with your coach. You reflect on how your challenge went, which skills you improved and how you can use these during your next challenge.

Personal workspace and coach group

Your coaching group consists of a maximum of 17 other children of different age and levels. At your coaching group you have a personal workspace which you can arrange to your own taste. This means there is no walking to a different classroom every 50 minutes, instead you work at your personal workspace. Do you like variety? We also have rooms to collaborate and have meetings in. We even have silence rooms, where you can study in silence. We have workspaces where you can cook, do carpentry, painting, metalworking, or program a robot, etc. We also have volunteers who offer inspirational sessions which you can join, and we love it when you visit people and companies outside our school.

Student, coach, and course expert

At Agora you as a student have a personal coach. The two of you make your personal learning plan. Making adjustments to this plan is a continued process. You are in a coaching group with 17 other students and a coach. At least once a week you have a talk with your coach. Aside from this ‘official’ talk you see and talk to your coach every day because you are in the same room every day. When you have been at Agora for a couple of years and start preparing for the national exams you start working with our subject experts. They are teachers who support you for a specific subject.

Parents have an important role at Agora. We expect them to help on a voluntary basis. This could be anything, like helping in one of our workplaces (kitchen, carpentry, makerspace etc.). Or helping us by driving students to places they want to visit. Lots of parents offer internships, give workshops or inspiration sessions on their personal hobbies, interests, passion or occupation. Parents share these personal hobbies, interests, passions, and occupations with our students. This is great because schools can’t be experts at everything.

Impact & scalability

Agora redefines the idea of school in the traditional sense, by providing students the freedom to explore their own passions and provide personalised coaching to help students throughout their learning journey. Agora is continuously adapting to scale elements of their model within the Netherlands and abroad.

This innovation is already scaling both in the country of origin and abroad and I believe it has a high potential to scale further. It looks that this innovation can be applied in any context in any country.

The personalised learning here is great. Students have the freedom, space and resources to explore their own interests. The possible creations and outputs are endless.

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Five Reasons Education in the Netherlands Works Well

Schools in the Netherlands give homework sparingly. In the U.S., elementary students are given more than the recommended amount of homework, which is time-consuming. Research has shown that play and exercise are vital to children’s growth and school performance. Dutch students under the age of 10 receive very little, if any, homework , which gives them time for daily exercise.
Education in the Netherlands is fairly affordable. It is free for primary and secondary schools; parents need to pay for annual tuition only after their child reaches 16 years of age, and low-income families can apply for grants and loans. For university students, the average cost of tuition is about USD$2000 per year; in the U.S. it is close to $10,000.
There are different types of classes Dutch students can take for secondary school before college. Students can take HAVO (senior general secondary education) or VWO (pre-university education) before they go to college. They can also take VMBO (preparatory secondary vocational education) if they do not want to attend college right away. This system allows students to work with a program that will accommodate their needs.
Education in the Netherlands involves learning a second language. While American students usually start learning a second language in middle school or high school, some primary schools in the Netherlands teach English as early as Group 1, which is the equivalent of American kindergarten. All Dutch students learn English, but some schools require students to learn an additional language. There are even bilingual schools for every education level, where some classes are taught in English and others are taught in Dutch.
The Dutch school week is different from an American school week. A school day in primary school usually takes place from 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on weekdays, but students go home for lunch instead of eating at a school cafeteria. On Wednesdays, schools dismiss students around noon.

The Netherlands puts its youth first when it comes to education. Young people demonstrably succeed in math and sciences while having a low unemployment rate. This, along with much more successes, places education in the Netherlands at the top compared to other countries. Other countries could learn from the Netherlands in how they put education first for their youth.

– Emma Majewski

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Homework in Netherlands | Primary schools

Dutch school Homework: What parents need to know 🇳🇱

Are you moving to the Netherlands and curious about the homework culture in Dutch primary schools ?

This is what you need to know:

🎒 In grades 3 through 8 , most primary schools assign kids a ‘boekbespreking’ (book presentation) and a ‘spreekbeurt’ (presentation on a subject of your kid’s choice).

🎒 At most Dutch primary schools, kids will have regular homework starting from 6th grade (age 9) . This homework won’t be daily, but once or twice a week.

Dutch primary school homework is often something your child can do without your help .

However, should your child require help , and language barriers are a challenge, it is encouraged to communicate with their teacher to explore potential solutions.

Alternatively, you can also try to find a teenager in your neighborhood who is willing to help your child once a week for a small amount.

Please also read Bilingual schools in the Netherlands

Bilingual schools Netherlands | What do I need to know?

How much does education costs in the Netherlands?

How much does education cost in the Netherlands?

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Dutch freedom and respect allow youth to flourish

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"Let them be free" is the golden rule for child-rearing in the Netherlands. No wonder Dutch kids have been rated Europe's most fortunate. From a tender age, their opinions are valued, their wishes respected, and there is no homework until their last year in prep school.

Few Dutch children have chores to do at home but those aged over 12 may soon be able to claim an allowance, according to a proposed Bill of Rights, in return for "legitimate" labour such as cleaning their rooms.

Dutch society tends to encourage its infants to explore and experience whatever they please, offering maximum freedom and minimum responsibility. Some would argue that this has turned a whole generation into spoilt, undisciplined brats. Others say family relationships are generally open and good and that children are happy and well-adjusted, as is borne out by the Unicef survey.

But none of this is new. As early as the 17th century, visitors were both surprised and disconcerted by what was then perceived as Dutch over-indulgence of their young. "Look at the masterpieces of our Dutch family scenes by Jan Steen in the 1600s," said Gerrit Breeusma, head of development psychology at the University of Groningen. "Families elsewhere only became child-centred from the 20th century onwards. But it was already the norm centuries earlier in Holland."

Dr Breeusma is unsurprised that Dutch children were found to have the highest level of well-being of any industrialised country in the Unicef survey.

"You could almost say that we Dutch invented the child-centred society; children have always played a very important role and even more so because family relationships are more liberal and communicative than ever before here.

"After the Sixties and early Seventies conflicts within families, the baby boomers learnt how to get on really well with their kids. There are no holds barred and few taboos that cannot be discussed and chewed over the dinner table in Holland," he added.

New York-born Pat de Boer Polise, who is bringing up her daughter in the Netherlands, agrees. "I feel my daughter Aly is definitely safer in Holland. It's fantastically child-friendly - everything seems to revolve around children. Many of their activities, from karate to swimming, are state-subsidised and very cheap by American standards," she said. "There is no pressure whatsoever on kids to become achievers until they are into their teens."

But the total lack of discipline or even correction of badly behaved kids in the Netherlands is a problem, she added. "It's like they are in control of things, liberalism taken too far, because children need to have borders and be taught some responsibility early on; but that doesn't happen here, in my experience."

In several Dutch police precincts, there is similar thinking. In a bid to counteract underage binge drinking, police have taken to bringing home teenagers, ringing the doorbell and confronting parents with their drunken teenage children, threatening them with obligatory attendance at courses on excessive alcohol problems or hefty fines unless they control their offspring.

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ACCESS NL > Education in the Netherlands > Dutch school system > Primary and secondary education > I am moving to the Netherlands soon. I am considering home schooling for my children. Is this allowed in the Netherlands?

Primary and secondary education

I am planning to stay here for a long time. Should I send my children to a Dutch or an international school?

If you are planning to stay here for a long time, a Dutch school could be an option, depending on the age of your children. If your children have previously attended a school in another country and are used to lessons in English, or if you anticipate that your children will return to another country’s educational system in the future, it might be in the best interests of your children to go to a Dutch international school (subsidised by the Dutch government) or an international school here in the Netherlands.

However, if your child is at the beginning of primary school, a Dutch school might be an option. Some of them offer special courses to learn Dutch for newly-arrived foreign children ages 6-11 at the opvangscholen (reception schools). These are ordinary basisscholen (primary schools) with a special class for learning Dutch: the reception group. Every week they are taught to speak, comprehend, read and write Dutch by someone who is experienced in teaching foreign children. When children are not attending lessons in the special reception group, they attend regular classes at the school for subjects such as math, history, science, arts and crafts, etc. You can find such a primary school on https://www.lowan.nl/po/scholen/ (Dutch only). Keep in mind that if you are looking for a school in The Hague to search for “Den Haag” (in Dutch).

Children from 12 years of age are usually required to attend Internationale Schakelklas – ISK (bridging schools). Children will usually be assessed for their linguistic skills in the Dutch language before they are allowed to enrol in an ISK school. Depending on their age and ability in mastering the Dutch language, children will typically spend between 1.5 to 2 years attending an ISK school before transferring to the mainstream Dutch educational system. You can find such a secondary school on https://www.lowan.nl/vo/scholen/ (Dutch only). Keep in mind that if you are looking for a school in The Hague to search for “Den Haag” (in Dutch).

The following website https://utesinternationallounge.com/dutch-education-explained-by-genoveva-geppaart/ provides you with an overview of Dutch education.

I have a 14 year old daughter who is coming to live with me in the Netherlands. She does not speak any Dutch. Therefore, can you recommend a Dutch state school where my daughter can learn the language as well as being taught the normal academic subjects?

From 12 years of age, Dutch children normally choose from more vocationally-based training to pre-university diplomas depending on their academic ability. The lessons are given in Dutch.

After registering with the municipality in which they live, those children who meet the following criteria are usually required to attend ‘bridging’ schools known as Internationale Schakelklas – ISK:

Have lived in the Netherlands for less than two years
Need tuition to become competent in speaking the Dutch language
Are between the ages of 12 and 18

Children will be assessed for their linguistic skills in the Dutch language before they are allowed to enrol in an ISK school. There are ISK schools located throughout the Netherlands. There is no list of ISK’s . Best is to check with your municipality.

The ISK schools prepare pupils for intake into secondary education or vocational education, depending on the age of the students. These schools teach children as much Dutch as possible, so that the children can learn to the same level of academic ability in the Netherlands as they would in their home country. At the ISK schools the teenage children will be given dedicated lessons to learn Dutch for approximately 16 to 20 hours per week.

In addition to the teaching of other academic subjects such as mathematics, geography, history and economics, art and culture, the ISK schools also provide additional support for the students. This support is often in the form of a dedicated mentor and access to other specialised services, for example a speech therapist for those children who experience difficulty in pronunciation of the Dutch language.

Depending on their age and ability in mastering the Dutch language, children will typically spend between 0.5 to 3 years attending an ISK school before transferring to the mainstream Dutch educational system.

Do all international schools teach in English?

In general, most international schools teach in English, but there are also schools that teach children in their native language, e.g. the German, French, Indonesian, Japanese and Korean schools.

What are the principle aims of Dutch primary school education and what subjects will my child be taught?

The Dutch government has set kerndoelen (attainment targets) which define what children are expected to have acquired in the way of knowledge, understanding and skills by the end of primary school. Whilst these attainment targets describe in general terms the skills and knowledge a child must have acquired, the referentieniveaus (benchmark levels) for mathematics and language specifically prescribe the degree of proficiency that a child must attain in any given year of schooling.

The core curriculum for all basisscholen (primary schools) must include the following subjects:

English (from group 7 on- 10/11 years years old)
Arithmetic and mathematics
Social and environmental studies (including, for instance, geography, history, science – including biology, citizenship, social and life skills – including road safety, healthy living, social structures – including political studies, and religious and ideological movements)
Creative expression (including, for instance, music, drawing and handicrafts)
Sports and movement.

Schools are free to offer other subjects such as French, German or religious studies, but these subjects are not required by law.

I want to raise my children bilingually. Are there any Dutch schools that teach (partly) in English?

There are an increasing number of schools providing bilingual lessons. Most of them are secondary schools. In the Netherlands, Tweetalig Onderwijs – TTO (bilingual education) came into existence in 1989. In most cases, TTO refers to bilingual (mostly English-Dutch) and V oorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs – VWO, where this is the pre-university stream in Dutch secondary education.

In the TTO schools, a wide variety of subjects such as history, geography, math, physics, biology, chemistry, economics, IT, arts and music are taught in English. Bilingual lessons are taught over the preceding six years leading up to university entrance. Whilst in the last three years, students will focus upon the academic subjects that they will be examined on (in Dutch), some of the lessons will still be provided in English. Bilingual students also have the opportunity to sit the internationally recognised International Baccalaureate (IB) English Certificate. A successful result qualifies these students to enrol at English-speaking universities.

The aim of bilingual education is to prepare students for an increasingly global environment. Hence, whilst foreign language skills are important, the lessons are taught in a broad, internationally oriented context.

It should be noted that the Dutch bilingual school system has been set up with the emphasis upon native speaking Dutch children becoming competent in speaking English as their second language rather than vice versa.

What are the options for my child’s secondary and higher education options in Dutch schools and universities?

During the final year of primary school (normally in April/May), Dutch children take a mandatory test. The aim of this test is to assess the extent to which a child has progressed in his or her proficiency of the Dutch language and in mathematics. The results of the test, together with the teacher’s assessment over the preceding years, will determine which type of secondary education would be most appropriate for the pupil. The secondary and higher education options are:

VMBO: practical secondary education
HAVO: senior general secondary education (entrance to HBO – university of applied science)
VWO: university preparatory education (entrance to hbo – university of applied science or wo – research university)

VMBO (preparatory secondary vocational education)

The VMBO ( voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs ) prepares its students for a more vocationally based secondary education at a MBO ( middelbaar beroepsonderwijs ) senior school or, in some cases, a more general secondary education at a HAVO ( hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs ) senior school. A pupil will spend four years in VMBO education and whilst in their second year choose their preferred vocational direction. At the MBO they will be taught subjects that will prepare them for various occupations ranging from shop manager to mechanic or nursing assistant. Pupils who successfully complete the theoretical, combined or middle-management vocational programme at the VMBO level can enrol in professional and middle-management training. Holders of a middle-management MBO certificate may go on to study at the HBO level (higher professional education).

HAVO (senior general secondary education)

A HAVO ( hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs ) education takes five years and prepares students for a professional education ( hoger beroepsonderwijs – HBO).

VWO (pre-university education)

A VWO ( voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs ) education takes six years and prepares students for a research university education . In the first two years, students follow a common curriculum. All students at a VWO school must study three languages (French, German and English) up to the end of their third year. At the end of the third year, the students choose an academic ‘profile’ package, which includes both compulsory and optional subjects.

Find more information about foreign education systems and international baccalaureate as well as overviews of foreign diplomas in comparison with Dutch diplomas on: www.nuffic.nl .

In the Netherlands, all children aged 5-18 are required to attend school. Hence, ‘home schooling’ is not allowed. There are, however, a few situations in which an exception can be made. If you have objections to the view of life (e.g. religion) of every school in your area, you need to give a declaration to your municipality about this. You can contact your municipality for more information about the content of the declaration.

If your child is physically and/or mentally unable to attend school, you need permission for home schooling from your municipality.

Nederlandse Vereniging voor Thuisonderwijs – NVvTO is the Netherlands home schooling association. It is an organisation of parents (and other adults who function as such) who wish to home school their children whilst in the Netherlands and have done so in the past, or plan to do so in the future. More information regarding this can be found on Thuisonderwijs.nl/english.

Who is the leerplichtambtenaar and why did I get a letter from this person?

The leerplichtambtenaar is an official in charge of checking that the rules regarding leerplichtwet (compulsory educational law) are followed.

According to Dutch law, schools are responsible for monitoring and controlling all absences of their children from school. They are legally required to inform the leerplichtambtenaar (official in charge) when any child misses more than sixteen hours of school over a period of four weeks. The school may also inform the leerplichtambtenaar if a child has been late twelve times for school.

Once the leerplichtambtenaar has received such information from the school, he/she will contact the parents to determine what action may be taken.

Only in a few specific circumstances can schools grant permission for children to miss school during the school year. Schools may grant permission for a child to be absent from school for events such as weddings, funerals, religious holidays and moving house. For every other absence, it is compulsory for the parent to ask for permission from the head of school in advance.

School attendance records are regularly inspected by a leerplichtambtenaar , who tends to also check for pupil absentees right at the beginning or end of the school term, as they are regarded as very suspicious periods.

How does the Dutch school system work?

Dutch education is , like in many other countries, divided into primary education, secondary education and tertiary education.

Primary education

In the Netherlands, primary school starts with kindergarten at age four. From age five it is compulsory to attend school fulltime. There are hardly any private schools in the Netherlands. Schools can have a certain religious orientation such as Protestant, Catholic, Islamic, Hindu, any other religion or no religion at all. In addition, schools can follow a certain educational philosophy such as Montessori, Jenaplan, Dalton or Vrije School (internationally also known as Waldorf). Children with special educational needs will find offerings more frequently in primary than in secondary schools.

Secondary education

There are four options for secondary school:

Practical education ( praktijkonderwijs)
Preparatory secondary vocational education (voo rbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs , VMBO)
Senior general secondary education ( hoger algemeen vormend onderwijs , HAVO)
Pre-university education ( voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs , VWO)

Tertiary education

After secondary school there are several options:

Medium level professional education ( middelbaar beroepsonderwijs , MBO) for those who have finished VMBO. Like VMBO this has four levels.
University of Applied Science ( hoger beroepsonderwijs , HBO) for those who have finished HAVO (or MBO at the highest level)
Research University ( universiteit ) for those who have finished VWO ( or first year -called propedeuse – at HBO)

You can read more about how the Dutch education system works on the site of Ute Limacher-Riebold

My daughter is in group 8 of a Dutch primary school. She is capable of the HAVO or VWO track in secondary school, but her Dutch is insufficient for this level. What options are available?

If your child is capable of HAVO or VWO but her Dutch level is insufficient, a kopklas can be the solution.This year following group 8 focuses on improving children’s Dutch and enabling them to attend the most appropriate secondary school. Choosing this class requires high motivation by both parents and child, and it is best to discuss this option with your child’s teacher.

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Primary and secondary education

I am planning to stay here for a long time. Should I send my children to a Dutch or an international school?

I have a 14 year old daughter who is coming to live with me in the Netherlands. She does not speak any Dutch. Therefore, can you recommend a Dutch state school where my daughter can learn the language as well as being taught the normal academic subjects?

Do all international schools teach in English?

What are the principle aims of Dutch primary school education and what subjects will my child be taught?

I want to raise my children bilingually. Are there any Dutch schools that teach (partly) in English?