netherlands school no homework

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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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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..

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.

Get latest news and live updates,   Latest Education News , updates from Education Minister, CBSE News and other Board Results

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This school neither has classrooms nor curriculum, but admission is full

There are currently 250 students in the school, with a long waiting list of others wanting to join.

Amsterdam: A school in the Netherlands has no classes, no classrooms and not even a curriculum in a break from the conventional approach applied in educational institutions across the world.

"We get around 70 requests a week from all over the world from people wanting to come and see what we do here," according to Rob Houben, Manager of the Agora school in Roermond, the Netherlands.

"And I turn most of them down. I just don't have the time to do all that!" Houben, who can be called the school's principal or headteacher, told online publishing platform Medium.com.

The 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.

There are diverse subjects offered to choose from -- such as German mountain guides, Mongolian horses, blacksmithing, Harry Potter patronuses, tables and skateboards.

The staff here are responsible for around 17 students each and they have to ensure there are tangible results and genuine development, as well as work with each student on ways to continue developing the learning journey.

Houben described 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)".

Each student has a desk, which they are encouraged to customise. One has the front of a car attached to it, which was built with the help of a local scrapyard.

Agora students say what they enjoy most about the school is "the freedom to explore and learn whatever they want".

"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," said Houben.

This school also allows 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.

There are currently 250 students in the school, with a long waiting list of others wanting to join.

Agora tracks the students' progress by Egodact -- a piece of software designed by three students.

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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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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?

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.

• An interview in English with Hans van Heesewijk , one of the Agora pioneers
• 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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What a great story Peter – thanks for sharing this 🙂

[…] there and not a radically new paradigm. It does have big implications for work and employment, education and many other domains, but that is only because they are so stuck in antiquated industrial […]

[…] Update: Since I wrote this article in 2015, Ubiquity has been part of a coalition of innovative learning institutions that has created the Global Accreditation Council (see https://globalaccreditationcouncil.org ). For my latest explanation of our position on accreditation see https://www.ubiquityuniversity.org/accreditation . And Joshua is now 12 (2023) and in his first year at the innovative Dutch secondary school system called Agora that I helped to develop (see https://petermerry.org/secondary-education-for-the-future-agora ). […]

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The Dutch school system for dummies: a guide from one parent to another

If you haven’t grown up in the Netherlands but find yourself raising a young family here, sending your children to a Dutch school can present some interesting challenges.

Not only will your tots be babbling away to school friends long before you can even remember seven Dutch words , but they’ll also adopt a (school) culture that differs in many ways from the one you grew up in.

So, here’s a guide, from one parent to another, to help you navigate the Dutch education system and shed some light on the baffling jargon and cryptic abbreviations you’ll no doubt be faced with.

Early or late pupil?

Although the compulsory age for school attendance in the Netherlands is five, almost everyone starts their child at basisschool (elementary school) as soon as possible after their fourth birthday.

In the first two years, kleuters (four and five-year-olds) are guided through a gradual transition from learning-by-playing to learning to read and write.

In practice, this means that some children (those born in the summer or autumn) have a full two years at school before they go into group three (the “late” pupils).

Those born in the winter or spring months, on the other hand, are promoted to group three well before they turn six (and are consequently called the “early” pupils).

Naturally, early or late has nothing to do with your child’s level of intelligence, nor what time they get to school in the morning, though parents have been known to subconsciously puff up with pride when they announce their child is an “early pupil.”

Actual learning begins in the third year. Depending on the school, subjects like natural science, geography, history, and even English are taught , often in the form of across-the-board projects that relate to the children’s everyday lives.

The main focus, however, is on reading, writing, and maths (math is wiskunde in Dutch, but at first, it’s just called rekenen ).

Dutch school system: it’s elementary, my dear Watson

Elementary schools in the Netherlands take an overall pressure-free approach to learning. Homework is rare, so children have plenty of time for play and sports activities after school.

READ MORE | Primary schools in the Netherlands: a guide for expat parents

In the seventh and eighth groups, children are given a plot in the schooltuin (school garden) where they learn how to grow their own veggies, they are taught fietsvaardigheidslessen (how to cycle safely in traffic), and they get to perform a musical at the end of their eighth year.

Most Dutch schools don’t provide school lunches. Instead, younger children bring their own fruithapje (fruit snack) and broodtrommel (sandwich box).

The school year is divided into handleable chunks of about six weeks, separated by a week off, and then six weeks of summer holiday. Your child will have a spring break, a May break, a summer break, an autumn break and a Christmas break (two weeks).

In order to avoid overcrowding of holiday destinations and traffic jams, school holidays in the North, South and middle of the country are staggered.

Nit mothers and reading fathers

If the school isn’t within walking distance from home, children in the Netherlands cycle to school. Younger children are transported in a bakfiets (a bike with a box in front) until they are about six or seven and old enough to cycle themselves.

READ MORE | Cycling like a Dutchie? First, you have to pass their bike exam!

Many elementary schools enlist parents’ help: don’t be surprised if you encounter a luizenmoeder (nit mother) combing through your child’s hair in the morning looking for nits, or a leesvader (reading father) giving some extra attention to your slow reader.

Cito-stress: going from elementary to secondary schooling in the Netherlands

After eight years of relatively carefree elementary schooling, things drastically change in the final year, when children take a mandatory state exam, the cito-toets .

Based on the results of this exam, teachers recommend the level of secondary education that will be most suitable for your child. Needless to say, this process is often surrounded by anxiety and controversy (complaints from parents about biased or incorrect assessments are common), as this next step in the child’s school career is crucial to their future.

Clever clogs that get a cito-score high enough to go to VWO (pre-university education) or HAVO-school (higher general secondary education) will almost inevitably go on to enjoy higher education.

The more practical-minded get to go to a VMBO for vocational training and are more likely to start out on a lower rung of the social ladder. (VMBO took the place of what used to be the MAVO and VBO levels — and yes, all these abbreviations are terribly confusing).

Dutch school system: choosing a secondary school in the Netherlands

Once parents and teachers have agreed on which level is best, the search for the right school begins.

The options range from a broad spectrum of schools for all levels to schools that offer only practical or vocational education and schools for only HAVO and VWO-level education.

READ MORE | 7 ways international schools differ from Dutch state schools

For children who scored above average in the cito-test, there is another option, the gymnasium. Here pupils are given Latin and Ancient Greek as well as the full VWO-curriculum.

Of course, not all these options may be available in your area.

In the big cities, the scarcity of places at the most popular schools means that your child might get uitgeloot (voted/balloted out) from the school they want to go to and have to settle for her second or even third choice. This is a real problem, especially in Amsterdam.

Under the surface

Generally, Dutch schools are well-funded and monitored through a quality assurance system. If they aren’t doing well there is a government body that will come in and assist them.

All the same, issues like bad attendance and lack of motivation and discipline give some VMBO-schools a bad reputation.

They are generally seen as less inspiring environments than a HAVO/VWO-school and attending a VMBO has a stigmatising effect on children that can last throughout life.

Gymnasia, on the other hand, are notorious for attracting children from elitist families, who tend to put greater pressure on their children to score well and go to university.

In some cities there is another worrying phenomenon: despite efforts by the Ministry of Education to encourage racial mixing, so-called zwarte scholen (black schools) that draw a majority of Moroccan, Turkish, or Surinam children find that they are being avoided by “white” children (even though no-one will admit it)!

Bridging the gap

Once your child has survived all this cito -stress and is enrolled in a school that’s within reasonable cycling range, they become a brugpieper . This is what the Dutch call a pupil in the first (and sometimes second) year of secondary school, also called brugklas .

If they are going to a gymnasium or doing VWO, they’ll be at school for six years and take their eindexamen (final exam) when they’re about 18. Afterwards, they can then go on to a WO or research university.

The HAVO-curriculum takes five years and paves the way for higher professional education at a HBO, or university of applied sciences .

For VMBO-pupils there are four different directions, varying from the very practical (learning a trade) to more theoretical training. After four years the pupil can continue their education at an MBO-school (secondary vocational education).

All the above, of course, assuming your child doesn’t blijft zitten (flunk the year)!

Dutch school system: equal chances

As if this wasn’t confusing enough, children can rise or drop from one level to another in the course of their school career, according to their results.

READ MORE | Should I enrol my child in a Dutch school? 6 factors to help you decide (from an expert)

So a VMBO-pupil with straight ‘A’s can continue at HAVO-level, and a struggling gymnasiast can drop Latin and Greek and continue at VWO-level.

This wonderfully egalitarian system allows late-bloomers to grow and under-achievers to readjust their ambitions. The only drawback is that changing levels often means changing schools entirely.

Finally, the day comes when your child hangs their schoolbag from a flagpole outside the house… geslaagd! (graduated!).

They’ve been lucky enough to enjoy what is arguably one of the fairest education systems in the world. One that offers equal chances for all to rise above one’s social and cultural background.

What do you think of the Dutch school system? Need a class on going to class? Let us know in the comments below!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in March 2017, and was fully updated in September 2022 for your reading pleasure.

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Great blog! Nice that you also included some traditions as the graduation ceremony. As the Netherlands is a very international country, there are also good international schools.

Dutch education system is truly awful. It lets the kids down. And most resent it later in life for either too much or too little stress depending on whether they are gymasium or vmbo kid. Primary education is a very low by world standards.

I fear that you are correct. The main difference between Dutch education and the rest of the world is time and the knowledge and skill acquired within that time, ie efficiency . Dutch education is inefficient. It takes its time. Kids are approximately two years behind foreign education systems. Most kids can read, write and do basic mathematics when they reach group 3 age (6/7) but in NL this is the age they start. Developmentally, this is a recipe for disaster. It means kids with learning difficulties will be identified or receive help two or even three years later than their foreign counterparts. Scientific research shows evidence that the earlier slow learners are identified the better the outcome later in life. Its common sense. For example, if a child finds maths, reading or writing particularly difficult then they have a whole two or three years of extra time to get the extra help they need. A child of 3 or 4 has a brain with more plasticity than a 6 or 7 year old . ‘Catching up’ is possible within a few years with the correct help. However, studies show if the difficulties are identified at 6+ years of age ‘catching up’ will take twice as long and require far more effort by the child who may never catch up. The Dutch education system takes care of this by allocating these poor kids to vmbo schools: kids destined for a life as a dustman or cleaner when they are merely 12. This might sound bad but at the moment in NL they will receive a minimum wage and cheap social l accommodation that is of a higher standard than in other countries. That said since the great recession, the social safety net and affordable accommodation has changed drastically. Dutch education is perhaps 20 years behind the rest of the world. That said it does produce confident kids, but their confidence might be decimated when they apply for jobs or enter the work force. They MIGHT discover that they don’t possess the same amount of knowledge as their peers and competitors. As such confidence turns to bitterness and resentfulness. It also produces older kids, as it were. Dutch adults are far less mature than their foreign peers. Dutch adults leave university when they are 25+. That’s 4 years later than their foreign peers. Their peers have say 4 years more career experience than the Dutch. This is easily seen in the Dutch workplace. I believe the worst outcome for Dutch kids is when they themselves have to become expats in a country whose primary education is two years in advance. Through no fault of their own they will have to drop a year or two and that will hit their confidence. A group 4, 7/8 year old would not appreciate dropping a year, especially when they themselves are are physically far more developed (Dutch kids are generally taller and will have played done alot of sport) than their 6 year old classmates . Private tuition is booming in NL.

I’d strongly disagree. As a Dutch person I have a obvious bias. But having lived and worked in a number of countries I can’t say I have ever struggled in any way due to a lack of education, if anything it has been the opposite. Your comments seem based on speculation rather then considering some of the misconceptions this present, the Dutch educational system is generally ranked highly.

Education happens before 6 it just happens in a different format focussed on mental development and growth as much as imparting skills and assessing who needs extra help is part of that well before age 6. I’ll also point out that in general there is no such thing as “catching up” as the goal post keeps moving.

VMBO is also not a route for just bin men but for any professional education that does not meant BA standard. Dutch highshool, and professional education is also includes the option to graduate upwards. Meaning that you move on up and continue highschool at a higher level or move on to BA or later MA program using your previous education as qualification or even dispensation. This provides much more opportunities then the “one side fits all” programs of some countries. No needs spend 4-6 years getting frustrated with either their lack or results or progress. This reduces the need for apprentices to some extents and provides students with a professional education that is valid across the board rather then a skill set that does not transfer if you ever leave your employer

On the flip side BA and MA programs can be more restrictive in their selection of Majors and Minors in order to qualify for a diploma than international counter parts. This means students do spend more time if they change their mind, but provides a clearer definition of some ones qualifications when they.

I find very interesting your comments and I want to tell you that we came from England with our son and I find very different educational system. When we came he was 12 years old and he has to stay 2 years on ISK school because of the language barrier. Now is 14 and finally is in a normal school but unfortunately on a very low level mavo 2.I think in England was 2-3 years ahead that’s why I blame myself that I destroyed my son future. How I can improve my son knowledge and where can I find tutor to help him? I want to help him to go on higher level than the one is now.I think havo is much better for him because in England he really had a good education compared with the one in The Nederlands now. Thank you, A mum concerned about her son future, Michelle

You have to be 6 by the end of september to go to the third year.

I wasn’t, I was an early pupil. I went to group 3 at age 5, turned 6 in October. I think they decide based on intelligence and development.

Brilliant article – well written and clear explanation of a complicated system. I learnt a couple of things too!

Good explanation but let’s not forget that this system is also caste-based! Many educators in the Dutch system are racially biased and put children of non-white backgrounds in lower levels based on their race, not their academics. It also does not account for the facts that people change every 10 years. It’s unfair to put a child in a box so young. I know many brilliant minds that did horribly in school because it bored them and once they decided what they wanted to do they became millionaires. The education system is flawed and biased. I also know many Dutch professionals who are depressed because they were hindered by the system not to follow their real dreams and feel stuck in a career box. Cito testing is not the most accurate assessment of your child’s education. There is a rise in international schools in Amsterdam because even Dutch parents are aware of how bad the Dutch system is on the self-esteem of their children. The Dutch system fails in SEL(social-emotional learning) as well. The amount of bullying and lack of teacher intervention is staggering. No system in the world is perfect, well maybe the Finnish, but this system needs a lot more humanity.

The Dutch system fails in the social-emotional aspect maybe because in the primary school, each class stays with the same classmates year after year. That in my opinion doesn’t learn the kids to open up to new children, and ultimately people in the future. The proof is, that most Dutch people keep a close circle of friends (mostly from childhood) and that they rarely mix with strangers for real. They might look open-minded but it’s only in the surface because they like speaking English, they are good at it.

Very interesting, good job and thanks for sharing such a good blog.

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What if my child is already 15, and starting middle school? We’re going to move to the Netherlands, and we want to know our options. I’ll appreciate some advice.

Karen, I’m in the same position, and it’s absolutely dismal here. Coming in from the US with great public schools, advanced placement programs and university bound programs I must say that the school system here is quite grim. Aside from the segregated public schools, and lack of them, Dutch public schools will hold your high schooler back a few years just so they can spend all their time learning Dutch. Officials at most public schools told me quite clearly that my son would not be able to enter a university-bound high school because learning Dutch is more important at this point in his life than getting an overall education. It’s a shame, especially when one considers that foreign non-English speaking students are integrated quite easily into the American system. Aussie system as well. There’s no such understanding of that here: kids are not allowed to integrate into a regular high school experience and are held back solely to push Dutch as the center of their existence. It’s beyond child abuse, if you ask me. International schools are the way out, but so far the three I’ve dealt with aggrandize their status online, but have shown to be extremely mediocre. On top of that there is almost no room left at the international schools, and most of them have a year’s waiting list. We have to commute to one outside of our city just to get our son to school as there is no room open at a single international school in our community. We are spending three hours a day on the road just to go to a pretty average, mediocre international school that teaches in English. It’s extremely demoralizing as it’s expensive and utterly time-consuming for a teenage kid to spend so much of his day commuting. I have also found most staff at every school I’ve dealt with to be extremely smug and contemptible: they have very little respect for parental input, and have a nasty habit of telling parents what’s best for their kids. It’s pretty awful and dystopian. We thought we could resolve this awful educational ambiance by home-schooling and taking matters into our own hands, but it’s illegal here. I would never have moved to this country had I known how awful it would be to find my son a good school (and I still haven’t really found one). I wish you a lot of luck.

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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.

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”.

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! 

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.

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.

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.

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%

(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 8.6% | South Asia: 20.8% | Arab States: 36.4% | East Asia: 36.5% | Latin America: 43.3% | Europe and Central Asia: 62% | North America: 84%)

Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO

The Netherlands literacy rate: 99%

(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 65.3% | South Asia: 72.9% | Arab States: 79.4% | Latin America: 93.7% | East Asia: 95.8% | Europe and Central Asia: 98.5%)

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 🙂

Hey, I'm Kevin

I'm a professional photographer, with over a decade of experience in the travel industry. I worked with countless travel brands, and my travel advice has been featured in major publications such as CNN, Forbes & the New York Magazine. But the best travel advice is definitely found here on my website! I'm all about adventure travel, hiking and exploring the outdoors - even if I often find myself exploring cities with my wife Nesrine. If you have any questions, leave a comment on this post or reach out by email at: [email protected]

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A Guide to Education & International Schools in the Netherlands

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The Dutch education system on the primary school level is relatively easygoing. Divided into eight groups and stretching over eight years, it provides the necessary knowledge without too much stress. However, at the end of eight years the students need to take an aptitude test that determines what secondary school they can attend.

It is the higher education system that makes the secondary school divisions so complicated. The type of secondary school a child attends determines what type of university they will be allowed to enter. The best schools lead to the best universities that are usually focused on academia and theoretical knowledge.

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The Education System in the Netherlands

In general, the education system in the Netherlands is rather international. Bilingual public schools are common, especially on the secondary school level. Schools also offer adaptation programs for young children that do not speak Dutch. Still, the language is important in everyday school life in the country. So, if it might be an issue for your child, you will have to look for private international schooling options.

What is the Education System Like?

The Dutch school system is a lot like other European examples. Children start school at four or five years of age. Primary and the initial years of secondary school is mandatory (or up until the student obtains their degree). After primary school children have to decide whether they want to study a vocation or opt for further theoretical studies to pursue a research-based university degree. Students can also choose an in-between version of these two types of schools that prepare for university-level studies of applied sciences. You can find more on this distinction later in this guide.

International parents will be pleased to know that part of the Netherlands’s school system is bilingual. There are both primary and secondary schools around the country that teach 30–50% of their subjects in English (also German or French, depending on the region). These schools often have a more international approach to schooling as well and offer student exchange programs to their pupils. However, if your child does not speak any of the aforementioned languages, finding a suitable public school can be an issue. Also, keep in mind that Dutch is still widely used in these schools.

What is the School Age System in the Netherlands?

It is compulsory for children age 5 to 16 to attend school in the Netherlands, or until they receive their secondary school diploma. Daycare is available for babies and children up until four years or age, but it is not mandatory.

What is the School Grading System in the Netherlands?

The grade system in the Netherlands is used for both secondary and higher education. It goes from 1 to 10, ten being the highest score, six being the lowest passing grade. Note that grades 1–3 are almost never assigned.

Education Facts in the Netherlands

• Pupils attend school Monday through Friday.
• School hours in primary school are from 8:30 to 15:00 with an hour-long lunch at 12:00. Wednesdays are half-days and children go home at 12:00.
• School hours for secondary school students start at 8:30 until about 16:00–17:00, depending on the day’s schedule.
• School years in the Netherlands start in August or September and end in June or July, depending on the region and school.
• There are two different types of public school in the country: special (religious Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) and general (religiously neutral).

The Main Differences Between Public and Private Schools

Private schools are uncommon in the Netherlands as most kids, even children of Dutch monarchs, attend public schools. Private schools are mostly for children with special needs or international students that cannot speak any Dutch. The country encourages foreign students to learn the language and runs a lot of programs that help them adjust to the schooling system in the Netherlands.

However, if your child does not speak English or Dutch, is uncomfortable with learning Dutch, or you do not think it will be useful long-term, you can always opt for private international schooling. The main difference here is the language and the schooling fees, because, unlike public schools, private ones are not free.

Daycare and Kindergarten

In the Netherlands, daycare and pre-school (not to be confused with kindergarten) are two separate institutions. However, both of them focus on taking care of children under the age of four. Neither daycare nor preschool is mandatory in the Netherlands, but there are some exceptions.

Daycare in the Netherlands

Daycare centers provide care for children from three months up to four years. The children can stay in the center for up to eleven hours (from around 08:00 to 18:30–19:00) where they are taken care of by professional and fully-qualified staff. Apart from playtime, music classes, and other activities, children at daycare centers get meals and snacks throughout the day. These centers are especially useful for parents that are busy working or studying during the day.

What Age Do Children Start Pre-school?

Pre-school is for children aged two (or two-and-a-half) to four. School days typically last four to five hours. However, some schools do offer full day programs as well. The school years in pre-school are not separated into junior or senior levels.

Is Pre-school Mandatory?

No, pre-school is not mandatory, in the Netherlands. The mandatory schooling starts with pre-school at 4-5.

Educational Approach in Pre-school

In pre-school, children are taught in a similar manner to the first two grades in primary school. In fact, many pre-schools co-operate with primary schools to adjust their curriculum to suit the school years ahead. This approach is supposed to ease the transition to the school environment.

Language, social, physical, and creative development are the main focus of pre-school. All of the skills are taught through play. Children sing, participate in outdoor activities, and listen to stories.

Daycare and Pre-school Fees

Daycare and primary school fees are calculated depending on your child’s age, the school or center you want them to attend, and how many hours of care are necessary. The fees can get relatively high. Pre-school and daycare costs can go from around 800 EUR (880 USD) to 2,000 EUR (2,110 USD) per month for five days of classes each week.

However, the government (national or municipal) provides monetary support to parents with children under twelve years old. They receive a childcare allowance that relieves the burden by covering at least three-quarters of the necessary sum. The size of your allowance depends on how much you and your partner earn and how many hours you work per week. Depending on your situation, the relief can lower the costs to 100–550 EUR (110–610 USD) per month for full-week classes.

Talk to other international parents with young children in Netherlands

Primary and secondary schools.

Primary schools in the Netherlands do not differentiate much between students. However, once you enter the secondary school realm, academic potential becomes very important.

Children need to choose between educational approaches that allow them to achieve different levels of education––the more theoretical schooling is, the higher level it is considered to be. And while each student chooses what is best for them, the highest educational level can be achieved in schools with an academic approach to learning.

Primary (Elementary) School

Primary education is eight years long and divided into eight levels (groups 1–8). In the Netherlands, it is mandatory for children to attend school from five years of age, but many children start at four. If you want your child to start school at five, they will be admitted into group 2.

In some schools, groups 1 and 2 are merged. These first two years of primary school are the closest thing to kindergarten in the Netherlands. The approach to schooling here is very similar to daycare centers where teaching is play-based. More substantial learning starts from group 3, where children start learning to read and write.

Primary School Curriculum

The core curriculum in Dutch primary schools consists of the following subjects:

• English (could start at group 1 or 7)
• arithmetic and mathematics
• social and environmental studies (e.g., geography, biology, history, science, road safety, healthy living, social and life skills, study of political, ideological and religious movements)
• creative expression (e.g., arts and crafts, painting, music)
• sports and movement

Schools may choose to include other subjects in the curriculum as well, such as other languages, but it is not mandatory.

Children usually are not given too much homework (under 30 minutes per day) so that they can join after-school activities.

At the end of primary school, students need to take an aptitude test that determines which type of secondary school they can attend. They usually get a recommendation to either opt for vocational training or general education.

Primary School Schedule

The school year in primary school is divided into six-week intervals of learning and one week’s break in between. Holiday breaks are longer, so for Christmas children get two weeks off while the summer break lasts six weeks.

Primary School Costs

Public primary school in the Netherlands is free. However, you can expect to make some optional contributions (e.g., for after class activities, school lunch, etc.) throughout the year. In total, that can get to around 100 EUR (110 USD) per year.

International Students at Primary Schools

Children that have lived in the Netherlands for less than a year and speak little to no Dutch can attend a newcomers’ class that will help them catch up with their peers. The class lasts one academic year.

Secondary (High) Schools

There are two types of secondary education in the Netherlands:

• vocational training (VMBO)
• general education (HAVO and VWO)

Depending on the student’s academic capabilities, they have to choose which type of education is the most suitable for them. Students that wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree need to get general education as it prepares students for university.

Types of Secondary Schools

Depending on which educational path a student opts for, they can attend one of three types of secondary schools:

• VMBO (four years) – provides pre-vocational education. Followed by vocational training at MBO.
• HAVO (five years) – called senior general secondary education. It prepares students to attend an applied sciences university (HBO).
• VWO (six years) – pre-university education that prepares children for a research university (WO).

Note that while these are the common pathways to education this does not mean they are the only ones. Each student is allowed to choose their own path; however, some transitions might require additional bridge years of studies when it comes to higher education.

Pre-Vocational Education at VMBO

• VMBO stands for voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs  and provides pre-vocational education that leads to professions, such as a nurse or mechanic.
• The schooling consists of four years of training (two in lower-level and two in upper-level years).
• Lower-level years offer a general education with a broad range of subjects.
• Upper-level years are for specializing in an occupation. The pupil can choose the study approach: more academic, more practical, combined, or basic studies, providing the minimum knowledge required for graduation.
• To graduate you need to take national exams in six subjects.
• Four types of diploma are available after graduation (VMBO-bb, VMBO-kb, VMBO-gl, or VMBO-T), depending on the study approach.

After obtaining their diploma, students need to attend MBO ( middelbaar beroepsonderwijs , or vocational training school) to get the full vocational training. This usually takes about three years.

General Education at HAVO and VWO

If your child opts for general education, they have a choice between HAVO ( hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs ) and VWO ( voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs ) schools. The three lower-level years cover a broad range of subjects and are fairly similar in both educational institutions.

However, the upper-level years allow for more in-depth specialization according to the subject cluster. Typically, students receive a recommendation on which school to choose after the first two years of secondary education.

Possible Subject Clusters

• culture and society
• economics and society
• nature and health
• nature and technology

Main Differences Between HAVO and VWO

• Pre-university education, usually followed by HBO type university
• Five years of training: three in lower-level and two in upper-level years
• Need to take exams in at least seven subjects to graduate
• More practical approach to learning
• Pre-university education, usually followed by WO type university
• Six years of training: three in lower-level and three in upper-level years
• Need to take exams in at least eight subjects to graduate
• More academic approach to learning

There are a few types of VWO schools ( atheneum, gymnasium , and VWO plus) that differ in mandatory supplemental languages (Greek and Latin specifically). Technasium is available for students of both HAVO and VWO. There, the educational approach is based on research and design and focuses on developing a science-related skillset.

Secondary School Costs

Public schools in the Netherlands are free. However, some parental contributions might be necessary, whether it is for school trips or other activities.

International Students at Dutch Secondary Schools

Sometimes a student’s educational level does not equal their level of Dutch and this might hinder their success in school. That is why internationals that wish to bridge their language gap can attend a special international class that will help them learn Dutch. Their language level is determined upon enrollment and they can stay in this class for one or two years.

Talk to other international parents with young children in the Netherlands

International schools.

You can find many school options for foreigners in the Netherlands as the Dutch government is eager to best adapt the international students to the local programs. Dutch language is taught in special classes for children of all ages. However, if you think international schools are the best for you and your child, the country offers such schooling options as well.

Schools in the Netherlands for International Students

Expats can rely on international schooling when it comes to both primary and secondary education. Parents can find French, Japanese, and German schools, as well as those that follow the British curriculum. Some of them are:

• Amsterdam International Community School
• Deutsche Internationale Schule (The Hague)
• International School Eindhoven
• Le Lycée Français Vincent van Gogh (The Hague)
• Rotterdam International Secondary School, Junior and Secondary Campuses

Tuition Fees for International Schools

Some international schools in the Netherlands are subsidized by the government while others are not. If you opt for a subsidized school, you will find that the fees range from around 3,600 to 6,000 EUR (3,980–6,630 USD). The schools that do not receive government contributions can be two or four times the price, ranging from around 12,000 to 24,000 EUR (13,250–26,510 USD). The schools might also require a security deposit or other application fees.

International Schools Requirements and Admission

While the admission processes differ from school to school, most of them require the following documents:

• filled-out application form
• child’s birth certificate
• previous school records
• passport-style photo

Some schools require the child’s parents’ documents or proof that their residence in the country is temporary. Other schools require the potential pupil to visit the school before submitting a formal application.

Note that some schools might only allow for your child to start school at the beginning of the school year, while others might accept them mid-term as well.

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Higher Education

Higher education in the Netherlands is divided into two sections:

• research-oriented learning
• practice-oriented learning

Researched-Based Programs

Universities with research-based programs (WO) are often considered to be training the top achieving students in the country. They encourage pupils to develop their analytical thinking, consider abstract concepts, and ask questions. The teaching approach requires self-initiative as there is little supervision and results mostly depend on the student’s effort and discipline.

The teaching pace is rapid so students need to quickly process the information. Graduates of such universities do not have strict professions per se. The typical career paths are in fields like administration and policies, management, and research. Schooling for bachelor’s in such universities last three years while master’s can take 1–3 years.

Practice-Based Programs

The training at practical approach universities (HBO) is more focused. These educational institutions provide a clear occupational path for their students that often lead to white-collar jobs. The teaching speed in such universities is slower and there is much more group work and supervision.

HBO universities encourage students to apply their knowledge in practical terms in search of a solution. Here, the bachelor’s degree or equivalent is obtained after four years of studies and internships are mandatory for graduation.

Graduating either of these universities grants you a bachelor’s degree. However, there are some differences. HBO universities can be more science and technology-oriented, so the name of the degree might be Ingenieur  which means engineer. Bachelor of Arts, Science, and Laws are titles granted by the academic universities (WO). If you wish to pursue a master’s or further academic degree, you will need to look into options suggested by WO universities.

(Promotion) Higher Education for Working Professionals

If you want to gain enough knowledge to reach a higher managerial level, upskill, or change career paths, there are now many opportunities available. For working professionals, one aspect is crucial — flexibility. One of the most flexible offers available are the accredited Master and MBA online degrees offered by IU International University of Applied Sciences. Learn more here.

Best Universities for International Students in the Netherlands

Most university programs in the Netherlands are taught in Dutch. However, there are quite a few English study programs all over the country as well, with around 300 options for bachelor’s degrees and over 1,300 for master’s.

According to US News’ global university rankings, the best higher education institutions in the Netherlands are:

• University of Amsterdam
• Utrecht University
• Erasmus University Rotterdam

How Much Does It Cost an International Student to Study in the Netherlands?

The price for your bachelor’s studies in Dutch universities depends on where you are from. Tuition fees for EU/EEA nationals are capped at 2,083 EUR (2,300 USD) per year or less. For citizens of other countries that want to study in the Netherlands, the price jumps way higher. Depending on the course, a foreign student might pay 6,500–12,000 EUR (7,180–13,250 USD) for an academic year.

Prices for EU/EEA nationals for master’s degrees are the same as for a bachelor’s degree, but third country nationals will notice an even bigger price gap. For them, master’s degrees in the Netherlands can cost 7,700–18,750 EUR (8,520–20,750 USD) yearly.

Language Schools

While maneuvering through everyday life in the Netherlands might be easy for English speakers, learning Dutch is still advised. Attending a language school and learning the basics helps expats to adjust to the new culture and often proves to be useful for their career.

Top Rated Local Language Schools

• NedLes (Amsterdam)
• Talencoach (Amsterdam)
• BSN Language Centre (The Hague)
• DNA Languages (The Hague)
• iplus1 (Rotterdam)

Apart from language schools, you can choose to attend a university course or evening school or library-organized classes. Their schedule might be less flexible, yet the costs might be lower (in some cases, free of charge).

Language School Fees

The price for a language course differs from school to school. It depends on the length and intensity of the course, how big the learning group is, as well as where the school is situated. For a twelve-week beginners course expect to pay around 1,400–2,000 EUR (1,550–2,210 USD). Less intensive or shorter courses can cost around 300–500 EUR (330–550 USD).

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Author: Claudia Civinini

Claudia has many years of experience as a reporter and writer on international education and student mobility. Originally from Italy, she holds a BA in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Genova; a Graduate Diploma in Education, Secondary Education and Teaching from the Australian Catholic University; and a joint MSc in Educational Neuroscience from UCL and Birkbeck, University of London. Claudia has previously worked as Chief Reporter for the English Language Gazette, as Senior Reporter for the PIE News (Professionals in International Education), and as Reporter for Tes.

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