The Netherlands has a unified education system, regulated by central laws, with decentralised administration and management of schools.
A central educational policy, through the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, governs teachers’ qualifications and conditions of service, funding and spending, school leaving examinations and inspection, while there is a constitutional freedom to establish private-sector schools which reflect a denominational or educational philosophy. A deregulation policy, devolving budgets and responsibility to the competent authority of each school, has been followed since the early 1980s. Schools must submit a school plan (including an overview of the organisation, content of teaching and lesson timetable) for inspectorate approval.
There are both publicly run and privately run schools in the Netherlands. Some 70 per cent of students attend privately run schools.
Public and private schools are statutorily equal. This means that government expenditure on public education must be matched by spending on private education providing private schools meet the conditions set out in laws and regulations. Private schools have the freedom to determine what is taught in their schools and in what way, although this is limited by the qualitative standards set by the Ministry of Education in educational legislation.
The general language of instruction is standard Dutch. In the province of Friesland, Frisian has an official status, and schools teach in both Frisian and Dutch. Other local dialects, such as Lower-Saxon, may be used as the language of instruction at educational establishments in areas where they are spoken, alongside standard Dutch.
Full-time education is compulsory from the first school day of the month following a child’s fifth birthday until the end of the school year in which he/she reaches the age of 16, or has completed 12 full years of schooling. From age 16, students must receive at least part-time education until the age of 18. In reality, most children attend school from the age of four. Students aged 16 or over who are in either full- or part-time upper secondary education must pay annual tuition fees, but remission is available on a graduated scale according to parental income.
From age 12, different types of secondary education (see below) cater for students of differing abilities. Access is based on successful completion of primary education, assessment to establish their suitability and, in some cases, on the results of centrally developed tests which measure students’ level of knowledge and understanding.
Phases Age range and key stages
Primary education (both primary schools and special schools for primary education) Ages 4/5 - 12
Secondary education
Pre-university education (VWO) Ages 12 -18
Senior general secondary education (HAVO) Ages 12 - 17
Pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO) Ages 12 - 16
Special secondary education Ages 12 – 18/20
The Netherlands does not offer education for children aged under four years of age. Almost all four-year-olds (99.3 per cent) attend primary school, although this is not compulsory until children reach the age of five.
The first four years of upper secondary education in the Netherlands are part of compulsory education.
Special education consists of two groups of schools:
· Special schools for primary education. These cater for children with learning and behavioural difficulties or learning and developmental difficulties.
· Special schools. These provide special education for disabled children and children whose education requires a special approach, catering either for the primary or secondary age group, or both.
Since 1991, policy has been geared towards integrating children with special needs into mainstream primary schools. The aim of this policy is twofold – to enable students with special needs to attend mainstream primary schools, and also to control costs by awarding a set budget to a consortia of schools to fund both special schools for primary education and special facilities at ordinary primary schools.
The school year runs from August until June. Schools open five days a week (Monday – Friday), but Wednesday afternoon is generally free in primary education.
In primary school, children receive a maximum of 5.5 hours of lessons a day (excluding breaks). Children receive an average of 22 hours of lessons per week during the first two years of schooling and an average of 25 hours a week in the remaining six years. The minimum number of school days per year in primary and secondary level education is 200 and, by law, students must receive at least 3.500 hours of teaching during the first cycle of primary education (Years 1-4, aged 4-8) and at least 4,000 hours during the second cycle (Years 5-8, aged 8-12).
9. Statutory curricula
The Ministry of Education determines the overall curriculum and details of compulsory subjects. Schools devise their curricular plan and teaching methods and select materials.
Compulsory areas of learning at primary level include sensory coordination and physical exercise, Dutch, arithmetic and mathematics, English, a number of factual subjects including geography, history, science (including biology), social structures (including political studies) and religious and ideological movements, expressive activities, social and life skills and healthy living. Schools are free to decide how much time is spent on the various areas of the curriculum.
During the first three years of secondary school (basisvorming) (the period of basic secondary education (12- to 15-year-olds)) students are taught a compulsory core curriculum of 15 subjects. The remaining 20 per cent of teaching time may be used by schools for lessons and other educational activities at their own discretion. Targets have been published giving the recommended number of periods to be spent on each subject, assuming that one period lasts 50 minutes. Computer skills are included in the core objectives for nearly every subject.
A third modern language is compulsory in the first three years of HAVO and VWO, while the gymnasium (part of VWO) curriculum must also include Latin or Greek.
For students following the VMBO course, the fourth year is part of lower secondary education. In both the HAVO and VWO courses the fourth year is part of upper secondary education.
Religious education is usually provided in denominational schools only.
In primary schools, compulsory areas of learning include social and life skills and healthy living.
The common core curriculum for the first three years of secondary school (basisvorming) includes the compulsory subject of life skills.
Textbooks are produced commercially, selected by free choice and provided on loan to students by schools, although in upper secondary education (from the age of around 15+) students often contribute towards the cost of books and other learning materials.
Continuous teacher assessment takes place throughout primary and secondary education. National (minimum) attainment targets are defined for primary and lower secondary education and revised every five years. There are also prescribed syllabuses for final (upper secondary) examinations.
There are no statutory rules regarding progression in primary schools. Repeating a year is possible, but schools aim to ensure an uninterrupted process of development. During basic secondary education, students may occasionally have to repeat a year.
14. Examinations and certification
At the end of primary school, a student’s report records his/her achievement and advises on secondary school choice. Most schools (approximately 90 per cent) use national tests to measure the students’ end results.
In secondary education, VMBO examinations are in two parts: internal school examinations and national examinations. A similar arrangement exists for the HAVO and VWO qualifications, although for some subjects studied there is only a school examination.
Intending primary school teachers complete a four-year course at a higher professional education (HBO) institution. On successful completion, they are qualified to teach:
· all subjects and all age groups at primary level;
· in special education at both primary and secondary level; and
· in adult and vocational education.
Secondary school teachers are trained at HBO institutions or universities.
HBO training courses for secondary school teachers lead to either a grade 1 or grade 2 qualification. Students specialise in one subject; HBO teacher training courses cover both subject training and aspects of teaching in general. Teachers receiving a grade 2 qualification are qualified to teach the first two years of HAVO and VWO and all years of VMBO and secondary vocational education. Teachers with a grade 1 qualification are qualified to teach at all levels of secondary education, including the last two years of HAVO and VWO respectively.
The university-based teacher training courses for secondary school teachers are available to university graduates who hold a ‘doctoraal’ or master’s degree. They take a postgraduate teacher training course (ULO) leading to a grade one qualification (see below). In addition, students can also begin, and complete, teacher training courses during their time as undergraduates.
In university-based teacher training, courses are available for all subjects in the secondary education curriculum. Students specialise in one subject, sometimes with an extra qualification to teach a subject such as general science or culture and the arts. Graduates from university-based teacher training courses have a grade 1 qualification and may teach at all levels of secondary education.