Education and parenting in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, school is compulsory from the age of five (leerplicht). Most children start primary school at four. Education in public schools is free of charge for children, although schools may ask for a voluntary parental contribution (ouderbijdrage).

• Compulsory education applies to all children living in the Netherlands, whatever their residence status or nationality.
• After the age of 16 there is a duty to obtain a starting qualification (kwalificatieplicht): you keep studying until you are 18 or until you have a diploma at least at the level of HAVO, VWO or MBO 2.
• If a child is absent without permission, the school informs the truant officer (leerplichtambtenaar) of the municipality. Parents can be fined. Always report a sick child to the school.
• Holidays during school time are not allowed, except in special cases with permission from the school director.

Exam tip: From what age is school compulsory? Five. From what age can children go? Four. Know both.

The Dutch school system has a clear path from primary school to secondary school and then to vocational education or university.

• Primary school (basisschool) has eight groups, for children from 4 to 12. In group 8 children take a test (eindtoets) and get advice from the teacher for the next school.
• Secondary school (voortgezet onderwijs) has levels: VMBO (4 years, practical), HAVO (5 years) and VWO (6 years, preparing for university).
• After that: MBO (secondary vocational education, 1 to 4 years), HBO (university of applied sciences, a bachelor’s degree) or WO (research university).
• You can move up: from VMBO to MBO, from MBO to HBO, from HAVO to HBO and from VWO to university.
• Students from 18 can get student finance (studiefinanciering) from DUO, partly a loan.

Parents are free to choose a school. There are public schools (openbare scholen) and special schools (bijzondere scholen) based on a religion or a teaching method.

• Freedom of education (vrijheid van onderwijs) is in the Constitution: groups may found schools, and the government pays for them if they meet the quality rules.
• Some schools use a special method, such as Montessori, Dalton or Jenaplan. Read the school guide (schoolgids) and visit open days.
• The Inspectorate of Education (Onderwijsinspectie) checks the quality of schools.
• Choose a school early, because popular schools may have waiting lists. Register your child in time.

Many parents work, so childcare is common. Daycare (kinderdagverblijf) is for babies and toddlers; after school there is out-of-school care (buitenschoolse opvang, BSO).

• Childcare costs money, but you may receive a childcare allowance (kinderopvangtoeslag) from the Tax Authority if you work or study.
• A playgroup (peuterspeelzaal) helps toddlers play with other children and learn Dutch before school.
• A host parent (gastouder) takes care of children at their home, officially registered.
• Childcare must be registered and checked. Ask if the place is in the national register (LRK).

Dutch schools expect parents to be involved. You talk to the teacher regularly, and children are encouraged to give their own opinion and learn to be independent.

• There are parent-teacher conversations (oudergesprekken) and a parent council or participation council (oudercommissie / medezeggenschapsraad) in which parents have a say.
• Hitting or hurting children is forbidden by law. Children have the right to be protected, and a teacher or doctor who is worried can report to Veilig Thuis, the advice and reporting centre for domestic violence and child abuse.
• Boys and girls have the same rights and get the same chances in school, including swimming lessons, sports and school trips.
• Children are taught to speak up, ask questions and work together. Homework (huiswerk) and school reports (rapport) are normal.
• Learning Dutch is the key. Parents can take Dutch lessons and read with their children to help.

Exam tip: Whenever an exam answer suggests hitting a child to “teach a lesson”, it is wrong: violence against children is forbidden.