Are you a Turkish-speaking parent who has recently moved to the Netherlands? If you want to guide your child's educational life here in the best possible way, it is important to understand how the Dutch education system works. In this guide, we explain the structure of schools in the Netherlands, compulsory education We explain the duration, the different types of schools and the milestones you may encounter in your child's educational journey. Also Turkish-speaking parents as a team that can help you official sources and support services and give tips on multilingualism.
Dutch education system three main levels consists of: primary, secondary and higher education. 4 years old primary school (Basisschool) and primary school education lasts 8 years. This is followed by 12 years old to secondary education (voortgezet onderwijs). The duration of secondary education can be 4, 5 or 6 years, depending on the type of school the student attends. Thus, pupils can obtain the secondary school diploma in approx. 16, 17 or 18 years old they get it.
In the Netherlands compulsory education (leerplicht) the law, 5 years old starting with 16 years old All children up to the age of 5 are required to attend school. Although most children start school at the age of 4, the legal obligation starts at the age of 5. After the age of 16 Until the age of 18 partial compulsion continues: Students must be in school at least two days a week until they reach the age of 18 or obtain at least a secondary school diploma (VMBO, HAVO or MBO diploma).
Training fee and costs: Public school education in the Netherlands free of charge. Schools only charge parents an annual fee for extra activities such as excursions, events, stationery, etc. a voluntary contribution (ouderbijdrage) . This amount is usually not high and can be adjusted according to the family's income. At the primary and secondary level of compulsory education, textbooks are often provided by the school.
School diversity: Schools in the Netherlands public schools (openbaar) and private schools (bijzonder), which can have two statuses. The majority of all schools are state-funded; schools with special status usually teach according to a particular religious or pedagogical view (e.g. Catholic, Protestant, Montessori, etc.), but the curriculum and exams are subject to state standards. In general, all schools have a high quality of education and are supervised by the state. Each municipality (gemeente) runs school enrolment according to its own schedule, so be sure to follow the local procedures for school enrolment in your new area.
The main school types and abbreviations you will encounter in the education system in the Netherlands are as follows:
The structure of the Dutch education system is designed to allow students to choose the path that best suits their interests and abilities. For example, a student can start his/her education with vocational high school (VMBO) and progress to HBO after MBO, or he/she can successfully move to VWO after HAVO. Thanks to this flexible structure, students have the opportunity to reach their desired level of education, albeit by trying different paths.
Age and class progression: A child in Holland When you're 4 years old (pre-school education is usually provided in kleuter classes within the primary school rather than in a separate institution). By the age of 12, the child has completed 8 years of primary school and transition to secondary education in secondary education. In secondary education, the pupil is placed in a school type appropriate to his/her level: for example, a child who excels academically may attend VWO, while a child who is a more practical learner may attend VMBO. All children in the Netherlands 8 years primary education + 4/5/6 years secondary education and then move on to vocational or higher education. So a typical student can finish VMBO at the age of 16 and start vocational training, obtain a HAVO diploma at the age of 17 or enter university at the age of 18 with a VWO diploma.
Transition to secondary education: The transition from primary to upper secondary education is the first major orientation point in the Dutch education system. Primary school 8th grade one for each student school advice (schooladvies) is prepared. This recommendation is an assessment of the child's academic performance and abilities during primary school. The recommendation letter specifies the type of secondary school for which the pupil is suitable. Today the advice given at primary school is decisive for the level of secondary education the child will receive . In other words, the opinion of the teachers and the school based on years of observation of the student takes precedence over the central exam in high school entrance.
In this process, students also CITO The students take a centralised examination (Cito Eindtoets, officially Centrale Eindtoets). The CITO exam is a standardised test that takes place at the end of the 8th grade of primary school and measures the student's level in areas such as language, mathematics and general aptitude. However The CITO score alone is not decisive: In case of a difference between the school recommendation and the CITO result, if the exam result is higher than the recommendation higher the school has the right to reconsider its recommendation (the possibility of the child attending a higher level school is considered). In the opposite case, i.e. if the exam is lower than expected, the first recommendation, which is usually in the student's favour, is left unchanged. In this way, the child's performance in a single test moment unrestricted educational opportunities it happens.
This orientation in the last year of primary school is not based solely on examination results. It is based on a programme that follows the pupil's development throughout his/her entire primary school life. leerlingvolgsysteem (student monitoring system) records and teachers' observations are also taken into consideration. Teachers try to recommend the most appropriate type of school by evaluating factors such as motivation, learning speed, interests as well as the child's academic skills. Parents are also informed during this process and can exchange views with the school about the recommendation.
Bridge class application: In many schools for students starting secondary education brugklas (bridge class). The bridge class is the name given to the first year of secondary school and is usually mixed level classes in the first year. For example, some schools offer a mixed HAVO/VWO class in the first year and observe the level of students for one year, after which students decide whether to study HAVO or VWO based on their performance. Similarly, for the sub-branches of the VMBO, a common programme can be applied in the first year, and from the second year onwards the student can be directed towards a more practical or theoretical stream. The bridge class is an opportunity for the child to be placed in the right place according to his/her development. Flexibility provides.
Orientation and profile selection in secondary education: Even after a pupil starts a certain type of school in secondary education, the educational path is not completely fixed. If a pupil progresses faster than expected, he/she can be transferred to a higher level school. horizontal transfer can do so. For example, a student who is very successful in the VMBO at the end of the 2nd or 3rd year Switching to HAVO to get a chance to perform at HAVO. Likewise, if HAVO students show high performance Transition to VWO . It is important to know that these transitions are possible, although they usually require teacher approval and sometimes an additional exam/course programme.
In the later years of secondary education, especially HAVO 4-5 and VWO 4-5-6students according to their interests and abilities profile (branch) selection. Four profiles are available: Science and Engineering (N&T), Science and Health (N&G), Equal Weight/Economics (E&M) and Verbal/Culture (C&M) can be translated into Turkish. Students choose one of these profiles and take their final year courses in a way to concentrate on that field. For example, a student who chooses a science profile takes more maths and physics courses, while a student who chooses a verbal profile concentrates on history and literature. Profile selection is made in accordance with the profession and higher education programme that the student wants to choose in the future. This decision is an important orientation point, as some university programmes may require graduation from a specific high school profile (e.g. the N&G profile for medicine, which includes biology and chemistry). Schools offer guidance to help students choose the right profile.
In the Netherlands, there are many organisations that you can utilise to support your child's education and to obtain the necessary information. official source and counselling service are available. As an English-speaking parent, you can make use of these resources to overcome the language barrier and request translation or counselling as needed. Here are the main resources and services:
Schematic representation of the education system in the Netherlands: Primary education (Primary) 4-12 years, Secondary education (Secondary) is divided into VMBO/HAVO/VWO pathways, followed by vocational training (MBO) or higher education (HBO - practical college, WO - university). The arrows indicate the possible pathways.
The Netherlands is a cosmopolitan country with many immigrants of different nationalities. Therefore, in classrooms multilingualism is a widespread phenomenon. Many children speak a different language such as Turkish, Arabic or English as their mother tongue at home and learn Dutch (Dutch) at school. The Dutch education system has adapted to this situation over the years with various practices. As an immigrant family, it will give you confidence to know the opportunities and practices offered for your child to overcome the language barrier and succeed in education.
Additional language support and preparatory classes: If your child does not speak Dutch well enough, the school system offers various tools to support them. 4-6 years old Children between the ages of 6 and 18 are usually admitted directly into the primary school kleuter class and are expected to learn the language naturally at a young age. In this age group, teachers pay extra attention to children who are just learning the language. 7-12 years old for children with language difficulties who start school in the intermediate years, in many regions schakelklas or nieuwkomersklas special language classes. These "connection classes" are a kind of preparatory class and the students are approximately one year of intensive Dutch language tuition receive a language qualification. Afterwards, children who have gained language proficiency move to regular classes and continue their education. In The Hague, for example, there are special language classes for international children aged 7-12, where students receive extra language training for a few hours a day.
Your child 12 years and over (e.g. in adolescence) and does not speak the language, he/she can attend secondary schools within the ISK (Internationale Schakelklas) can participate in programmes called ISK or Eerste Opvang Anderstaligen (EOA) classes are intensive language and integration programmes for students aged 12-18 with little or no knowledge of Dutch. These students learn Dutch in an accelerated manner in a separate class for 1 to 2 years, while also receiving education to ensure that they do not fall behind in their core subjects. At the end of the programme, students who have reached a sufficient language level are integrated into a secondary school class appropriate to their level. In this way, for example, a Turkish student who arrives at the age of 14 can study at ISK for a while and then transfer to a VMBO or HAVO school.
Bilingual education and English: Dutch is the country's official language of instruction, but many schools also emphasise languages such as English, especially in the upper grades. Some schools even bilingual education (Tweetalig Onderwijs, TTO) in Dutch and English. In these schools, some of the lessons are taught in Dutch and some in English. For example, in some high schools, subjects such as geography and history are taught in English, while others are taught in Dutch. The aim of bilingual schools is to enable students to progress in the Dutch curriculum while increasing their English proficiency. If you are aiming for your child to study or pursue a career in international higher education in the future, you can look at high schools that offer TTO programmes. However, it should be noted that the final exams of these schools are still in Dutch and the student must improve his/her proficiency in Dutch in any case. For everyday life in the Netherlands and for higher education, knowing Dutch remains important in the long term.
VVE programmes (Early Childhood Education): If your child is of pre-school age (2-4 years) and Dutch is not spoken at home, your municipality offers VVE (Voor- en Vroegschoolse Educatie) you may be able to benefit from their programmes. VVE is a programme for language development in pre-school avoid potential disadvantages is a state programme designed to help children with Dutch language difficulties. Children from immigrant families are particularly eligible for these programmes as they may have little exposure to Dutch at home. As part of VVE, your child can attend a playgroup/kindergarten for 4 half days a week for free or at a reduced cost, whereas they would normally attend 2 half days a week. During this extra time, the children develop their language skills through games with the help of the instructors. If your child is eligible for VVE consultatiebureauThe paediatrician/nurse or the preschool education department of your municipality can assess your child. If appropriate, you can strengthen your child's language skills before starting primary school by sending him/her to kindergarten for a longer period of time.
In the Dutch primary school environment, children of different nationalities learn together. Teachers adopt a supportive approach to students who are learning Dutch as a second language. They try to overcome the language barrier with visual materials, simple language use and peer support. Children usually acquire basic communication skills in a short time and integrate with their friends.
Kopklas (Bridge class) application: Another practice that should be mentioned in the context of multilingualism is kopklas is an additional preparatory class between primary and secondary school. If a child's academic abilities are high but his/her language skills (Dutch) do not yet allow him/her to fulfil his/her potential, in some regions there is a year-long language and subject supplementary class after the 8th grade. kopklas programme. It is designed to ensure that migrant children in particular can attend a good high school in an equitable manner. At Kopklas, pupils undergo intensive language training and a preparatory programme for secondary school, so that they can start high school the following year with a better recommendation. In this way, the risk of being directed to a lower school level due to language barriers is reduced. For example, a Turkish-speaking child who would normally receive a VMBO recommendation due to language barriers can continue his/her education at HAVO level after the kopklas. These programmes are not available everywhere, but they are available in large cities and in areas of need and aim to increase equality of opportunity.
The importance of the mother tongue: Many parents wonder whether speaking Turkish at home will make it difficult for the child to learn Dutch. The advice "Speak only Dutch at home" was common in the past, is not considered scientifically valid today . Research has shown that if children develop their mother tongue strongly at home, they benefit from a more solid linguistic foundation when learning a second language . This means that speaking Turkish at home develops the child's Turkish vocabulary and language skills, which in turn helps his brain to use the language learning pathways effectively when learning Dutch at school. Experts advise parents in the language in which they best express themselves to talk to their children. If you are fluent in Turkish, use Turkish to tell your child stories, read books, have daily conversations. This will contribute to your child's overall cognitive and linguistic development. As for Dutch, your child will already be exposed to it intensively at school. You can, of course, learn Dutch words over time and practise with simple sentences, but without forcing them and in a natural way. The important thing is that the child has plenty of time at home. to hear and use languageis - no matter which language. In fact, research shows that children who develop their mother tongue well do better in the second language and that multilingualism increases mental flexibility.
Schools are also becoming more open to multilingualism. Teachers emphasise the importance of making children who speak different languages feel valued in the classroom. In some schools, the children's home language is promoted through events such as culture days and language days. that he does not have to exclude his own identity at school and he sees it. This increases self-confidence and contributes indirectly to school success. For example, students can be encouraged to learn simple words such as "hello, good morning" in each other's language.
In conclusion, although it is natural to be concerned about your child as a Turkish parent in the Dutch education system, you can easily manage this process thanks to the many opportunities and support mechanisms offered by the system. Keep in touch with your child's teachers and school, do not hesitate to ask questions and make use of the resources mentioned above. Remember that education is a co-operation requires: When school, family and student work hand in hand, success is much easier to achieve. We wish you and your child every success on your new educational journey in the Netherlands!
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