Schools in the Netherlands - how the system works and how to enrol

• Children may start primary school (basisschool) from age four, and must attend from the first school day of the month after their fifth birthday.
• Full-time compulsory education (leerplicht) lasts until age 16. After that, young people must keep learning until they have a basic qualification (a HAVO, VWO or MBO level 2 diploma) or turn 18 (kwalificatieplicht).
• Each municipality has a school attendance officer (leerplichtambtenaar). Parents can be fined for unauthorised absence.
• You may not take your child on holiday outside school holidays. Only if your job makes a holiday in any school holiday impossible can the head teacher grant up to 10 days once per school year; ask at least eight weeks in advance.

Primary school has eight years, called groups (groepen). Groups 1 and 2 (kleuters) focus on play, social skills and preparation for reading; formal reading and writing start in group 3. Schools must teach English by group 7 at the latest, and many start earlier.

Schools differ in ethos. Public-authority schools (openbare scholen) are open to all and not based on religion. Private schools (bijzondere scholen) are also government-funded and may be religious, or follow an educational approach such as Montessori, Dalton, Jenaplan or Steiner. Some schools are community schools with after-school activities. Children who need extra support are entitled to an appropriate place, in mainstream or special education.

In group 8 every pupil takes a national progression test (doorstroomtoets) in Dutch and arithmetic. The school gives a school advice (schooladvies) on the right secondary track; if the test result is higher than the provisional advice, the school can raise it, or must explain why not.

• Practical education (praktijkonderwijs): for pupils who learn best by doing, preparing directly for work.
• VMBO (pre-vocational, usually four years): leads to vocational education (MBO).
• HAVO (senior general secondary, five years): prepares for universities of applied sciences (hogescholen, HBO).
• VWO (pre-university, six years): prepares for research universities; atheneum and gymnasium are VWO streams, with gymnasium including Latin and Greek.

Many schools combine tracks in the first years. Pupils who are held back mainly by limited Dutch may benefit from a kopklas, a one-year bridging class after group 8 offered in some areas. Schools hold open days (informatiedagen) before admission; follow your municipality's registration timetable.

• Ages 4 and 5 usually join a regular primary school straight away and learn Dutch in class.
• Ages 6 to 12: newcomer classes (nieuwkomersklassen) focus on Dutch and life in the Netherlands, usually for about a year, before pupils move into a regular class. In Amsterdam, I amsterdam lists 17 locations, almost one per district; you apply through the regular primary school enrolment and the school arranges the place. There is no extra cost.
• Ages 12 and over: an international bridging class (internationale schakelklas, ISK) at secondary level, before moving to a regular track.

There are two kinds. International schools partly funded by the government or municipality charge fees and may have admission criteria; some, for example, require that at least one parent holds a foreign passport. Independent private international schools set their own fees and admissions. Many follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes; there are also schools teaching in other languages, such as French or Japanese. Waiting lists are common in the Amsterdam area.

A Dutch school can be a good choice if you plan to stay long-term; children usually pick up the language quickly, especially when they start young.

Government-funded schools charge no tuition fees for pupils under 18, and secondary schools provide most textbooks. Schools may ask a voluntary parental contribution for trips and extra activities, and participation cannot depend on it. You pay for items such as sports clothes, a calculator or dictionaries, and for after-school care (BSO) and lunchtime supervision (TSO), for which you may get the childcare benefit for BSO.

The Netherlands has three holiday regions. Amsterdam and all of Noord-Holland are in region North. Recommended dates for region North in 2026–2027: autumn 10–18 October 2026, Christmas 19 December 2026 – 3 January 2027, spring 20–28 February 2027, May 24 April – 2 May 2027 and summer 10 July – 22 August 2027. Schools may deviate slightly; check the school guide (schoolgids).

1. Register early. You can register a child at a primary school from age three. Popular schools have waiting lists, and some municipalities, including Amsterdam, use shared admission rules with priority for siblings and nearby schools. Check your municipality's website for its procedure and deadlines.
2. Visit schools. Ask about class sizes, support for children learning Dutch, school hours (many primary schools close early on Wednesdays), after-school care partners and the inspectorate's latest report.
3. Bring documents. You need your child's citizen service number (BSN), shown with a passport, ID or birth certificate, and proof of deregistration if your child is changing schools.
4. Arrange care around school hours if both parents work; see childcare in the Netherlands.