Discovering The Netherlands

Education Kindergarten

Day nursery schools, “ kinderdagverblijven” , are available in The Netherlands. Apply early because there is usually a waiting list to attend. Preschools for children ages two through four are called “ Peuterspeelzalen” . Although non-Dutch speaking nursery schools are difficult to find in some cities, many international elementary schools have classes for pre-school age children. There are some schools, either international or Dutch with an English stream, which are favored by expatriate families in The Netherlands, and which include preschool age children. Schooling In The Netherlands all attendance to school is not compulsory until age five but may begin at age four. Primary school lasts until the age twelve. Dutch children begin learning foreign languages like English since their early years. At the end of the primary school twelve-year old children stake the CITO exam to test for proficiency in Dutch language skills, mathematics, and problem solving. This standard test will influence the type of secondary school that a child can attend. There are two main tracks to follow, university or technically oriented. During the “ brugperiode” , a one- to three-year bridge period, the two tracks are combined. After this period, the student makes a choice about the direction of his career, based on performance and test results.

After the tests, children can take the following paths: + VMBO is a four-year program + HAVO is a five-year program + VWO is the longest program, lasting six years

There are eight public universities and five “ hoge scholen” , which are equivalent to undergraduate universities. A standard university degree takes four years to earn .

Childcare Public daycare for children aged six weeks to four years old. Centers are generally open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Urban areas have a shortage so expect long waiting lists. Some daycares are especially expat-friendly, with an English-language website and multilingual staff: + Hestia : Three locations in Amsterdam + Zein International Childcare : Four locations in and around The Hague

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Discovering The Netherlands