Secondary school

Branches of secondary education

There are three branches of secondary education: preparatory secondary vocational education (voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs, VMBO), senior general secondary education (hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs, HAVO) and pre-university education (voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs, VWO).

A report from the primary school will advise which branch best suits the child. Children undergo a test in group 8 to assess their aptitude. This is called the CITO-test (CITO-toets). The report from the school will be based on the result of that CITO-test.

The differences between VMBO, HAVO and VWO explained.

Choosing a secondary school

Once the branch of secondary education has been decided, it is possible to visit the schools. Some schools only offer one branch, others several. Schools organise open days (informatiedagen) where one has the opportunity to put questions to the teachers. It does happen that a school has too many applicants and must reject some of them. It is therefore important to apply in good time and consider alternatives. Please note that it is only possible to register with one school at a time.

Amsterdam has 31 secondary schools. Click here for a list of secondary schools in Amsterdam (only in Dutch). A school guide (scholengids) can be obtained from your urban district (stadsdeel).

Specialised schooling

The are many special schools providing lessons based on a particular pedagogical vision or religious conviction. Examples of the former are the Montessori or Steiner educational systems. There are also schools based on Catholic, Jewish, Protestant and Islamic principles. Alongside special education there are also special needs schools, directed towards handicapped children or those with behavioural problems.

Costs of secondary schooling

Secondary schools do ask for a parental contribution (ouderbijdrage). This contribution is voluntary. The cost of education is borne by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap), but there are costs for other activities, such as school trips. The level of the contribution varies per school. The contribution amounts are listed in the guide to selecting secondary schools(keuzegids middelbare scholen).

As well as the parental contribution, there are the costs of text books, exercise books, other materials and excursions. These must be paid for by the parents.

School hours

The minimum number of lessons is stipulated by law: 1040 hours a year for the initial four years or initial three years in HAVO or VWO. In the final years of VMBO, HAVO and VWO the pupil must receive at least 1000 hours of tuition. This applies to every year of vocational education. In the final exam year, the number of lessons is lowered to 700. Most schools begin at 08:30, Monday to Friday. The lesson timetable determines when the day finishes.

Contacts

Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
(Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap)
Website: www.minocw.nl

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