One of the important actions to take is figuring out international schools in the Netherlands which can be quite the palaver. And the International schools in the Netherlands are the schools for the nonnative (usually) study. Students from a variety of different cultures and nationalities can profit from the international education.

The schools either have an international curriculum, which is recognized everywhere, or they take up the national curriculum of a different country (for example a British International School would follow a British curriculum).

The whole school system in the Netherlands and everything about international schools in the  Netherlands can be confusing if you are new in the country. All children have different starting points and all parents have different expectations. Within  not about passing a certain test or exam, rather about learning the skills to be an active and engaged global citizen who views the world around them with empathy.

The Dutch education system is of the highest quality and committed in creating a safe and caring community for children. The promise of Quality, Community and Care is made by many educational supporters. Preparing children for success in tertiary education and life itself. Therefore, the education offered is of a high quality, that complies with international standards as well as the demands of the Dutch school inspection.

Without one of the below  conditions being met, you won’t be able to put your child into an international school in the Netherlands.

Each school varies, so it’s worth looking up the actual school to see what curriculum they follow. In terms of national diplomas, each teach in their own curriculum’s, along with offering additional diplomas. The more detailed information can be found on several sites dedicated to this.

Bilingual Schools

There are only a few official bilingual primary and secondary schools. This is called ‘Tweetalig Onderwijs’  AKA TTO. The proficiency certificates, such as CPE diploma, CAE and English A2 are awarded here. Lessons are taught 50% in English and 50% in Dutch. A great proficiency in both languages is required. Just to get a general idea here are the pros and cons we found to help make a decision.

Pros of international schools in the Netherlands

1. Your child will be taught in an international learning environment — this is always good as we’re living in a globalised world.
2. Lots of international teachers teach at international schools — this also enhances their international learning environment and also means that the teachers will understand any of your child’s concerns and even yours.
3. Your child gets taught an international curriculum and one that suits their circumstances – it will enhance their employment, especially when they are working abroad.
4. The child will get a multilingual education and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn not only your native language well, but the Dutch language and other languages at the same time.
5. Your child will get to engage with people from all different backgrounds, cultures, religion and will make friends with a variety of different people — also very valuable in this day and age.

Cons of international schools in the Netherlands

1. They can be very expensive and so you need to ensure that you have the finances to meet that (however, sometimes companies will pay this for you, if you’re working somewhere great).
2. Some people argue that it is a negative thing that your children will not meet ordinary Dutch children (and that therefore their integration will be limited).
3. You may have to travel further to go to an international school.
4. There are less international schools to choose from than regular Dutch schools.

There is a long list of all the international schools in the Netherlands, so there is some research required. Several significant factors that must be considered when deciding whether to send children to a local or an international school. Such as:

1. Your location and proximity to various different types of schools;
2. Your children’s scholastic and language aptitude;
3. How much you want your family to become a part of the local Dutch community;
4. Whether, and where, your children want to study after completing high school;
5. How long you plan to live in the Netherlands.

However, the general advice is as follows, if a move to the Netherlands is one in a series of international assignments, the recommendation is to assigned children to an international school. If there is security in finding schools of own nationality (e.g. German, French or Japanese) in other countries on the list of assignments to as well as here in the Netherlands, continuity may best be achieved by choosing a foreign school in the Netherlands.

Global Relocation Compass, we provided not only the outlines, give us a go to take you into the right direction…