Living in the Netherlands - The Educational System

Children in the 5-16 age group are obliged by law to attend school. Compulsory school attendance applies to all children who live in the Netherlands or stay there for long periods, regardless of their nationality or religion.

A child must attend school no later than the first day of the month following his or her fifth birthday. If a child's birthday is on 22 February, he or she must therefore attend school from 1 March onwards.

The majority of children in the Netherlands (some 99 percent) start school at the age of four. During this extra year, children can get used to going to school and have the opportunity to learn to understand and speak Dutch better. This applies in particular to children who speak another language at home. 

A child who is not of compulsory school age, such as a four-year-old, is not covered by the Compulsory Education Act after enrolling at a school. Parents can agree with the school on their child's presence at and absence from school.

How long does compulsory schooling last?

A child is obliged to attend school on a full-time basis up to and including the school year in which he or she reaches the age of 16 (a school year runs from 1 August to 31 July). 

Compulsory attendance at school does not end completely at that point, because it is followed by a partial attendance obligation. The young person must then follow a course for at least two days a week at an educational establishment (secondary vocational education or adult education institution and institutions designated by the Education Minister). 

In the case of secondary vocational education combined with a practical training contract, the attendance requirement may be less than two days. This partial attendance obligation can be combined with a job. Young people who leave school after the school year in which they reach the age of 17 are not subject to a partial attendance obligation.

Young people who reach the age of majority, for example as a result of getting married, are still subject to the compulsory schooling requirement.

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2006
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