First separate three school types
The first is the Dutch mainstream school. Dutch primary education includes public-authority and private schools, and lessons are mainly in Dutch. In secondary education, pathways such as VMBO, HAVO and VWO of the Dutch system come into play.
The second is Dutch International Schools. They are state-subsidised, offer an international curriculum taught mainly in English and are linked to a mainstream Dutch school. Dutch language acquisition also takes place. Admission has conditions: the official admissions page says, for example, that a child of non-Dutch nationality must have a parent working in the Netherlands for a limited time, and a child of Dutch nationality must have lived and attended school abroad for at least two years because of a parent's posting abroad.
The third is private international schools and foreign schools. These are not the same system as Dutch International Schools. Do not decide the funding, admission conditions or curriculum from the words International School alone.
| School type | Main language of instruction | Position in the system | Where to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch mainstream school | Dutch | Public-authority or private; VMBO, HAVO, VWO pathways | Government and school information |
| Dutch International Schools | English (Dutch also learned) | State-subsidised international education; eligibility conditions apply | DIS admissions page |
| Private international school | Varies by school | A separate category; conditions set by each school | Each school's official information |
The language of instruction changes the support needed
If a child at a Dutch mainstream school speaks almost no Dutch, education for newly arrived children may be involved depending on the area. In Amsterdam, the newcomer group in primary education and the international transition class in secondary education are described.
Dutch International Schools use an international curriculum taught mainly in English. For private international schools, check the language of instruction and any extra language support in each school's official information. If you need a tutor, it is important to first share in which language the child learns each subject.
Check the curriculum and pathway system
In general Dutch secondary education, the differences between VMBO, HAVO and VWO relate to pathways. Dutch International Schools offer an international curriculum, and programmes and year structures differ by school. Private international schools have their own systems, such as the IB, British or American curricula.
Even a subject with the same name, mathematics, may differ in units covered, assessment, notation and task format. Share with a tutor not only the school name but the curriculum, year, materials and recent tasks. See also the comparison of IBDP, AP and A-Level for curriculum differences.
The content of homework support changes too
At Dutch mainstream schools, Dutch question wording and the language of subject learning can become a barrier to understanding the subject. At international schools, a child may need to cope with school-specific task formats, such as writing long explanations in English, carrying out projects and submitting work against assessment criteria.
But this is not decided uniformly by school type. Look at actual homework and teacher feedback to check where the child is stuck.
Think about returning to Japan or another move
Families planning to return to Japan in a few years think at the same time about how far to continue Japanese reading and writing, Japanese mathematics and exam preparation. If you plan another move to a different country, some families value continuity of the international curriculum.
If the child will continue within the Dutch education system, it becomes more important to understand Dutch and systems such as VMBO, HAVO and VWO. Because each family's next destination differs, the same school is not best for every family.
Information to share with a tutor
With this information it is easier to tell whether school catch-up, language support or continuing Japanese learning is needed.
Do not choose a school and a tutor at the same time
When choosing a school, check its educational content, language support, pathways, commute and fit with the child. It is not too late to choose a tutor once you can see what tasks the school actually sets and where support is needed.
If support is needed before admission, choose with a limited purpose such as language preparation or curriculum transition. How to choose a tutor is covered in 8 things to check before looking for a tutor in Amsterdam.
Summary
The learning support needed may differ between Dutch schools and international schools, but International School is not a single category either. Separate Dutch mainstream schools, Dutch International Schools and private international schools, and check the language of instruction, curriculum, newcomer support, pathways and learning goals on the Japanese side.
When looking for a tutor, the most practical step is to share the actual materials and tasks, not just the school name.
References
- Government of the Netherlands | Types of primary school
- Government of the Netherlands | Secondary education
- Dutch International Schools | About DIS
- Dutch International Schools | Admissions
- Amsterdam School Finder | Primary education for newcomers
- Amsterdam School Finder | Secondary education for newcomers
