Parent learning advice2026.10.126 min read

Beyond Jenaplan: Understanding School Choice in the Netherlands

Petra Tutors Editorial Team

Colourful houses along a canal in the Netherlands

In short

In the Netherlands, freedom of education is a constitutional right, and both public-authority and private schools can receive public funding if they meet certain requirements.
Schools may be based on a religion or belief, or on an educational philosophy such as Montessori, Dalton, Freinet, Jenaplan or Steiner.
Jenaplan is one concept within that diversity, not a blueprint that every school implements in the same way.
The name of a philosophy cannot tell you what a school is actually like, so check how lessons are run, how work is assessed, homework, and how the school works with parents, school by school.

When Dutch education is introduced in Japan, Jenaplan is sometimes presented as the typical example. But what matters when choosing a school is less the name of a particular method than the system itself, in which schools with different educational philosophies can coexist.

This article first sets out how the system works, then turns the points to look at when choosing a school into a checklist. Petra Tutors believes it is more important to look together at the child's personality and way of learning, how the school actually runs, and what the family values, than to decide on the name of a method first.

Freedom of education at the foundation of Dutch education

The Dutch government describes freedom of education as a constitutional right. Anyone can found a school, and the government funds both public-authority and private schools as long as certain requirements are met.

Article 23 of the Constitution provides that providing education is free, while placing it under government supervision. For education that receives public funding, quality requirements are laid down by law.

The important point is that the state does not prescribe a single teaching method.

Public-authority schools and private schools

The arrangement differs from public and private schools in Japan.
Type	Founding and running	Religion or belief	Public funding
Public-authority	Mainly founded and run by local authorities such as the municipality	Not based on a particular religion or belief; open to all children	Eligible if requirements are met
Private	Mainly founded and run by private individuals such as parents	Some are based on a religion or belief; others centre on an educational philosophy	Eligible if requirements are met

According to the Dutch government's guidance, public-authority schools are open regardless of religion or belief. Private schools may be based on religious or ideological principles. There are also private schools that are not religious and may be run around a particular educational philosophy. Either kind can receive government funding if the requirements are met.

It is safer not to assume, from the word "private school" alone, that the arrangement is the same as in Japan.

Schools differ by educational philosophy

The Dutch government gives Montessori, Dalton, Freinet, Jenaplan and Steiner as examples of particular educational philosophies. Both public-authority and private schools may adopt a particular philosophy. This means that schools in the same country can differ in how they teach and in what they emphasise.

However, the name of a philosophy alone cannot tell you what a school is really like. Even schools that claim the same concept differ in age grouping, how lessons are run, how work is assessed, homework, and how they work with parents, so these need to be checked school by school.

The cases of Montessori and Dalton

The Nederlandse Montessori Vereniging describes Montessori education as learning in which the child takes the lead, and names its aim as raising independent, aware young people who want to learn.

The Nederlandse Dalton Vereniging says that Parkhurst, the founder, did not prescribe how education should be organised, and lists five values for Dalton education: collaboration, freedom and responsibility, independence, reflection and effectiveness. Freedom is explained not as permission to do anything, but as a framework, made up of materials, deadlines, agreements and school rules, in which children learn how to use freedom.

Both are the associations' own descriptions, not assessments by third parties. It is necessary to look not only at the words of the philosophy but at how a school actually puts it into practice in everyday lessons.

What is Jenaplan?

The Nederlandse Jenaplan Vereniging describes Jenaplan as a concept that starts not only from how education is organised but from questions about how we see people, how we live together, and how we think about education and upbringing.

Practices listed include mixed-age groups, conversation, play, work, celebration, world orientation, and the school as a community of living and learning. The association also explains that although Jenaplan has a common core, it is not a fixed blueprint that every school implements in the same way.

In other words, you cannot assume what a classroom is like in detail simply from seeing the name Jenaplan.

What to check when choosing a school

Whether it is a public-authority or a private school
Whether it is based on a religion or belief
Whether it has a particular educational philosophy
How the school puts that philosophy into practice in everyday lessons
Whether there are mixed-age groups
How assessment and homework are handled
The balance between time when children choose for themselves and time when teachers teach explicitly
How much of the learning support your child needs is available within the school
Whether it fits the family's approach to education

Perspectives families in Japan can use

The Dutch system cannot simply be transplanted to Japan, but any family can use the perspective of looking at fit with the way a child actually learns, not only at a school's name or the brand of a teaching method.

Observing what environment helps your child concentrate, when they understand better with an explanation, when they grow more by trying things themselves, and whether they enjoy group activities will also help when choosing a school or a tutor.

Petra Tutors places importance on the fit between child and teacher for the same reason: the same method does not suit every child.

Summary

To understand Dutch education through Jenaplan alone is not enough. Behind it lies freedom of education, and public-authority schools, private schools, schools based on religion or belief, and schools with various educational philosophies all coexist.

Jenaplan is also one concept within that diversity. It is important not to judge by name alone, but to check how the school actually runs and how well it fits your child.

References

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