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Will your child attend a Dutch school?

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Have you recently moved to the Netherlands and is your child between the ages of 4 and 18? There are several types of schools you may choose for your child, including foreign schools, international schools and bilingual schools. If you are planning on staying in The Hague for a longer time, you may want to choose to enroll your child in a Dutch school.

If your child is between 2,5 and 6 years old, you may choose to enroll your child in one of the many Dutch preschools of The Hague region. There, your child will learn Dutch.

Dutch primary schools

Dutch primary schools offer education to children between 4 and 12 years old. There are 15 primary schools in The Hague region that offer special reception classes for children wishing to enroll in Dutch schools and learning the Dutch language. These classes are specialised at teaching children Dutch as a foreign language: your child will learn to speak, read and write Dutch there, until their command of the language is of an appropriate level for them to transfer to a regular class. Do note that it is advised that children have some basic knowledge of Dutch, since with no prior knowledge of the language it will be difficult to integrate within one year.

If you are interested in schools with a reception class, please visit the online resource 'Scholenwijzer' (in Dutch) for an overview of the schools that offer this option.

Dutch secondary schools

Is your child between 12 and 18? There are Dutch secondary schools that offer an international foundation class ('internationale schakelklas'), for older children who have only a basic knowledge of Dutch. After attending an international foundation class your child can transfer to a regular class in Dutch secondary education.

Visit this page for a list of secondary schools offering an international foundation class in The Hague and Delft.

More information

Not all children immediately thrive in Dutch schools. Enrolling a child in a Dutch school is especially interesting for those parents whose children already have come into contact with the language before, and who plan to stay in the country for the time being. Are you looking for more information on education for your child in the Netherlands in general, or are you interested in international schools? Learn more: