Public Schools

That is not a problem: in Rotterdam, a few classes at ‘regular’ schools are equipped to take in children which have not been in the Netherlands for long, like your child. These classes are called International Transition Classes (Internationale Schakelklassen, ISK) in secondary education. In primary education these transition classes are called First Intake Classes (Eerste Opvang). Your child will follow an intensive language programme in the ISK class. Once your child speaks and writes Dutch sufficiently, he or she will be transferred to a ‘regular’ class in primary or secondary education.

Primary education (ages 5 to 12)

Rotterdam has 13 primary schools that offer a First Intake transition class. You can register your child with the school closest to you. They will enter your child’s details and check whether they have an opening.

Secondary education

Secondary education in the Netherlands differentiates between various levels of education. Your child will be tested to establish the level at which he or she can start. Employees of Koers-VO will test your child, in collaboration with the secondary education system in Rotterdam. The test will include an intelligence- and a match test. You will then be issued with a recommendation for your child. After testing, you will be referred to one of the five schools with an International Transition Class. You can go to this website for more information on secondary education, regional training centres (ROCs) and to register your child. Or contact them directly by calling the following number: 010-4842576

This website (only in Dutch) provide an overview of primary and secondary schools in Rotterdam.

Young people who are 18+

For young people between the ages of 18 and 23 who don’t have a Dutch diploma, we would like to know what their level of education is and what they will potentially study. You can provide us with this information by sending an email to [email protected]. If you need help you can contact the Youth Support Desk, by calling 010-2676788.

Bilingual primary education

International Child Centre ‘Port of Holland’, Primary school ‘de Ontmoeting’

Our school is situated in the multi-coloured new housing neighbourhood Fascinatio in Capelle a/d IJssel, within walking distance of the campus of the Erasmus University, Rivium and Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. The school is easily accessible by public transport and there is plenty of free parking spots. Our pupils learn to collaborate with pupils at our partner schools around the world, sometimes via Skype, Teams, email or even live on the classroom smartboards. At our school we strive for innovative and high quality education. Within our education we use the 21st Century Skills, such as: critical thinking, a problem solving ability, creativity, computational thinking and collaborative learning. With the advice of ‘Ons Onderwijs2032’ to the Secretary of State, Sander Dekker of the Ministry of OC&W, a vision has been formed about future education. In this report the attention is paid to the total learning of children. The government aims to raise children to kind, worthy and skilled adults. English, entrepreneurship, economics, shared leadership and media literacy will be important goals to the current generation, that will enter the labor market in about twenty years. These skills will even become more important goals to the pupils who might choose a theoretical further education and for the more practically talented children.

Our main features are:
o Bilingual education
o Internationalisation and global citizenship
o IPC: International Primary Curriculum
o Bilingual Integrated Child Center
o Focus on high quality education
o Specialised teachers
o Accessible location

More information go to: https://www.ontmoetingcapelle.nl/nl-nl/tweetalig