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Starting primary school in school year 2023-2024
Your child can start at school when he or she is four years old. This website tells you what you need to do.
Choose
You can choose from over 200 primary schools. A list of all the primary schools in Amsterdam can be found on www.schoolwijzer.amsterdam.nl/en. By filling in your home address on this website, you will be shown the primary schools nearby and in de rest of the city.
You can choose a school based on a particular faith or philosophy. This might e.g. be a Protestant school or a public, non-denominational school. Schools can also differ in terms of educational approach, such as the Montessori method or Development-based education. Contact the schools you are interested in and ask when you can visit them and see the schools for yourself.
Apply
You can apply around the time your child turns three. You will receive an application form (voorkeursformulier) by post. It is of the utmost importance to register your child (in time) by delivering this form at the school of your first preference. If you have not received the application form, you can find it on www.bboamsterdam.nl
- Check the pre-printed data on the form, such as your child’s date of birth, name and address. If the data contain errors, please correct them on the application form.
- Fill in at least five schools; put your first choice at number 1; your second choice at number 2 and so on. These may be priority schools, but they do not have to be.
- Fill in the form completely and don’t forget to sign.
- Hand in the form at the school of your first choice. The closing dates for submitting application forms are listed below.
- Your child’s date of birth is between 1 September 2020 and 31 December 2020, the closing date for submitting form at school is 7 March 2024
- Your child’s date of birth is between 1 January 2021 and 30 April 2021, , the closing date for submitting form at school is 6 June 2024
- Your child’s date of birth is between 1 May 2021 and 31 August 2021, , the closing date for submitting form at school is 7 November 2024
After the school receives the application form, your application will be entered into a central registration system. You will receive a proof of the registration of your child within one school week. Check the data on this confirmation. If it contains any error, please contact the school immediately.
Priority schools
Your child will be given priority at the eight schools closest to his or her home. The walking distance between your child’s home and the primary school determines which schools these are. If you fill in your child’s home address and
date of birth on the website www.schoolwijzer.amsterdam.nl/en you will see your child’s priority schools.
Placement
After the deadline for submitting the form has passed, school places will be allocated to the children who have applied. This is done in the order set out in the box ‘Allocation of places’.
Every child will be allocated a place at the school in the highest possible place on the list of preferences. If there is enough room at the school of your first choose, your child will be allocated a place overthere. If not, your second choice will be considered according to the rules of allocation. In recent years, over 90% of all children were allocated a place at the school of their first choice.
Allocation of places
The allocation of places at all schools is done in the following order.
For the first choice:
- An older brother or sister is already at the school when the child turns four; this registered child has a guaranteed place.
- The child has a VVE-ja-indication, attends the pre-school affiliated to the school ánd has priority at this school.The child attends an Integrated Children’s Centre (Integraal Kindcentrum, IKC) 2 times a week for at least 8 months ánd has the school as priority school.
- One of the child’s parents is permanently employed at the school.
- The child has priority at this school.
- The child has no priority at this school, but is a resident of Amsterdam.
Applications which have not been allocated a place at the school of first choice, will be places as follows:
- The child has a priority school as second to tenth choice.
- The child has a non-priority school as second to tenth choice.
- The child is not a resident of Amsterdam.
Enroll
You will receive a letter from the school where your child has been offered a place. You still have to confirm this place to the school. In the letter it is explained how and before which deadline. Make sure you do this in time. Your child will only be assured of a place at the school and officially enrolled after you have confirmed the place.
In exceptional cases, when a child requires special care which the school is unable to provide, the school can decide not to permit a placement. In consultation with the parents, the school will then look for another school which will be able to offer the necessary care and education.
Off to school
Your child is four years old and is going to start school. The school will inform you about your child’s first school day.
Brochure to primary school in school year 2024-2025 (English)