When relocating to the Netherlands, navigating the education system can be challenging, especially for multilingual families. A key aspect often overlooked is how foreign languages are integrated into the curriculum, supporting children in maintaining and developing their multilingual skills.
Primary Education: Early Foreign Language Learning (vvto)
Dutch primary schools are increasingly offering Early Foreign Language Teaching (Vroeg Vreemdetalenonderwijs – vvto), focusing on English, German, or French. English is a mandatory subject starting from grade 7, but many schools introduce it earlier, from grade 5 or even lower. According to Dutch law, schools can allocate up to 15% of their teaching time to a foreign language.
The benefits of early multilingual learning are well-established:
- Young children absorb languages more easily through play.
- Pronunciation and new sounds are more naturally adopted at a young age.
- Cognitive skills are enhanced through multilingual learning.
- Multilingualism fosters cultural tolerance and acceptance.
However, the success of vvto largely depends on the teacher’s proficiency in the foreign language. Schools must ensure a structured and continuous learning approach, often guided by the European Framework of Reference for Languages (ECFR). Several schools in the Netherlands offer vvto. The highest concentration can be found in the Randstad.
Secondary Education: Expanding Language Choices
In secondary education, foreign language learning becomes more diversified. Students must study one or two additional languages alongside English.
For havo and vwo students (college preparatory tracks), both French and German are mandatory. In some cases, these can be replaced by languages like Spanish, Russian, Italian, Arabic, Turkish, or Chinese (for vwo only). At schools with ‘Gymnasium’, Latin and Greek are also required.
For vmbo students (vocational track), one foreign language, usually French or German, is mandatory, with similar alternatives available.
Frisian as a Compulsory Language
In Friesland, Frisian is a mandatory subject in junior secondary education, though some exemptions exist depending on the region.
Upper Secondary Education: Language Specialization
At the upper levels of havo and vwo, English is compulsory for final exams, with the option to choose additional modern foreign languages, depending on the school’s offerings. Students in the culture and society track of havo must take a second foreign language.
Bilingual Education (TTO)
For families seeking deeper integration of foreign languages, bilingual education (Tweetalig Onderwijs – TTO) is available. TTO involves partial instruction in a foreign language, typically English. In the lower grades, at least 50% of the curriculum is taught in the foreign language for havo and vwo, and 30% for vmbo. However, final exams are conducted in Dutch.
TTO schools also offer international activities like language trips and exchanges, and students receive a certificate attesting to their extra language skills upon graduation.
The 2 most important characteristics of bilingual education are:
- The teachers have had special tto training
- Teaching in a foreign language must not be at the expense of Dutch language development
“It is important to note that bilingual education in Dutch schools focuses on children with Dutch as native language who want to learn another (often English) language.”
Explore in-depth: The full, detailed article on Dutch for Children
If you’d like to explore this topic in more depth, you can read the full, detailed article on our website here. You can also read this article in Dutch, and find more information on the Dutch education system and how it supports multilingual families.
