Christmas celebration.

Christmas celebration at school

Most schools in the Netherlands have a christmas celebration. Usually, children meet in the evening and eat together or go to a service in the church. Each school decides if and how they celebrate christmas. The school records this in the school policy. You can also find this in the annual schedule.

Required or not?

Whether your child must attend the christmas celebration depends on several factors. When you enroll your child at a school, you automatically agree to both the curriculum and the organization of school time. If the christmas celebration is part of the curriculum, all students must join the celebration. If the event takes place during regular school hours, it counts as school time and your child must attend.

If the celebration is outside normal school hours, such as in the evening, and the celebration is not part of the educational activities, your child does not have to attend. If the celebration is part of the required educational activities and takes place in the evening, your child must attend.

In short, the requirement depends on the timing of the celebration and whether it is included as an educational activity in the school program.

Exemption from christmas celebration?

If you do not want your child to attend the mandatory christmas celebration, for example due to religious beliefs or your worldview, or if your child has other commitments at that time, such as sports training or music lessons, contact the school principal in time to request leave. The principal can decide to exempt your child from this activity and offer an alternative program. The school decides what this program looks like.

The school is not obliged to exempt students from celebrations. Yet in most cases, a solution will be found. Your child can, for example, do a replacement assignment.

The role of parents

Parents can join the school participation council to discuss the school policy. The parent section of the school participation council has the right to agree to the school policy.