Christmas celebration.

Christmas celebration at school

Most schools in the Netherlands have a Christmas celebration. Usually, children come together in the evening and eat together or go to a celebration in church. Each school chooses if and how they celebrate Christmas. The school records this in the school policy. You can also find this in the annual planning.

Mandatory or not?

Whether it is mandatory for your child to attend the Christmas celebration depends on various factors. When you register your child at a specific school, you automatically agree to both the curriculum and the organization of the teaching time. If the Christmas celebration is part of the curriculum, all students are expected to participate in the Christmas celebration. If the Christmas celebration takes place during regular school hours, it falls under teaching time and your child’s attendance is mandatory.

If the celebration takes place outside normal school hours, such as in the evening, and the Christmas celebration is not included as an educational activity, your child is not required to attend. If the Christmas celebration is included as a mandatory educational activity and it happens in the evening, then your child is required to be there.

In short, the obligation 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 objections or your belief system, or if your child has other obligations at that time, such as sports training or music lessons, contact the school director in time to request leave. They can decide on your request to exempt your child from this educational activity and offer an alternative program. The school decides what this program looks like.

The school is not obliged to exempt students from the celebrations. However, in most cases a solution will be found, and your child may, for example, be given a replacement assignment.

The role of parents

Parents can participate in the school participation council and discuss school policy. The parent members of the school participation council have the right to agree on the school policy.