Marjolein: ‘The choice for a primary school was more by feeling’.

Marjolein: ‘The choice for a primary school was more by feeling’.

Marjolein Marten lives with her two children and boyfriend near Haarlem. Their oldest, Sara, turned four in February and started school this year. Because of her daughter's flying start and a good click between child and teacher, we asked Marjolein how they chose a primary school.

Ready for school

‘Sara likes primary school very much. At the playgroup, we noticed she asked many questions. She asked me to teach her to read. She is very interested in letters and numbers. So I think it is good she now can really learn,’ Marjolein says. The time at the playgroup helped Sara get used to school routines. ‘Sitting in a circle was nothing new to her. The size of the class, however, was impressive.’

Flying start

Sara had a flying start at primary school. ‘During the tour, she immediately walked into a classroom and talked to the teacher. When I helped at school last Easter, the teacher said it seemed like she had been here longer. And on her first real school day, she immediately brought a friend home to play.’

Feeling

But not every school suited Sara. ‘At another school, she stuck to her father’s leg during the tour.’ For Marjolein and her boyfriend, the choice was a matter of feeling. When asked, she could explain where that feeling came from.

Structure in the class

‘In the past years, we noticed Sara benefits a lot from structure. We felt this school could provide that structure well. The children sat neatly in the class when we visited the school. They also have many fun (sports) activities. My boyfriend also went to this school. So as far as we could tell, it suits her well.’

Distance from home

‘Of course, we also looked at the distance, but in the end we chose the school that was farther than our second choice. The other school was Christian, and we are not. So we preferred her to attend a public primary school.’

Tips for choosing a primary school

Besides feeling, Marjolein advises to look at how a school performs. ‘Take your child to the tour to get an impression of how the child experiences the atmosphere. Also, see what kind of schedule fits your family. A continuous schedule might be easier and cheaper for some families.’

New rhythm

The challenges for the family are in adjusting outside school. ‘My boyfriend and I now have a strict daily deadline when she must be home.’ Sara herself feels the busyness of school. ‘She says: mom, I am too busy going to school every day. A whole week of school is less casual than two half days at the playgroup.’