Questions & answers: The school advice.

Questions & answers: The school advice.

Primary schools get a few extra weeks this school year to set the school advice. They have until 15 March. The information point of Ouders & Onderwijs receives many questions about the school advice. We have listed the most important questions and answers.

1 – How is the primary school advice formed and which data must and can the school include?

When giving the school advice, the school looks at your child’s development mainly in the last years of primary school. Most schools look at the (test) data from the student monitoring system, but work attitude and private circumstances can also influence the advice. The teachers know your child well and know what your child is good at and what your child finds difficult. The school advice is part of the educational report (OKR).

2 – What is the difference between a single and double school advice?

The primary school can give school advice for one or two school types. A single advice is for example a vmbo-kader or havo advice. A double advice is for example a vmbo/havo or havo/vwo advice. The primary school chooses which advice suits the child best. It can always be a single or a double advice.

3 – I do not agree with the primary school advice. What can I do?

If you do not agree with the school advice, you can talk to the school and ask what this advice is based on and request a change before 15 March. What is the view the school has of your child and does it match the view you have of your child? However, you cannot demand that the school changes the advice if you disagree. You and your child can then look for secondary schools with a first year class that has multiple school types.

The school advice is leading. But you can always talk to the secondary school. In practice, most schools follow the advice of the primary school but sometimes they agree to a different placement. A secondary school decides for itself whether they admit your child to that school type. You can also see if there are schools nearby that offer a first year class with multiple school types, for example vmbo-tl/havo. This delays the final choice for a school type.

If you cannot reach an agreement, you can always file a complaint according to the school’s complaints procedure. The school has wide freedom within the rules to judge. The complaints committee is therefore cautious in statements about the content of the school advice. But the committee can assess the process. Has the school made a fair consideration? Were all important matters included in making the advice? And is the advice sufficiently supported by the school? On the website of educational disputes you can find more information and past rulings about the school advice.

4 – What is the function of the final test?

All students in grade 8, including those in special education and special primary education, take a final test between 15 April and 15 May. The final test is to test knowledge and skills at the end of primary school. If your child does better on the final test than the school advice given before 15 March, the primary school must reconsider the school advice. The school can then choose to change the school advice. This happens in consultation with you and your child. A changed school advice gives the right to admission to the corresponding school type.

5 – What is (the status of) the provisional school advice?

The provisional school advice has no legal or official status and is often based among other things on the data from the student monitoring system (LVS) and the student’s work attitude. How schools handle this and what they base the advice on can differ per school. There are only legal rules for the final primary school advice in grade 8.

6 – Can I register my child at a different level than the school advice?

You may register your child for a different type of secondary education than the primary school advised. The secondary school must place a student at least at the level the primary school advised. It is then up to that school whether they admit your child to that school type or not. It may be that in the central registration procedure it is not possible to register a student at a higher school type.

Other questions?

For answers to questions about the school advice you can visit our knowledge base. But of course you can also contact our staff. By email: vraag@oudersenonderwijs.nl or by phone: 088-6050101. We are reachable on working days between 09.30-12.30 and 13.00-16.00.