These are the frequently asked questions about the secondary school transition test and the school advice.

These are the frequently asked questions about the secondary school transition test and the school advice.

The advice point of Ouders & Onderwijs gets many questions about the school advice and the secondary school transition test in group 8. We have listed the main questions and answers.

1 – How is the primary school advice made and what data must and can the school use? 

When giving the school advice, the school looks at the development of your child especially 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 affect 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 a double school advice? 

The primary school can give a school advice for one or two types of schools. 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 fits 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 25 March. What is the view the school has of your child and does this match the view you have of your child? However, you cannot demand that the school changes the school advice if you disagree. You and your child can then look for secondary schools with a first class with several school types. 

The school advice is leading, which means that the secondary school bases the admission of your child on this. But you can always talk to the secondary school. In practice, most schools follow the advice of the primary school, but sometimes they agree with a different placement. A secondary school decides for itself if it admits your child to that school type. You can also see if there are schools nearby that offer a first class with several school types, for example vmbo-tl/havo. This postpones the final choice for a school type.

You can also use the result of the secondary school transition test, the independent test advice. The primary school must raise the school advice if your child does better on the secondary school transition test than the primary school advice you and your child received in January, see more below. A changed school advice gives the right to admission to the matching school type. 

If you still do not agree with the school, you can always file a complaint according to the school’s complaints procedure. The school has a lot of room for its own choices when making a school advice, but must follow what is stated in the school guide. The complaints committee is therefore careful in making statements about the content of the school advice. But the committee can assess the process. Has the school made a fair choice? Were all important things included in making the advice? And is the advice well supported by the school? On the website of Onderwijsgeschillen you will find more information and previous decisions on the school advice. 

4 – What is the function of the secondary school transition test? 

All pupils in group 8, including those in special education and special primary education, take a secondary school transition test in the first two weeks of February. The secondary school transition test measures what your child has learned in 8 years of primary school in reading, language skills, and maths. The result of the secondary school transition test, the test advice, gives an independent advice about which first class best suits your child. If your child does better on the secondary school transition test than the primary school advice given before 31 January, the primary school must change the school advice unless the school thinks this is not good for your child and has good reasons not to give a higher advice. Of course, the school must explain and support this to you and your child. A changed school advice gives the right to admission to the matching school type. 

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

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

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 e-mail: vraag@oudersenonderwijs.nl or by phone: 088-6050101. We are available on working days from 9:30 to 12:30 and from 13:00 to 16:00.