Search by subject?
Type your subject here
Retake exams.
If your child fails a school exam or the final exam, your child can sometimes retake it. What rules apply for retakes? When are the retakes? And can you retake only to raise your grade?
Retaking school exams
The school sets the dates, rules, and options for retaking school exams in the program for testing and completion (PTA). In the PTA, you can read how many retakes your child has the right to, on which dates retakes take place, and whether there are other conditions.
Retaking the final exam
If your child did not pass the final exam at once but has not yet officially failed the final exam, your child can retake the exam in the second period. This is from Tuesday 16 June to Tuesday 23 June 2026.
How many exams can you retake at most?
There are national rules about the number of retakes. Each child can retake a maximum of one subject of the final exam in principle.
If your child takes exams for vmbo bb or kb? Then your child can retake one vocational subject and one general subject.
Which subject to retake?
Usually, the school gives advice about which subject your child should retake. Sometimes there are more options to still get the diploma. Then ask yourself these questions:
- In which subject is your child best?
- Which grade is easiest to raise? For example, because one grade is very low, or because your child just missed passing that subject.
Raising a grade by retaking
All students, even those who passed, can take a final exam retake to improve a grade. If your child does worse on the retake than on the first exam, no problem: the highest grade counts.
Still need an adjusted retake?
If your child did not do an adjusted final exam but still needs support for the retake, this can still be requested. You can contact your child’s school management for this. The College for Tests and Exams checks with the school which adjustments are possible. The final decision on extra adjustments lies with the school management.
Third period in exceptional cases
In exceptional cases, your child can take a state exam in the third period in August. The state exam committee of the College for Tests and Exams takes exams in the third period. These exams are not at your child’s own school.
Questions or personal advice?
Do you have questions about this topic, would you like advice regarding your situation, or just a listening ear? Then please contact us via 088-6050101, email vraag@oudersenonderwijs.nl or WhatsApp ons.
Starting at primary school.
What your child needs may vary per school. Most schools will require you to have at least:
- A backpack
- Drinking bottle and lunch box
- A gym bag with gym shoes (usually with white soles) and gym clothes
Other points to consider are:
- Dress your child in comfortable clothing and shoes. This will help with going to the toilet, during gym lessons, and playing outside.
- Always check with the school if your child needs any other items.
You do not pay tuition fees for primary school. The school may ask for a voluntary parental contribution for activities such as outings and extra activities. You do have to pay for private schools and after-school care. Read more about school costs here.
From 3 years and 10 days, your child can start getting used to primary school. Your child can get used to it for a maximum of 5 days. These can be full days or half days. Check with the school how this is arranged.
From 4 years old, your child can officially start at primary school. An exception can be made to this rule, for example, if your child is further developed. The school will assess whether your child can start at primary school earlier.
Educational disadvantages arise when your child does not have the same level of knowledge and skills as peers. This can occur in different areas, such as language, mathematics, reading, writing, and social skills.
Yes, this is allowed. Primary schools receive extra funding from the government to help children with (a risk of) an educational disadvantage. The school requests information from you as a parent to find out if your child has (a risk of) an educational disadvantage. You are not obliged to answer the questions.
AOB stands for ‘Achterstand in Onderwijs en Begeleiding’ (Educational and Guidance Disadvantage). If your child is an AOB student, more support is often needed in education due to language barriers, learning difficulties, or socio-emotional challenges. Read more about educational disadvantages here.
Related Subjects
The final exam year
The final exam year is an exciting but also fun year for your child with many festive traditions.
Read morePass with honors
To graduate cum laude, your child must get many high grades. What does this mean?
Read moreFrequently asked questions exams
Read here the answer to the most asked questions about the exam.
Read more