Switching to another school type.

School policy

There are no national rules about switching to another school type. Each school decides when a student can switch school type. The rules the school uses are set in the policy. The school must follow this policy. Usually you can find this information in the school guide or on the school website. Most students switch at the start of a new school year. Often a mix of grades and teachers’ views on motivation and work attitude count.

Moving down

Sometimes a student’s grades are too low to repeat the year. Or a student has already repeated a year once and is not allowed to repeat again according to the school policy. Then moving down is often an option. For example from vmbo-t to vmbo-k or from vwo to havo. It can also happen that a student gets very high grades. In those cases it is often possible for a student to move up. For example from vmbo-k to vmbo-t or from havo to vwo.

Another school

If the school does not offer the new school type, your child cannot stay at the school. The secondary school will usually offer a switch option. You can also look for another school yourself with your child. Make sure you do not wait too long so the registration at the new school is done before summer. If your child stays in 4 havo or 4 vwo, it is also possible to go directly to MBO.

Switching during the school year

Many schools check in December which students may not pass the year. These students and parents usually have a meeting. Sometimes schools allow switching to a different level during the school year. Most schools do not have a policy on this, so you can decide with your child to wait for the year to finish. If your child is not motivated or the grades are very low or very high, it can be wise to switch early.

Exam subjects when switching

Sometimes students still change school type in upper years. Usually some tests already count for the school exam. When changing level, these grades must be converted. Sometimes the exam content does not fit well. Then your child may have to retake some tests. Contact the exam committee at school about this.

Moving up after the exam

Sometimes a student does not want to go to MBO or HBO after the exam, but wants to get an extra diploma at secondary school. Many schools allow moving up after the exam if the student meets the school rules.

Conditional promotion

Is the school unsure? Sometimes it is possible to switch or move up conditionally. Then your child has until the autumn or Christmas holiday to prove themselves. Make clear agreements in advance about when your child can stay at that level and write them down. If it does not go well, the child still goes back to the previous school type or must move down. Conditional promotion is both a chance and a risk because it is hard for a child to be placed in a different class halfway through the school year. Conditional promotion is not possible if your child is in the final exam year.

Disagree with the decision

If you disagree with the school decision, first talk with the school. If the school keeps the decision, you can contact the school governing body and submit a written objection. The school has the final say unless they go against their own policy. Then you can point this out. If you still do not agree, read more about what you can do if you have a complaint.