To secondary school with extra support.

Which school?

The primary school advice decides which type of secondary education a child can attend, also for children with extra support. The extra support that a child needs often affects the type of education. For example, special education, practical education track or learning pathway support education. But it can also be a regular school with extra support, such as dyslexia aids or a support class.

For children with extra support, the school makes a development perspective plan. This plan also shows the level the school expects your child to reach at the end of the school period (exit profile).

All this information together gives a good direction to see which school fits your child best. You can expect the primary school to give advice not only about the level but also about the type of school or support your child needs.

Tip: Ask the primary school advice also about the type of school or support your child needs. Also ask for suggestions of schools they think suit your child well.

Learweg support education, practical education track and special secondary education

Learweg support education is meant specifically for students who need some extra help to get a vmbo diploma and is part of the support on a regular secondary school. Not all schools offer this support and it differs per region for which student this support is meant. Ask the school you want to apply to or the Partnership Tailored Education for more information.

A practical education track is for students who learn better from practice. It does not prepare for a diploma but for the job market. There are criteria for admission and a declaration of admissibility is needed. Ask the school you want to apply to or the Partnership Tailored Education for more information. Ask the practical school about the criteria and procedure.

To go to a school for special secondary education, a declaration of admissibility is needed. The school asks for this at the Partnership Tailored Education. The school can tell you all about this and make the request. If you choose a special education school, you can also register your child directly at this school.

Tip: Start early with choosing a school. The support your child needs often limits your choice. The search usually takes longer and the application procedure may also take more time. For example, if a declaration of admissibility is needed or if a school cannot fulfill the duty of care itself.

Choosing a secondary school

Choosing a secondary school is very personal. What you can generally look at you can read in this article. When your child needs extra support at school, the school must also be able to provide this support. But how do you know that?

• Look carefully in the school’s information at how care and support for students is arranged.
• Every school has a school support profile. This shows what support is possible at school. You can find this profile in the school guide. It can also help you compare schools.
• After a first selection, it is good to have a talk with the internal support coordinator or care coordinator. They can often tell more about the possibilities and look together with you and your child if the needed support can be given.

Tip: Contact other parents and ask about their experience with a school and the extra support. You can find these parents in local or national parent groups but also via the school or the Partnership Tailored Education.

Partnership tailored education

In some cases, it is hard to find the right support at a (special) school nearby. Then you can ask the partnership tailored education for help. The Partnership Tailored Education knows what support schools in the region offer and which school is specialized in certain support. It is also responsible that there is a suitable school for every student. You can find the contact details of the Partnership Tailored Education the school belongs to in the school guide. In 2022 all Partnership Tailored Education areas have independent support points for parents and students. There you can get more information and they can help you find a suitable school. The Partnership Tailored Education also issues the declarations of admissibility.

Admission to secondary school and duty of care

With the primary school advice, you register your child at the secondary school you choose. The procedure depends on the agreements schools in your region have made with each other. In some regions there is a lottery system. These agreements apply to all students. In some lottery systems, there is an exception allowing a student with heavy personal reasons, health, and/or home situation to get a place without lottery, for example in Amsterdam.

For students with extra support, there is a next step after the registration procedure. The school checks if it can fulfill the duty of care. The school looks at whether it can provide the needed support and admit your child. They usually do this in consultation with parents and student, using the available information and expertise. If the school cannot offer the support, it looks for another school that can.

To the first year

After the registration process, your child is enrolled at the new school. The start is an important phase and needs extra attention for your child. Many schools have a ‘warm transfer’ from primary to secondary school, offering an introduction to the new class and often an introduction week at the start of the school year. For students with extra support, our advice is to organize even more.

Tips

• Arrange a meeting with all involved (old school, new school, parents and student, counselor or help worker or others) as part of the warm transfer.
• Make agreements about how the support and guidance will be in the first weeks and when you will discuss further support (start meeting).
• Ask if your child can join a day before the summer holidays.
• Get to know the mentor in advance.