{"id":21845,"date":"2020-03-05T15:07:18","date_gmt":"2020-03-05T14:07:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oudersenonderwijs.nl\/compulsory-education-and-qualification-duty\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T15:28:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T13:28:55","slug":"compulsory-education-and-qualification-duty","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oudersenonderwijs.nl\/en\/compulsory-education-and-qualification-duty\/","title":{"rendered":"compulsory education and qualification duty"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Children aged 5 and older must attend school until they have a start qualification or turn 18.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":13140,"parent":20836,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/kennisbank-detail.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[313,308,281],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21845","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-holiday-and-compulsory-education","category-municipality-and-education","category-vakantie-en-leerplicht"],"acf":{"inhoud":[{"acf_fc_layout":"inhoud_blok","afbeelding_of_video":"geen","afbeelding":false,"video":null,"intro":"In the Netherlands, children aged 5 and older must go to school. What are the rules about compulsory education? When does it stop? What exceptions are there? And what exactly are qualification duty and early school leaving?","inhoud":"

What is compulsory education?\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Your child must attend school from age 5 to 16. This means your child has to go to school. This rule is in the law.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Your child can start primary school from 4 years old. But the law on compulsory education does not apply until age 5. The duty starts on the first day of the month after your child turns 5. From then on, you can be punished if you keep your child home without a reason.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Until what age is your child required to attend school?\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

The compulsory education law lasts until the end of the school year in which your child turns 16. A school year runs from 1 August to 31 July. Young people aged 16 to 18 must have a start qualification.<\/span><\/p>\n

If your child skipped a grade, compulsory education ends after they have attended at least 11 full school years.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Exception for young children<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Most children start primary school at age 4. They do not have to attend school by law yet. From age 5, your child must go to school.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Is a full school week too much for your child? Then you can keep your child at home up to 5 hours extra per week until they turn 6. You do not need permission for this. But you must inform the school director and teacher.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"knop","knop":{"title":"Exemption from compulsory education","url":"https:\/\/oudersenonderwijs.nl\/en\/exemption-from-compulsory-education\/","target":"_blank"},"kleur":"primary"},{"acf_fc_layout":"extra_inhoud_blok","inhoud":"

Qualification duty<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Qualification duty means children aged 16 to 18 must go to school if they do not yet have a start qualification. That is a diploma for havo, vwo, or mbo levels 2, 3, or 4. Children under 18 with a vmbo diploma must also go to school. The qualification duty aims to prevent school dropout and increase job chances.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

When does qualification duty not apply?\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Qualification duty does not apply to:<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Children who have attended practical education track.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n
  • Children who finish special education with the labor market or day care profile.<\/span> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Early school leaving<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

    Young people aged 18 to 23 do not have to go to school anymore. Yet a diploma improves job chances. Schools and cities work together to prevent dropout. Schools must report to the city when a young person under 23 drops out without a start qualification.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

    A transition worker or coach helps young people find a suitable education, a mix of school and work, or other support.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"knop","knop":{"title":"Lees meer over voortijdig schoolverlaten op de website van de Rijksoverheid ","url":"https:\/\/www.rijksoverheid.nl\/onderwerpen\/vsv","target":"_blank"},"kleur":"primary"},{"acf_fc_layout":"extra_inhoud_blok","inhoud":"

    The role of the city in compulsory education<\/h3>\n

    The city must make sure all children go to school. Every city has a compulsory education officer. This worker checks if children are registered at a school and attend every day. If a school sees a child is often absent without a good reason, it must report this to the city. The officer then contacts parents to talk and find what help is needed.<\/p>\n

    The city can act if children skip school too often. Sometimes this means a talk or advice. In serious cases, the officer can give a warning or file a report. The city makes sure every child has the chance to go to school and grow well.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"call_to_action","selecteer_call_to_action":"gerelateerde_onderwerpen_lijst","berichten_met_prioriteit":false,"download_pdf":false,"veelgestelde_vragen_verwijzing":{"titel":"","knop_tekst":"","url":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"meer_informatie_links","linkjes":[{"link":{"title":"Regionale Meld- en Co\u00f6rdinatiepunten","url":"https:\/\/rmcnet.nl\/","target":""}}]}],"samenvatting":"Children aged 5 and older must attend school until they have a start qualification or turn 18.","banner_subtitel":"","call_to_action":"contact","call_to_action_2":"geen","zoekwoorden":"","meta_samenvatting":"Ouders & Onderwijs is there for all parents with school-age children. 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