The first two years of secondary education are referred to as lower secondary education. There is a prescribed structure for the structure and provision of the lower years of secondary education. This can be divided into two parts, namely a core part and a differential part. Below you can read what these parts consist of and what the requirements are set by the government for education in the lower years.
Core part
The government has described 58 attainment targets, which apply to all students in the lower years of secondary education. The attainment targets determine what students should have learned in terms of knowledge and skills after two years of substructure. The 58 core objectives are divided into the following modules:
- Dutch;
- English;
- Arithmetic and Mathematics;
- Human and nature;
- People and society;
- Art and culture;
- Exercise and sports
It is the task of the schools to work on these 58 core objectives. They can develop and use their own teaching methods for this. This can be worked out for all levels of education, from VMBO to VWO. The teachers are responsible for transferring the knowledge and skills. Via employee participation, parents, pupils and staff can also have a say about suitable working methods.
All 58 core objectives can be found on the website of the National Government
Schools must devote at least two-thirds of their teaching time to the attainment targets. The compulsory teaching time in the lower years of secondary education is at least a thousand clock hours.
The schools are monitored by the Education Inspectorate. The Inspectorate checks whether the school offers all 58 attainment targets and whether students are well prepared for senior secondary education. The school justifies itself to parents, students and staff through the school plan.
Differential part
Each school has free hours that can be filled in with extra education within the core part and with lessons and activities that fall outside the core part. For example, schools can offer tailor-made solutions in line with their own vision and curriculum. VMBO schools can, for example, offer extra practical time or vocational activities. Religion and philosophy, for example, also fall within this differential part. Schools can also choose to pay extra attention to certain subjects, such as art subjects or sports, or to offer special programs, for example for excellent students.
In certain cases, the scope for choice for schools within the differential part is limited, namely:
- pupils in the gymnasium must follow Greek and / or Latin;
- pupils in HAVO and VWO must follow a second and third modern language;
- pupils in pre-vocational secondary education must follow a second modern language;
- pupils in Friesland must also receive the subject of Frisian.
To the superstructure
As written above, education in the lower years must prepare students well for the upper years. In addition, at the end of the lower years, students generally receive advice on what to do next. The school advises, for example, the level at which the pupil progresses through the upper years, for example the learning path, or in the case of HAVO / VWO, the profile that according to the school best suits the pupil. Furthermore, the school can advise a training or direction in vocational education, for example technology, fashion or care.
The advice of the school is not binding. The school can, however, refuse certain pupils who wish to advance to a certain level. In the event of a difference of opinion, parents can consult with the school management. In the event of a lasting dispute, parents can also choose to place their child in a different school. However, the new school will always take the advice of the previous school into account in the application procedure.