News item | 08-02-2022 | 13:48
There will be one fixed registration week for secondary school: from the 2023-2024 school year, all group 8 students must register in the week before April 1. In this way, all students have an equal chance of a place at the school of their preference at the level that suits them best. The final test in group 8 will also be changed into a transfer test, to emphasize that schools look at how students are doing at various times. The bill that regulates this was adopted today by the Senate.
Minister Dennis Wiersma (Primary and Secondary Education): ,,I want every student of group 8 to have an equal chance to go to the school that suits him or her. And that we look at several moments where a student can develop best. This law contributes to more equal opportunities for children, regardless of what family you come from or in which district your school is located.”
flow test
From now on, group 8 pupils will receive the school advice from the primary school in January and will take the transfer test soon after. The transfer test is an objective second item of school advice. If the result of the test is higher than the school’s advice, the school must reconsider the school advice and adjust it upwards if it is in the best interest of the student. In case of a lower test advice, the school advice is never adjusted downwards. The secondary school continues to check on several occasions whether the student is in the right place, where he or she can develop properly.
Register
When all students have the definitive school advice, they enroll at secondary school in the week before 1 April (from 25 to 30 March). At the moment, students can still register at different times, so that children with an adjusted school advice have a 7 times smaller chance of being able to go to the desired school. This happens to about 2000 students every year. With the new law, every student has an equal chance to end up at the school of his or her choice.
Quality assurance
The Act also provides for a simpler and more future-proof testing system by improving the quality assurance of the tests. Schools will then, just like now, choose which transfer test they want to use. In the new system, in addition to the throughput assessments of market parties, a government assessment will also be offered by the Cito foundation. The Central End key disappears. This will also take effect from the 2023-2024 school year. Schools will be informed about the options next year.