— senior general secondary education — pre-university education — senior secondary vocational education — short senior secondary vocational courses — part-time non-formal education for young people — apprenticeship training; 4 higher education, for students aged 18 and over, which can be divided into: — higher vocational education — university education (inc. the Open University); 5 adult education.

doi:10.4324/9780203976289-27

Chapter

— senior general secondary education — pre-university education — senior secondary vocational education — short senior secondary vocational courses — part-time non-formal education for young people — apprenticeship training; 4 higher education, for students aged 18 and over, which can be divided into: — higher vocational education — university education (inc. the Open University); 5 adult education.

Chapter

ABSTRACT

In the Netherlands school attendance is compulsory for all children aged 5-16. From the age of 16 there is a two-year part-time compulsory education phase.

The primary school phase (4-11/12 years) lasts eight years. Children generally attend school at the age of 4 though the compulsory phase starts at 5. In the first grades children receive about 750 hours of education annually, while in the higher grades 1,000 hours of education are given (circa 25 hours a week). A week consists of five school days. In special education similar regulations apply.