Increase in number of primary schools certified as ‘very weak’

An increasing number of elementary schools are being labeled as “very weak”, Trau reported on friday. This is likely due to increased surveillance by the Dutch Education Supervisory Authority and frequent visits to schools concerned about poor performance.

The number of schools rated ‘very weak’ has increased from 13 in the summer of 2022 to 39 today. This increase is observed only in primary education. The last time there was a similar spike in the number of schools rated “very weak” was in the summer of 2019, when 40 primary schools received such ratings.

In order to better assess the quality of education in the Netherlands, the inspectorate has started more frequent inspections of schools this year. By increasing visits, they aim to better understand the underlying causes of the decline in basic skills among Dutch schoolchildren.

These school selections are based on risk analysis. The Bureau of Inspections will look into factors such as high student and teacher turnover, frequent parental complaints, and learning outcomes well below national averages. Red flags can also be set if a school consistently fails to investigate whether students feel safe.

Inspectors have so far visited about 100 of the 6,545 elementary schools each year, based on suspicions that things were going wrong. About 250 visits are planned for this year.

This increase can be attributed to the fact that the inspector general has so far only been involved in school administration when there are clear signs of concern. However, we are now conducting more regular on-site assessments. This strategy will continue in the future, combined with random spot checks.

Schools deemed ‘very weak’ need to significantly improve their teaching quality within a year. For parents, such rulings often come as a shock. “But they usually don’t drop children out of school right away, because school is not only where children learn, but where they have friends,” said Lia Westendorp, head of primary education supervision. said Mr.

If the school receives a ‘very weak’ rating for the second time, the issue could be brought up to the minister. If that happens, the board of education may be forced to resign or suspend subsidies. If a school shows significant improvement, it will be removed from the “very weak” list.