New registration rules for Dutch schools

New rules for the registration of children for Dutch primary schools in The Hague will take effect on 1 January 2013.

As of that date parents will be able to register their son or daughter for only one Dutch primary school as of their first birthday. By a certain moment in the year they will then receive notification from the school of their choice if their child can be placed there.

These new rules should ensure that all parents get a fair chance to have their child placed in the school of their choice.

According to Deputy Mayor Ingrid van Engelshoven (Education and Public Services), ‘The new rules should make the whole registration process for primary schools calmer and clearer. It will also reduce the chance that your son or daughter registers too late for your school of choice. Parents should not feel pressured to find a school for their child right after birth.’

Registration process as of 2013

• As soon as a child celebrates his first birthday, he can be registered at a primary school in The Hague. It is not possible to register the child at more than one school.
  
• All parents will receive confirmation at the same time that their child has a spot at the preferred school.
  
• An automated system will track all the school registrations. The schools themselves are responsible for admission and enrolment.
  

Background information

At present parents are registering their children at primary schools at a very early age because there is no minimum age limit. Sometimes children are registered right after birth. As a result a number of popular schools have to turn children away at eight weeks of age, parents register their children at several schools and many children are sitting on waiting lists at multiple schools. Some parents start the whole process too late and are unable to get their children into a neighbourhood school. The new rules should take some of the pressure off the whole situation.