Dutch children start school on their fourth birthday, and childcare is used by a large majority of working parents. The system is well organised, but it runs on registration, waiting lists and a specific set of words.
For a family arriving from abroad, the school and the kinderopvang are also the quickest way into Dutch daily life and into the local network.
The Words of Childhood
| Dutch term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| het kind | the child |
| de ouders | the parents |
| de kinderopvang | the childcare |
| het kinderdagverblijf | the day nursery |
| de gastouder | the childminder |
| de oppas | the babysitter |
| de begeleiding | the supervision |
| de groep | the group |
Kinderopvang covers nurseries, childminders and after-school care, and all registered providers can be paid for partly by a government allowance. Children are grouped by age, and a baby starts in a group of no more than a handful.
Enrolling in Childcare or School
| Dutch term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| de inschrijving | the registration |
| de wachtlijst | the waiting list |
| de plek | the place |
| de kosten | the costs |
| de kinderopvangtoeslag | the childcare allowance |
| de basisschool | the primary school |
| de leerplicht | compulsory schooling |
| de eerste schooldag | the first day of school |
Register with several childcare providers as soon as you know your address, because waiting lists in the cities are long. School starts on the child's fourth birthday, and full compulsory education begins in the school year after the fifth birthday.
The School Day
| Dutch term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| de klas | the class |
| de leerkracht | the teacher |
| het rooster | the timetable |
| het huiswerk | the homework |
| de ouderavond | the parents' evening |
| het rapport | the school report |
| het tienminutengesprek | the ten-minute parents' talk |
| de pauze | the break |
Dutch primary school often has a long lunch break, and children go home for it in some schools. Marks run from one to ten, and the report comes two or three times a year with a short written comment from the teacher.
Talking to Teachers
| Dutch term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| het gesprek | the conversation |
| de prestaties | the performance |
| de begeleiding | the support |
| het plan | the plan |
| het cijfer | the mark |
| het advies | the advice |
| het gedrag | the behaviour |
| de afspraak | the appointment |
The tienminutengesprek is a short, scheduled talk with the teacher, so bring two prepared questions and keep to the subject. Dutch teachers speak plainly about a child's level, which is meant as clarity rather than criticism.
Health, Forms and Money
| Dutch term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| het formulier | the form |
| de handtekening | the signature |
| het consultatiebureau | the child health clinic |
| de vaccinatie | the vaccination |
| het uitje | the school trip |
| de ouderbijdrage | the parental contribution |
| de klassenkas | the class fund |
| het briefje | the note |
The consultatiebureau follows every child from birth to four and is free, which makes it the first place to ask about development or language. Forms from school need a signature and a date, and the ouderbijdrage is voluntary but expected.
Childcare and Work
| Dutch term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| de opvangtijden | the care hours |
| de flexibele opvang | the flexible care |
| de noodopvang | the emergency care |
| de buitenschoolse opvang | the after-school care |
| de vakantieopvang | the holiday care |
| het ouderschapsverlof | the parental leave |
| de kinderopvangtoeslag | the childcare allowance |
| de deeltijdbaan | the part-time job |
Dutch working life is built around part-time contracts, and childcare is arranged to match. Apply for the kinderopvangtoeslag through the tax office as soon as the contract with the provider starts, and report every change in hours.
Everyday Words with Children
| Dutch term | English meaning |
|---|---|
| de speeltuin | the playground |
| de huisarts | the family doctor |
| het middagslaapje | the afternoon nap |
| de broodtrommel | the lunch box |
| de schooltas | the school bag |
| de gymschoenen | the sports shoes |
| de sporttas | the sports bag |
| het verkeer | the traffic |
The objects of a Dutch school day are named on the first list you receive, and children learn them within a week. Parents usually pick them up from the child, which is one more reason to join the parents' group chat early.
Phrases at School
| Dutch phrase | What it means |
|---|---|
| Mijn kind is vandaag ziek. | My child is ill today. |
| Ik wil graag een afspraak maken. | I would like to make an appointment. |
| Waar is het kantoor? | Where is the office? |
| Wanneer is de ouderavond? | When is the parents' evening? |
| Mijn dochter spreekt nog weinig Nederlands. | My daughter still speaks little Dutch. |
| Kunt u dat herhalen, alstublieft? | Could you repeat that, please? |
| Ik begrijp het huiswerk niet. | I do not understand the homework. |
| Dank u wel voor uw hulp. | Thank you for your help. |
Dutch teachers appreciate a direct question, and one honest sentence about your own Dutch is better than a long silence.
Getting Ready Before School Starts
Before the first day the school asks for the identity document, the citizen service number and the previous school record, so gather those papers early.
A child who arrives without Dutch starts in the ordinary group and receives extra language support, and the school explains how that support is arranged.
Dutch schools expect parents to attend the ten-minute talks and the ouderavond, and the class group chat is where the small practical information circulates.
Read with your child in any language, and use the library and the school's book lists, because the pleasure of reading transfers between languages.
Ask the teacher about the rules on illness, holidays and school trips, because the arrangements differ between schools even inside the same city.
Holiday dates are set nationally and spread across three regions of the country, which is worth knowing before you book a family trip.
If your child needs more support, the school makes a plan together with the parents, and you are entitled to a place in that conversation.
Ask the school for its letter templates for absence and appointments, and keep a copy of everything you send back. To take a full part in your child's school life in Dutch, learn Dutch with a course that follows a family through the Dutch year.
The bars show the order of the stages; each value is a sequence number rather than a duration.
Children and Language in the Netherlands
Children pick up Dutch on the playground within months, while parents need the school letters and the parents' evenings to keep up with them.
Learn the words for registration, the waiting list and the ten-minute talk, and you can take a full part in your child's school life. If you want to learn Dutch for family life, the language of the school is the most practical place to begin.
Dutch family life runs on registration, waiting lists and short conversations at school. Learn Dutch with the words of childcare, school and parents' evenings.
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