At present, more than 40 schools in Amsterdam are developing into family schools. These schools offer students and parents broad support. To this end, they work together with social organizations in the fields of poverty reduction, youth, healthcare, sports and the neighborhood. Parents can visit a service point at or near the school, making it possible to take the step toward support services quickly.
Broader horizons
The researchers studied eight family schools from 2019 through 2023. They observed improvements in vocabulary, reading enjoyment and numeracy skills. Students’ horizons were also broadened. For example, students are introduced to new activities both inside and outside school, which contributes to their social skills.
An accessible place
Signs of poverty are identified more effectively at the Family School by scheduling intake interviews or deploying key figures. In addition, the school has become an accessible place for parents to ask questions about, for example, finances. Parents are also better informed about what is happening at school, while the school itself has a better understanding of the home situation.
The essence of the pedagogical foundation
Maartje van Dijken of the Netherlands Youth Institute recognizes the added value of the Amsterdam Family School. “For me, the strength of this approach lies in its starting point: working together with parents and the surrounding community on an equal footing. The approach ensures that parents see the school as a trusted environment where they can find support with their questions. This strengthens the connection between parents and the school, which was previously more difficult to establish. Intensive collaboration creates more opportunities for children, parents and schools. It also strengthens social cohesion in the neighborhood. The essence of the pedagogical foundation comes together in this approach: the school, parents and the wider network raise children together.”
More information
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences article
Evaluation of the Amsterdam Family School
City of Amsterdam information about the Amsterdam Family School.
Special edition about the Amsterdam Family School, available upon request via [email protected]