According to him, children do not need to sit still, but to move and play under the supervision of specialist teachers. This prevents social exclusion and frustration, allowing pupils to return to the classroom with a fresh, positive attitude.
The playground at Het Lichtpunt, which was named the most active primary school in the Netherlands in 2022, is organized for a maximum of two groups at a time and offers a wide variety of games. The games are divided into colors: yellow for taking-turns games, green for cooperation and red for competition, where the “Ronaldos” can burn off their energy. There are strikingly few chairs in the kindergarten classroom: children stand, lie down or move around while playing or doing puzzles. Even moments of rest, such as breathing exercises, are used deliberately.
From Year 3 onward, the number of periods spent sitting increases, but these are repeatedly interrupted by short energizers, such as throwing bouncy balls to one another or playing ‘the floor is lava’. Heidenreich compares children to a battery: learning activities drain them, while movement recharges them. He criticizes other schools that try to reduce workload by hiring more staff in support roles, rather than opting for movement as a natural way to restore energy.
Despite its unconventional teaching model, Het Lichtpunt meets all statutory educational requirements. The school receives no financial support for its movement-based education, but consciously chooses to provide it. Heidenreich is proud of the recognition as the most active primary school in the Netherlands and that scientist Erik Scherder endorses his approach. He emphasizes that this is his vision, but strongly believes in the positive effects of movement on children's concentration, motivation and social well-being.
Read the full article at NOS/Radio Rijnmond here.