At schools where children experience more stress on average and have fewer opportunities to relax, average learning performance is lower. Access to culture and other forms of relaxation, just like an increase in family income, has a positive effect on learning performance.

The study ‘Inequality of Opportunity in the Netherlands’ was conducted among a representative sample of primary schools throughout the Netherlands. The results also show that 38 percent of children grow up in families that have cut back on basic necessities. 28 percent of families have difficulty paying the school contribution. This is the second time the study has been conducted among primary school teachers. This year, due to declining purchasing power in the Netherlands, questions about (financial) stress were added to the study.

Effect of income on children’s learning performance

The home situation, environmental factors and quality of education each play a significant role in the differences in learning performance and CITO scores among primary school pupils. Children growing up in families with a lower income (less than 20,000 euros) generally receive advice for a pre-vocational secondary education pathway, while children from families with a higher income (40,000 euros) generally receive advice for a senior general secondary education pathway. Translated into the children’s expected annual income, this could easily amount to a difference of 1,750 euros.

Interestingly, the study shows that when children have more opportunities to relax, such as playing sports, exploring nature or staying overnight with friends, this also has a positive effect on their learning performance. There has been some improvement since the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Primary school pupils once again have more social contacts and more often enjoy outings such as visits to the theatre, amusement parks, nature areas and summer holidays.

Equal opportunities

Yet not all children benefit from this improvement: 1 in 3 does not have access to these forms of relaxation. Serious investments by municipalities and the business community in, for example, sports clubs, culture and school meals could improve this situation. “A shocking number of children are growing up with financial stress at home. This has a major impact on their opportunities. It is important to realise that most of these children are sitting together in the same classrooms,” says Hans Spekman, director of the Youth Education Fund. “What is important is that the study shows that we are not powerless. We can do something about it. For the children and the society of tomorrow.”

Study: Consequences of inequality of opportunity

Commissioned by the ABN AMRO Foundation and the Youth Education Fund, SEO Economic Research conducted research in 2021 and 2023 into differences in resources at home. In a survey of primary school teachers of fifth-grade pupils throughout the Netherlands, questions were asked about development opportunities, opportunities for relaxation and facilities at home. In 2023, financial stress was added because of the declining purchasing power in the Netherlands. The study shows that at schools where children have more opportunities for relaxation and experience less (financial) stress, average learning performance is higher. Improvements in opportunities for relaxation, such as playing sports, exploring nature or staying overnight with a friend, and a substantial increase in family income have a positive effect on learning performance. A total of 784 schools participated in the study, 126 of which took part in both editions. The study shows that there are major differences in these resources, which in turn are related to school performance.

Read the full study here.