A large majority of parents (82%) believe that, following the school recommendation in 2020, their child was placed at the appropriate level at a secondary school. Most parents (69%) are kept well informed about their child's results. In addition, most parents (65%) see that secondary schools are taking extra measures to make up for any delays. For example, by scheduling additional assessment periods or providing extra lessons. Schools took action for 78% of the students to make the transition as smooth as possible. A meeting was arranged with the secondary school, children were able to spend a day there, or the schools contacted each other by phone.
School recommendation in 2020
Parents are also largely satisfied with the school recommendation they were given, despite the cancellation of the final test (81%). A small group felt that the recommendation was too low (14%) or too high (5%). For students who, according to their parents, received a recommendation that was too low, the cancellation of the final test did have an impact. They expected the students to score higher on the final test than the level indicated in the school recommendation. For many of these students (39%), there was also an agreement that the recommendation would be adjusted upward if they achieved a better result on the final test. In 55% of cases, the school took no action after the final test was cancelled.
National Parent Panel survey
The survey was conducted among 263 parents of students in their first year of secondary school. The results are representative of all parents in the Netherlands. If you would like to read more, please consult the complete report of the survey. Would you also like to have your say on education in the Netherlands? Sign up directly for the National Parent Panel or read more about it.
Questions
For answers to questions about education during the COVID-19 period, please visit the FAQ page of Ouders & Onderwijs.