Media Literacy Week
From 8 to 15 November 2024, Media Literacy Week will take place. For the next three years, the theme week will focus on digital balance. In 2024, the main theme is: healthy screen use.
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Together we grow stronger. On this news page we share the latest updates, inspiring ideas and innovative solutions to make your journey even better. From new courses to real-life examples: discover everything you need here.
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Infographic on physical activity recommendations for 0–4-year-olds updated: more practical tips
Do you work with young children and want to know how much physical activity they need for good health? The infographic from the Knowledge Centre for Sport & Physical Activity with physical activity recommendations for 0–4-year-olds can help you get started. This infographic was recently updated and now better reflects the needs of professionals in practice. Read about what has changed in this article.
Register for the Sustainable Teacher Election 2025
Registration for the Sustainable Teacher Election 2025 is now open. The election has been made possible by the Coöperatie Leren voor Morgen, Teachers for Climate, NADO, Youth for Climate, Studenten voor Morgen, Meesters met Dromen, Duurzame PABO and SME.
Teacher Ilva explains the benefits of learning through movement
Whether you are being taught about a sum, a word or a letter, every child knows the feeling: after sitting still and listening at their school desks all day, you often remember only half of it. Fortunately, there is a better way to process information: through movement. In fact, learning while moving has countless benefits. Ilva Kuijpers, a teacher of grades 1 and 2 at SpringWijs Primary School in Delft, explains more about it in a blog.
Healthy lunches and exercise at school improve children's math performance
Schoolchildren perform better particularly in mathematics when they eat healthy lunches and engage in varied physical activities at school. This is shown by new research based on data from the Healthy Primary School of the Future (GBT) project. During that project, reading and mathematics tests were administered twice a year. After scientists had previously demonstrated that GBT indeed has highly positive effects on children's health and behavior, they have now also examined its influence on children's academic performance. Particularly in mathematics, the researchers observed that the results continued to improve over a period of four years.
School Gardening Education for Fifteen Primary Schools in Schouwen-Duiveland
The Zeeland island of Schouwen-Duiveland shows what you can achieve when you work together and prepare properly. Next school year, no fewer than fifteen primary schools there will offer school gardening education. Janneke Donkers of NME Schouwen-Duiveland (NME SD) is seeing her big dream come true. Janneke talks about it in an interview with the School Gardens Alliance.
School Garden Inclusive Education in the Municipality of Lingewaard Wins Steenbreek Trophy
‘School Garden Inclusive Education’ in the municipality of Lingewaard has won the Steenbreek Trophy 2024 in the category of social initiatives. The winners of the awards were announced during National Green Day, which was held in Eindhoven this year on 10 October.
Amsterdam wants all primary schools to have a Dynamic School Day by 2030
The Municipality of Amsterdam wants all primary schools to operate with a Dynamic School Day by 2030. This means that children engage in physical activity for at least 60 minutes a day.
Turkish parents of children in grades 3 through 8 wanted for research
The Research Team at Wageningen University, which works on Smaaklessen, is looking for Turkish parents with children in grades 3 through 8 for a study on parental involvement. The aim is to learn how parents are involved in nutrition programmes at their child’s primary school and to find out what parents think about them.
A socially safe school; everyone can be themselves there
Paying attention to gender diversity and sexual diversity at school is very important. Research repeatedly shows that LGBTQ+ students feel less safe at school and are bullied more often than heterosexual students. Acceptance of homosexuality among young people is also declining. That is why it is especially important now to talk about this together, says Melissa, policy adviser at School & Safety. And according to her, school is the ideal place for this.
Toddlers eat healthily, teenagers do not
Dutch toddlers generally eat healthily. Teenagers, on the other hand, eat the least healthily of all age groups. This is shown by Statistics Netherlands (CBS)’s 2023 Health Survey and Lifestyle Monitor. The results are also relevant for education professionals.
Guide to Organizing a Professional Development Day on Wellbeing in Education
If you want to work continuously on the wellbeing of pupils and the school team in primary, secondary or special education, organizing a professional development day on this topic can be an important step. But what should you cover during such a day? What requires extra attention? And above all, how do you ensure that the day is effective and leads to follow-up action? The new ‘Guide to Organizing a Professional Development Day’ from the Trimbos Institute and Pharos offers tips, inspiring examples and experiences from education professionals to help you get started.
Less disruptive and more on-task behavior among students thanks to the traffic-light method
The traffic-light method enables teachers to clearly communicate behavioral rules in the classroom using the colors red, orange, and green. With this approach, students display more on-task and less disruptive behavior. This applies to students of different ages and in different educational settings. It seems important to introduce and discuss the traffic-light method carefully with the students. These are the main findings of the Kennisrotonde.
Social media and bullying – a challenge you can still do something about
What impact do social media have on bullying and gossip, and what can you do about it as a school? Loïs Gampierakis, an employee of the Advice Centre and substantive officer for social safety policy at School & Veiligheid, wrote the blog below about this.
Voedingscentrum campaign on school celebration policies and treats
More and more schools and out-of-school care centres are switching to a celebration policy. To encourage this, the celebration cards can be downloaded free of charge via the Wie jarig is viert feest website.
Interesting webinars for education during Motor Skills Week
From 11 to 14 November, it is Motor Skills Week. During the week, there are two webinars that are interesting for education professionals.
Too little physical education at one-third of primary schools
One-third of primary schools do not meet the statutory standard of at least 90 minutes of physical education per week. Schools attribute this to a lack of facilities and full lesson timetables. Researchers from the Mulier Institute consider it worrying that many schools do not have it high on their list of priorities to improve the situation quickly.
Wageningen University & Research conducts impact study on Smaaklessen
Wageningen University & Research is looking for school classes that would like to participate in 2025 in an impact study on the Smaaklessen educational programme. To gain a better understanding of the effectiveness of Smaaklessen and the factors that contribute to it, many participating classes throughout the Netherlands are needed. Each participating school class will receive all the necessary materials free of charge.
Getting started with a healthy and sustainable school canteen in the 2024–2025 school year
Are you ready to get started with a healthy and sustainable canteen again this year? Then read in advance about the first steps you can take. Who knows, a new plaque might soon be shining in your canteen!
One in four primary school children is struggling with financial worries
A stressful home situation has a significant negative impact on the learning performance of Dutch children. Thirty percent of children experience stress at home, mainly due to financial worries. These are the conclusions of the annual report ‘Inequality of Opportunity in the Netherlands’.
Conference: Finding Your Way to Well-being in Foundational Education
How can you strengthen the well-being of students and the school team in a way that really works? The National Education Programme is organising the conference Finding Your Way to Well-being in Foundational Education on 14 October 2024 in ’s-Hertogenbosch.
Focus on food and sustainability at school
Every year, the month of October is dedicated to food and sustainability. Sustainability Day and National Vegetable and Fruit Day take place on 10 October, World Food Day on 16 October, and from 5 to 12 October it is Our Food Week. In short, October is the ideal opportunity for schools to focus on this through a lesson or activity.
Primary School Wereldkids Albatros in Zeist wins ANWB Traffic Square
Primary School Wereldkids Albatros in Zeist is the proud winner of the ‘An ANWB Traffic Square for a School Playground’ campaign in the province of Utrecht. On 26 September, the ANWB Traffic Square was officially opened in the presence of all the pupils, Annemarie Gerards (ANWB Fund advisory committee member), Hanneke van Nieuwenhuijzen (primary school principal) and Frances van de Graaf (primary school teacher).
Gossiping among children and young people: is it harmful and what can I do?
The week of 23 to 27 September is Anti-Bullying Week. This year’s slogan is ‘Think FF! When it comes to gossip’. Gossip may sometimes seem harmless, but it can have a major impact on children and young people. What can you do as a professional, for example in education, when children and young people gossip? The Netherlands Youth Institute has listed some advice.
Order free posters about healthy eating for your school
Eating vegetables or fruit with lunch every day, drinking water, or having a celebration policy instead of treats—these are all steps towards a healthier lifestyle at school. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre has outlined what schools can do in the coming school year.
Why is it called Anti-Bullying Week?
From 23 to 27 September 2024, Anti-Bullying Week will take place. It is an initiative of the School & Safety Foundation. This year's theme is ‘Think for a second! When it comes to gossip’. But why is it actually called Anti-Bullying Week? The website of the same name, together with the School & Safety Foundation and the Knowledge Centre for Dealing with Bullying, lists the eight reasons.
Inspiration Guide for Education for Media Literacy Week
From 8 to 15 November 2024, Media Literacy Week will take place. For the next three years, the theme week will focus on digital balance. In 2024, the main theme is healthy screen use. Netwerk Mediawijsheid has created an Inspiration Guide for each sector. One of these is the Inspiration Guide for Education.
Alternatives to watching a video during lunch breaks at primary school
Many primary schools put on a video during lunch breaks. More schools are also experimenting with eating without the television on. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists the effects of watching television while eating and the benefits of eating with sufficient time and attention. They also provide alternatives to watching television during lunch breaks.
Businesses and schools in Northeast Brabant launch unique food education program
This school year, approximately 10,000 primary school pupils at 85 schools in the Northeast Brabant region are taking part in an innovative food education program: Feasting on Edible Greens. In this cheerful, hands-on vegetable program, schools work together with 45 local businesses—from farmers, supermarkets and greengrocers to restaurants and care institutions—and with school garden coaches to teach pupils food skills and knowledge about healthy and sustainable food in a playful way. Cooperation on this scale is unique in the Netherlands.
Opening video, teaching materials and kick-off webinar for Week Against Bullying
From 23 to 27 September, Stichting School & Veiligheid is organizing Week Against Bullying. This year’s slogan is ‘Think FF first! When it comes to gossip’. The opening video and teaching materials are now available. There will also be a kick-off webinar on 18 September.