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Only two parties – BBB and GroenLinks/PvdA – specifically address the role of schools in this matter in response to questions from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre about healthy food.
Nearly 40 percent of primary school pupils in years 7 and 8 score low on the concept of ‘nature intelligence’ (NQ). These are mainly children who undertake few nature activities with their parents and also receive little nature education at school. This is shown by research commissioned by IVN Nature Education. IVN is concerned about the low NQ of many children at a time of climate change and biodiversity crisis.
Fewer and fewer people in the Netherlands are meeting the physical activity guidelines. Young people aged 12 to 17 in particular are not getting enough exercise. This is the conclusion of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) following a study of 8,442 people. The Netherlands Youth Institute is concerned.
From cyberbullying and hate comments to shame sexting and other unwanted online behavior. It is important for pupils and students to be aware of the risks that messaging and social media can entail. Awareness can prevent a great deal of trouble. That is why it is important to encourage the online resilience of all pupils and students. In this article from Gezonde School, Freek Zwanenberg of Bureau Jeugd & Media explains the importance of good online etiquette and offers tips for the classroom. Elsbeth Reitzema of Rutgers also explains what you can do regarding online boundary-crossing behavior in relationships and sexuality.
On 13 November, EU School Fruit started again. EU School Fruit encourages primary school children to eat fruit and vegetables together in the classroom. Participating schools receive 3 portions of vegetables and fruit every week for 20 weeks for all pupils. And it is completely free, thanks to funding from the European Union. This year, the project is extra fun because three games are available for social interaction during fruit time: vegetable and fruit dominoes (Years 1, 2 and 3), vegetable and fruit board game (Years 4 and 5), vegetable and fruit quartet (Years 6, 7 and 8).
In 2024, the province of Groningen will invest up to €100,000 in projects aimed at helping children who go to school hungry. A motion introduced by, among others, the BoerBurgerBeweging party was adopted on 8 November during the budget debate of the Provincial Council.
Sports-oriented primary schools in the Netherlands, pay attention! Would you like to show that your school excels in providing good and sufficient opportunities for exercise and sports? And does your school deserve a place in the spotlight? Then register your school for the election of the Most Sports-Oriented Primary School/Special (Primary) Education School in the Netherlands 2024. Registration is open until 1 December.
With the holiday season approaching, primary school-aged children experience more stimuli and their stress levels can rise. How does that actually work? And what is the relationship with sleep? What about understimulation and overstimulation? On 1 November, Melissa den Ouden, Linda Kerkmans and Tilly de Jong shared knowledge and tips in a webinar for parents, ‘Sensory processing and stress in primary school-aged children’. This webinar may also provide professionals with interesting insights.
There are major regional differences between schools working according to the Healthy School approach, both in its practical implementation and in the support a school receives. When the support and implementation of the programme are stronger, the Healthy School programme can contribute to promoting young people’s health. This is evident from an evaluation of the programme by scientists from Maastricht University, which was presented on Friday 3 November during a meeting in Utrecht.
On Monday, 6 November, the fourth edition of the Week of Motor Skills begins. The week runs from 6 through 9 November. The first day features a live event, followed by interesting webinars for education and childcare professionals. Part 2 focuses on the webinars on 8 November (theme: Living Environment) and 9 November (theme: Equal Opportunities).
Monday, 6 November marks the start of the fourth edition of the Week of Motor Skills. The week runs from 6 through 9 November. The first day features a live event, followed by interesting webinars for education and childcare professionals on the following days. Part 1 focuses on the webinars taking place on 7 November. The theme on 7 November is life stages.
How can we make a healthy lifestyle the norm in every school in the years ahead? What are the challenges and solutions involved? Healthy School is organizing a Dialogue Session on Thursday morning, 16 November, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Leerhotel Het Klooster in Amersfoort.
As of the 2023–2024 school year, primary schools must provide all pupils with at least two physical education lessons. Recent research by the Mulier Institute and a KVLO survey examined the extent to which primary schools are able to meet the statutory requirement. Both studies show that the shortage of suitable accommodation for physical education is a matter of concern and requires attention.
Could your play and learning environment use a little more greenery? Would you like to teach children how food grows in a challenging and innovative way? Then a Food Forest Garden might be just the thing for you too! IVN is looking for schools and out-of-school care centres in Utrecht East where a Food Forest Garden can take root and flourish from the 2023–2024 school year onwards. Sign up and perhaps you too will receive a special little forest that produces a larger harvest every year.
As a teacher, you want there to be a positive atmosphere in the classroom, for students to treat one another well, and for bullying to have no chance to take hold. Nevertheless, bullying occurs at every school and in every group. Stop Pesten Nu has compiled a guide to recognising, addressing and preventing bullying in your class.
School gardening is not only popular in our country. Sometimes it is useful to look across the border for inspiration. Such as at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in England.
On TikTok accounts inspired by the series Gossip Girl, gossip about students and teachers is posted anonymously. For example, “someone from the first year has been deflowered by someone aged 18” or “Mr X is having an affair with Ms X.” How should you deal with this as a school? Stichting School & Veiligheid has listed the key points and provides tips.
As a teacher, you may notice that pupils are growing up in poverty. For example, because they do not have lunch to bring to school or are wearing shoes that are too small. What can you do if you are concerned about this? The Netherlands Youth Institute offers advice.
Physical activity should receive more attention in day-care centres (DCCs) and out-of-school care (OSC). For example, through policy, training for staff or by collaborating with other organisations. This is evident from research by the Mulier Institute among staff at DCCs and OSCs.
From 6 to 9 November, the fourth edition of the Week of Motor Skills will take place. This year's theme is: Encourage a lifetime of sports and physical activity. This year's kick-off is the Week of Motor Skills: Live! At this event on 6 November at HAL22 in Utrecht, policymakers and policy advisers—whether working for a municipality, childcare, education or the healthcare sector—will be given practical tools to make sports and physical activity a permanent part of policy.
Every teacher will occasionally encounter situations relating to relationships and sexuality. School & Veiligheid and Rutgers have developed a free e-learning course to support teachers in this. The eight modules cover a broad range of topics. There are separate e-learning courses for primary and secondary education.
Schools have shown great interest in the Lekker naar buiten! incentive offered by the Jong Leren Eten programme. Over a period of three years, 2,273 schools applied for the grant through Gezonde School for activities such as gardening, cooking or visiting a farm. Schools say that the grant helps pupils and students gain practical experience with healthy and sustainable food. This is shown by an evaluation conducted by the RIVM on behalf of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
Children readily follow traditions and are flexible in this regard. The key to any change lies with the adults. For most children, a change will not matter. Children often respond to and go along with adults’ reactions. Please note: The way adults talk about the tradition affects students’ sense of safety. The School & Safety Foundation offers tips for a wonderful Sinterklaas celebration at school for everyone.
On Saturday, 7 October, the Palestinian organization Hamas carried out attacks on Israel from Gaza. The shocking images are being broadcast around the world. The unrest this causes also enters the school and the classroom. It is therefore difficult not to address it. But how do you do this with a conflict that can provoke strong reactions? Such a sensitive subject can be challenging. Stichting School & Veiligheid provides guidance in the article below.
No words, but action. If it were up to teacher Robert of the Oranje School in Rotterdam, all children in the Netherlands would soon be playing on a beautiful green school playground just like the pupils at his school. He rolled up his sleeves and, together with Year 8 pupils Miral and Husseyin, proudly showed their green school playground to the politicians present at the end of September.
Dance Educators Agreement unites bachelor’s programmes in Dance Education, partners and the Méér Muziek in de Klas foundation for the next seven years
The ninth edition of National Outdoor Lesson Day will take place on 9 April 2024. On this day, pupils throughout the country leave the classroom to receive lessons from their teacher in the fresh air outdoors. Previously, IVN Nature Education organised this together with Jantje Beton. Now that Jantje Beton has decided to focus more on outdoor play and play areas, IVN is continuing with Outdoor Lesson Day independently.
Almost as many young people vape as smoke. This is shown by the new Youth Monitor on tobacco and nicotine products from the Trimbos Institute. 21.7 percent of Dutch young people and young adults (aged 12 to 25) used an e-cigarette in the past year. Almost one third (27.4 percent) smoked cigarettes. And 69.1% of young people who use an e-cigarette monthly also smoke cigarettes monthly.
On Thursday, 21 September, the Special Heroes Foundation organised the Sport Heroes Survival Experience at Hommes Survivalrun & Outdoor in Groningen. Six different special (primary) schools from the province of Groningen and Assen discovered survival sport. The young people left the safe school environment, where regularity, structure and rhythm are central, for the beautifully constructed course full of challenging obstacles. A total of 250 students completed the survival course.
The winner of the ‘an ANWB Traffic Square for a school playground’ campaign in the province of Gelderland is Klavervier, a school for special primary education in Beuningen. Today, the ANWB Traffic Square was officially opened in the presence of all the pupils, Ellen Sas-van de Geer (primary school principal) and Peter Siewers (director of ANWB Assistance).