Fewer primary schools offered school swimming
In 2025, fewer primary schools offered school swimming than in 2021. This percentage fell from 26 percent to 21 percent. This is evident from research by the Mulier Institute.
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Thirteen Drenthe primary schools are renovating their schoolyards
Thanks to the Schoolyard Revolution Drenthe, an initiative of IVN Nature Education, SportDrenthe and the Art & Culture Foundation, thirteen Drenthe primary schools will be able to renovate their schoolyards over the next two years. The schools will receive a financial contribution of 20,000 euros from the province of Drenthe for their plans.
Walking or cycling to school: six benefits
Children find walking or cycling to school more enjoyable than going by car. Although 80% of all primary school children live no more than three kilometres from school, some parents still choose to take their child to school by car. Pretty strange. Walking and cycling to school should become normal again. That is why Veilig Verkeer Nederland is presenting six benefits to all mums and dads!
Equal partnership between school and parents
For children’s development, well-being and learning outcomes, it is important that schools and parents work together as equal partners. This cooperation can take different forms and have different effects. The Netherlands Youth Institute provides background information on cooperation between schools and parents. What forms of cooperation are there, and what are the factors for success?
Kick-off Green Revolution Zeeland 2026
Recently, the kick-off of the Green Revolution Schoolyards in Zeeland took place in Middelburg. During the kick-off in Middelburg, the eight selected primary schools received their vouchers to make their schoolyards greener. With these vouchers, the schools will transform their grey, paved schoolyards into nature-rich play and learning environments.
A Healthy Future: Integrated School Approach in Utrecht
ZonMw is supporting a four-year research project by the Research Group for Innovations in Preventive Care at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. The integrated approach at 15 primary schools in Utrecht is based on three pillars: Healthy Nutrition and Education, More Physical Activity at School, and Active Parental Involvement.
Children consider nature education important, but want a more practical approach
Year 8 pupils want nature, technology and geography education to become much more practical. This is according to a new nationwide survey by the Dutch Inspectorate of Education. Many lessons in the ‘People and nature’ learning area currently mainly consist of listening to the teacher or working from a book, while pupils would much rather experiment, discover and try things out for themselves.
Healthy School Canteen Day
What pupils and students eat and drink at school is of great importance to their health and development. The school canteen plays a central role in this, as it influences young people’s food choices every day. By offering healthy products in an appealing and visible way, pupils are encouraged to unconsciously make better choices. This not only has an effect in the short term, but also on their eating habits in the future. March 19 was Healthy School Canteen Day.
Primary School Aurora wins 2026 Active School Award
Aurora public primary school in Almere has won the 2026 Active School Award. The award is presented to the school by the Royal Association for Physical Education (KVLO) because physical activity is incorporated into education in an inspiring and structural way.
New guides for education professionals
A socially safe school forms the basis for good education and students’ well-being. Students develop better when they feel seen, heard and safe. Promoting social safety requires commitment both in the classroom and in school policy. That is why Stichting School & Veiligheid has made two practical guides available: one for teachers and one for school leaders. Both offer concrete tools for making the school climate safer.
New tool supports schools in organising a healthy school lunch
A nutritious lunch is important for children's health and ability to learn. What pupils eat at lunchtime affects their energy, concentration and wellbeing in the classroom. At the same time, many schools find that organising a healthy school lunch raises questions. Where do you start? Which approach suits our school? And how do you organise this in practice?
More than 30,000 teachers have an account on the Chef! teaching portal
Since the beginning of 2026, more than 30,000 teachers have had an account on the Chef! teaching portal. All teachers are committed to introducing children to food and food choices from an early age.
Grades 4 and 5 from all schools in Den Helder head to the beach together on World Water Day
What happens when you send all Grade 4 and 5 pupils from the Municipality of Den Helder to the beach together? You get a morning full of discoveries, curiosity and a cleaner coast. On 19 March 2026, Den Helder celebrates World Water Day in a way that perfectly suits this seaside city.
Update on Food Education during the Week for a Healthy Youth
Would you like to know about the latest developments in food education? Then reserve Tuesday morning, 9 June 2026, in your calendar! During the (online) meeting, we will update you on the latest developments from Team Smaaklessen, EU School Fruit and EU School Milk. The Update will take place during the Week for a Healthy Youth, 8 to 12 June 2026.
Three Nijmegen schoolyards are becoming greener, healthier and more adventurous
In 2026, three primary schools in Nijmegen will transform their paved schoolyards into green, playful and educational environments. With fewer paving stones and more nature, spaces are being created where children can move, explore and learn. The municipality of Nijmegen is receiving €90,000 in funding for this from the national Healthy Schoolyards programme of IVN Nature Education and Jantje Beton.
The Apentrots educational program has started again
During the week of 2 to 6 March 2026, the Apentrots educational program began in Apeldoorn. Almost 900 pupils from Year 6 at primary schools in Apeldoorn are immersing themselves in the lifestyle of monkeys – and what we can learn from it. In three interactive lessons, they discover everything about healthy eating, exercise and behaviour.
The influence of digital media use on sports and physical activity among young people
The Trimbos Institute’s Centre of Expertise for Digitalisation, commissioned by the Knowledge Centre for Sport & Physical Activity, investigated the influence of digital media use on the sports and physical activity behaviour of 4- to 18-year-olds. Although it is often thought that more screen time automatically leads to less physical activity, the relationship appears to be more nuanced.
How can you deal with young people’s self-diagnoses?
Videos about self-diagnosis are very popular on social media. This is because young people who are not feeling well often look for information there. In these videos, young people may recognize certain symptoms and consequently think that they have a mental disorder. How do you deal with this as a professional in education? The Netherlands Youth Institute has listed the key points together with Mieke Oldeman from the University of Amsterdam.
‘Respect’ theme of Spring Fever Week
From 23 March through 27 March 2026, Spring Fever Week will take place. It is a national project week for special and primary education, during which extra attention is paid to relational and sexual development. It is an initiative of Rutgers and the municipal health services (GGD) to support schools in getting off to a good start with these lessons and incorporating the themes structurally into the school and annual plan. Schools that participate teach lessons for a week on resilience, relationships and sexuality. This year’s theme is ‘Respect’.
€250,000 for climate-resilient and playful schoolyards in North Brabant
Schools in North Brabant that want to make their schoolyard greener can submit an application again from 1 April 2026 for the Schoolyards of the Future scheme. Together with the Cultural Fund of North Brabant and the Aa en Maas, De Dommel and Brabantse Delta water authorities, the Province of North Brabant is making a total of €250,000 available this year. The scheme is explicitly intended not only for primary schools, but also for secondary schools and senior secondary vocational education institutions.
Milestones in adolescence offer opportunities for mental health
What important milestones occur during adolescence (ages 13–18), and how can you use them to promote and strengthen mental health skills? Aniek de Lange and Maartje van den Essenburg of the Trimbos Institute explain this in the blog below.
National Outdoor Classroom Day
On 7 April 2026, we will once again celebrate National Outdoor Classroom Day, an initiative of IVN Nature Education and Jantje Beton. On this day, which has been organised since 2016, the school playground is placed in the spotlight as the best-ventilated classroom in the school. Especially for this edition, IVN has developed a new nature lesson that can be downloaded for free: ‘The Wild Playground’. Children go outside to explore and become real researchers. They discover which animals leave traces on their playground.
Free downloadable King's Games Package 2026 ready for schools
The King's Games will take place on Friday, 17 April. For teachers with busy schedules, parents and volunteers who find it difficult to put together a complete programme themselves, the free downloadable King's Games Package is available online at www.koningsspelenpakket.nl for the fourteenth consecutive year. This year's theme is ‘Everyone having fun’.
Three Brabant primary schools surprised with Primary School in Motion Award
Three Brabant primary schools were surprised with the Primary School in Motion Award on Friday, 6 February. Bas Maes, the provincial executive for Sport of the Province of Noord-Brabant, and Dave van Kann, lecturer at Fontys University of Applied Sciences, presented the award during surprise visits to Montessorischool Bergen op Zoom, De Boog primary school in Eindhoven and Campus aan de Lanen in Rosmalen. The schools received the award for their plans to make physical activity a structural part of the school day.
Five steps to intervene in bullying
Is your school dealing with a bullying situation? Together with Utrecht University and KiVa, the School & Safety Foundation developed a systematic approach that helps you gain insight into the function of bullying behaviour and align your actions accordingly. You can read all about it in ‘Five steps to intervene in bullying’.
Special Education Students at De Schans Discover New Flavors with Groentjessoep
A good example inspires others to follow. That is why we are sharing below the story of Jong Leren Eten Utrecht about how students at SO De Schans in Utrecht discover new flavors every week with Groentjessoep. In this way, food education becomes a regular, accessible, and positive ritual in the classroom.
MBO activities for Wellbeing at School to continue within Stijn
Since 1 January 2026, the activities for MBO within the Wellbeing at School programme have been incorporated into Stijn, the national student wellbeing programme for MBO, higher professional education and university education. By joining forces, Stijn can provide even better support to MBO institutions in working on student wellbeing within one strong and integrated programme.
Jong Leren Eten provides Guest Cooking Instructor training
Interest in healthy and sustainable food in education and childcare is growing. At the same time, not every teacher or educational professional feels confident in the kitchen or has time to organize cooking lessons. That is why there is a need for guest cooking instructors: independent professionals who support schools and childcare organizations with inspiring, well-structured cooking lessons. Jong Leren Eten therefore provides Guest Cooking Instructor training.
National reporting centre for discrimination for children and young people
A national reporting centre for discrimination for children and young people has recently been established. At Discriminatie.nl Jeugd, children can share their experiences of discrimination, ask questions and receive support by telephone or via an online form. Because education professionals also encounter discrimination, the reporting centre is relevant for them too.
Food Education 2026 aims to enable a healthy generation to consciously make healthy choices
In March and April, the province of South Holland is offering no fewer than three subsidy opportunities to make the healthy food choice the easy choice. One of these is Food Education 2026. Through this initiative, the province aims to contribute to a healthy generation that knows what it eats and can consciously make the healthy choice.