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Various educational institutions, including the PO-Raad, VO-raad and MBO Raad, have called on the informateur in a letter for a broad scaling up of Healthy Childcare and Healthy School, so that this structural and integrated approach becomes available to even more childcare organisations and schools throughout the Netherlands.
Sustainability and a healthy breakfast – at first glance, they seem to go together about as well as peanut butter and herring. What on earth does global warming have to do with a slice of whole-grain bread and a piece of fruit in the morning? Fleur van de Bovenkamp, project manager of the National School Breakfast, explains in the blog below why sustainability and a good breakfast have more to do with each other than we think.
Five active (special) primary schools are in the running for the Active School Award 2026, which will be presented on 18 March. The Royal Association for Physical Education (KVLO) is putting these schools in the spotlight to inspire more schools to create an active, movement-rich school and environment, thereby contributing to the health and well-being of pupils. This award highlights the importance of learning to move well and getting enough exercise and physical activity, in and around school.
On 19 November, the Heart for Healthy Relationships & Sexuality event organized by Healthy School took place at the Louis Hartlooper Complex in Utrecht. Hosted by presenter and podcast maker Annefleur Schipper, more than 100 participants from all types of education came together for an inspiring and interactive evening about the importance of relationship and sexuality education.
December is approaching again. A period when delicious treats are constantly available. Spiced gingerbread cookies, chocolate letters and Christmas wreath cookies; this period often revolves around eating (a lot of) delicious food. That is why these days are an ideal time to give extra attention to food in a festive way. Jong Leren Eten therefore collected festive and healthy recipes that are suitable for children in childcare and primary education and that children can also make themselves (with a little help).
On 18 November, the international think tank Salzburg Global presented the Salzburg Statement on Nature-Based Education: a call on world leaders to give nature a central place in education worldwide. According to experts, this is essential to prepare children for a future in which they can resiliently address global challenges such as climate change.
A safe and inclusive school climate is an important prerequisite for effective learning. Students can truly develop only when they feel physically, socially, and emotionally safe. Mutual respect is a core value in this regard: it creates calm, trust, and room for growth. Healthy School describes four ways to promote respect in the classroom.
Children from grades 7 and 8 at five primary schools in IJsselstein have designed paving tiles to combat smoking and vaping. The paving tile designed by Mohamed Albrawabrah from ’t Kasteel was chosen as the winner and will be placed in various locations in IJsselstein.
The Province of Overijssel is once again opening the doors to a greener future! The Provincial subsidy from Natuur voor Elkaar for Green Schoolyards, worth €10,000, is now available again. The subsidy provides schools with a valuable financial boost to transform their schoolyard into a natural play and learning environment full of flowers, trees, butterflies and playing children. The Green Schoolyards subsidy can be applied for through the Province of Overijssel’s subsidy desk.
Wellbeing at School, the national knowledge and support programme of Pharos and the Trimbos Institute, has published the Guidance on Preventive Work to Promote Wellbeing. The guidance aims to support teachers in primary, secondary and specialised education in proactively promoting the wellbeing of both their pupils and themselves. It does so by providing practical, accessible tools that can be applied directly in daily educational practice, complementing existing programmes and interventions.
On 19 November, Een Leven Lang Bewegen voor iedereen of Fontys University of Applied Sciences is organising a free regional knowledge and networking event: An active, healthy generation. The event will take place at Studio Radium in Maastricht. The event is of interest to education and childcare professionals.
Looking for an educational and unique excursion for your class? At Boerderij Educatie Nederland, you can book a visit to an educational farmer or horticulturalist near you. Professional teaching materials have recently become available for arable farmers who receive primary school pupils in the upper grades at their farms. The teaching materials consist of a preparatory lesson, a hands-on lesson at the farm and a concluding lesson, with a choice between a recipe, a quiz or a game.
Two primary schools officially launched the nationwide breakfast week of the National School Breakfast on Monday, 10 November, at the Railway Museum in Utrecht. Due to the morning rush, screens and ‘breakfasts-to-go’, families are eating together less and less often. As a result, children unintentionally receive the message that breakfast is not important. That is why this year’s theme is: having a healthy breakfast together is twice as delicious.
From Monday, 3 November through Thursday, 6 November 2025, the sixth edition of the Week of Motor Skills took place. A week full of webinars offering knowledge and inspiration for every policymaker or professional committed to encouraging physical activity in sport and exercise. Curious about everything that was covered and which webinars are interesting for professionals in education and childcare? Watch the webinars below and discover it for yourself.
From 18–22 May 2026, School Garden Week 2026 will take place, with ‘the soil’ as its theme. The School Gardens Alliance invites everyone to join an online supporters’ meeting on 24 November from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. to think along about how those involved can bring the theme to life in school gardens, lessons and festive activities.
On 19 November 2025, the Dutch Youth Institute, Ingrado and the Support Centre for Appropriate Education are organising a free meeting of the School Attendance Knowledge Network at NDC Den Hommel Conference Centre in Utrecht.
Apentrots is a free educational programme for Year 7 in which children learn about healthy eating and exercise in a fun and interactive way. The programme concludes with an inspiring lesson at Apenheul. It is now also available for special education.
The National School Breakfast takes place from 10 to 14 November. It is one of many initiatives around healthy nutrition. But how do you determine what suits your school? Fleur van de Bovenkamp, project manager of the National School Breakfast, wrote the blog below about it.
This year, Purple Friday will take place on Friday, 12 December. Purple Friday is dedicated to the idea that everyone should be able to be themselves, regardless of who you are, what your skin colour is, what you believe in or who you fall in love with.
The Het Vergeten Kind Foundation is calling on schools to take action for forgotten children this Christmas. In December, Het Vergeten Kind wants to give 7,500 children positive moments together with their family or residential group. That is why Het Vergeten Kind is organizing all kinds of activities for them during the Christmas holidays.
Parties from the fields of sport and physical activity, primary education and childcare are joining forces. They see concrete opportunities to deploy physical activity professionals more broadly. This can help alleviate staff shortages in education and childcare. At the same time, it creates better prospects for robust and attractive positions for this professional group. This is evident from research by the Mulier Institute.
On 28 January 2026, IVN, the Institute for Nature Education, is organising the Child & Nature Conference: Nature-Rich School and Childcare. The conference will take place at De Werelt in Lunteren and is intended for everyone involved in and around education and childcare.
Representatives of Jong Leren Utrecht recently made a vegetable garden tour along three Utrecht school gardens. They did this together with Utrecht vegetable garden coaches and NDE centre Stichting Vrienden van de Boswerf.
On 23 October 2025, the Youth Education Fund launched the School First campaign. During this campaign, the Youth Education Fund is visiting schools to ask school leaders during 10-minute meetings what they need. They provide a trusted place, see children every day and sometimes literally come behind the front door. Hans Spekman, director of the Youth Education Fund: “If we do not support schools now, we will saddle the next generation with a life in poverty.”
The Netherlands Youth Institute investigated which factors promote or hinder school attendance among children and young people. Based on nearly 50 studies from the period 2020–2025, an overview was compiled of recent, well-substantiated influences on school absenteeism.
New research by the Cyclists’ Union shows that 162 primary schools in the Netherlands are located along roads where driving at 50 km/h is permitted, without a separated cycle path. The research is based on publicly available data about the Dutch road network and school locations. The Cyclists’ Union is calling on municipalities to make school environments structurally safer and introduce 30 km/h zones around schools.
How can schools involve parents in food education in an accessible and practical way? Consumer researchers Gertrude Zeinstra and Lenneke van Bussel from Wageningen University & Research investigated this question and offer concrete tips that schools can put into practice immediately.
Nathalie Hoekstra, a postdoctoral researcher in developmental psychology at Radboud University in Nijmegen, publishes a series of articles on the wij-leren.nl website that examines in greater depth the social processes within the classroom and the mechanisms behind bullying, identifying it and intervening. The role of bullies, victims, bystanders and teachers is explored. The articles also show how social safety can be purposefully strengthened. Part 4 focuses on the bully.
On Wednesday, 19 November, the School Gardens Alliance is organising the online masterclass Getting Started with School Gardening: School Garden Handbook from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. This new masterclass on school gardening focuses on the School Garden Handbook.
From 4 to 11 October 2025, The Week of Our Food took place. During The Week of Our Food, schools, together with municipalities and farmers, discover where their food comes from, how it is produced and what impact it has on their health, the economy and society. Jong Leren Eten was involved in various activities.