Children at Montessori primary schools perform better than those at traditional schools, RTL news reports after studying the results of nationwide tests.

Most of the country’s 11 and 12 year-olds take the Cito test in their final year of primary school. The results help determine what sort of secondary education they will go on to.

Judges ruled last week the results could be made public, allowing parents and teachers to compare school performance.

Average

RTL says the 155 Montessori schools in the Netherlands scored an average of 8.1 in the tests. The 6,100 schools offering traditional education scored an average 7.5, while Free Schools, based on the principles of Rudolf Steiner, scored an average 6.5.

Montessori schools offer children more choice in deciding what and when to study. They are also taught in mixed age groups.

School governors are opposed to the publication of the Cito scores because they think parents will only look at the results. Many are considering dropping the tests, news agency Novum says.

Regions

RTL’s research also shows children in Limburg and Utrecht performed better than average, with the worst results booked in Drenthe, Flevoland and Friesland.

Children at Catholic schools also performed marginally better than those at ordinary public schools.