European school in Bergen may be moving, Amsterdam schools unite for expats
The European Union-backed school in Bergen may be moving from its present location in four to five years time, officials have confirmed to DutchNews.nl.
The school was opened in 1963 to support the children of researchers at the nearby Petten nuclear facility but now around 20% of its pupils travel from Amsterdam to attend classes.
The education ministry is currently looking into the idea of moving the school to a new location and Alkmaar, Castricum and Zaanstad have so far expressed an interest in hosting the school, officials said.
The issue is currently being discussed in The Hague and the school’s governors in Brussels will have the final say. The arrival of the European Medicines Agency in Amsterdam has led to a 20% increase in pupil numbers.
Meanwhile in Amsterdam, 22 primary schools in the city centre and south have launched a special English website to help international parents who wish to put their children into the Dutch educational system.
Research by the International Community Advisory Panel shows that 55% of expat parents send their children to Dutch schools, but the lack of accessible information remains a problem.
The new website allows parents to check out the different types of schools on offer, look at their exam results and find out what sort of schools children move on to at the age of 12.
It also includes a link to funda.nl, so parents can check out what property is for sale close to the school of their choice. The ICAP survey found closeness to home was the most important aspect in choosing a school.
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