Dutch schools strained as students are placed in higher tracks than they can handle
Secondary schools in the Netherlands, particularly VMBO and practical education institutions, are under increasing strain as an optimistic advising policy in primary schools continues to place students in higher secondary education tracks that many later cannot sustain, leading to mid-year transfers, classroom disruption, and staffing pressure, educators told NU.nl.
The policy, known as optimistic advising, was introduced during the COVID-19 period and formally adopted in the 2023-2024 school year. It instructs primary school teachers to recommend a higher secondary school level when a student’s final assessment suggests potential beyond initial expectations. About 20 percent of eighth-grade students reportedly receive this higher recommendation. Education organizations say a significant share of these students later struggle to keep up once enrolled in secondary school.
As a result, thousands of students are expected this month to learn that they cannot remain in the higher-level track to which they were assigned. This leads to disappointment, forced school transfers during the academic year, and secondary schools that say they are not equipped to absorb the influx of transferring students.
VMBO and practical education leaders say the consequences are serious for both students and schools. Arjen Daelmans, chair of Stichting Platforms VMBO told NU.nl that students are often placed in higher tracks such as HAVO but later must move down to VMBO, which many experience as a personal failure. He said the impact goes beyond academics, as students must adapt to a new school building, a different school culture, and a new peer group.
Schools report that the steady stream of transferring students creates major logistical and educational strain. Teachers must spend substantial time speaking with students and parents to prepare them for the transition, while also managing classroom disruption when new students arrive throughout the year. Administrators are required to revise lesson plans constantly, tutoring arrangements, schedules, class sizes, and staffing allocations.
There are no precise national figures on how many students struggle after receiving optimistic recommendations. However, data cited by schools show that practical education institutions received nearly 30 percent more students transferring from first-year VMBO programs last year compared with 2020. In a recent survey of 130 VMBO schools, respondents reported an average of 23 transfer students per school per year, roughly equal to nearly one full class.
Transfers from VWO to HAVO appear less common, partly because many schools operate combined HAVO and VWO classes in the first two years of secondary education.
Supporters of optimistic advising argue it helps prevent students from being underestimated, particularly those from migrant backgrounds or lower socioeconomic families. The Dutch Education Council says most students who receive higher recommendations are able to succeed at the more advanced level.
Louise Elffers, chair of the Education Council and professor of educational equality, said every child should have the opportunity to develop their potential. However, she warned that schools are now dealing with more diverse student profiles than before, requiring additional support if the system is to effectively reduce inequality.
The Education Council is calling for fewer rigid educational tracks after primary school and the creation of broader secondary school systems with more flexible pathways. Elffers suggested students could remain together in some subjects during the early years of secondary education, while being grouped by ability in subjects such as mathematics and language, allowing more movement between levels over time.
Dutch State Secretary for Education Judith Tielen said she is in discussions with schools and education stakeholders about improving the transition from primary to secondary education. She said there is no single simple solution that guarantees every student immediately enters the correct educational track after primary school.
