Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Content:
EDUCATION
Which curriculum does Holland International School offer for its Dutch Stream?
Holland International School provides the Dutch curriculum for the main subjects Language, Math, Reading and Writing. We also offer the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) and part of the English curriculum (reading, writing and speaking in English).
For more information about the curricula mentioned above, please click on this link:
https://www.hollandinternationalschool.sg/en/our-school/unique-way-learning/
Which curriculum does Holland International School offer for its English Stream?
The English Stream provides the English National Curriculum and integrates both the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) and the Dutch language programme (writing, reading and speaking) into daily education. For the Reception years the Dutch language programme will focus on speaking and listening.
How many hours of English is taught in the Dutch Stream per year group?
Children at Preschool have both a Dutch speaking teacher and an English speaking teacher in class the whole day. Thus, our focus is on both the English and the Dutch language development.
The groups 1 through 8 get 45 minutes of English class per day.
Is it a problem if my child starts at Holland International School without ever having attended English classes?
‘Streaming’ takes place within these groups and the English objectives are worked on differentiated levels. This way, the differences in the language comprehension are considered.
In the English Stream a sufficient level of English is required and may be assessed before placement.
How many hours of Dutch is taught in the English Stream per year group?
Children at the bilingual Preschool have a Dutch and English teacher in the group all day. Attention is equally paid to both English and Dutch language development.
Children in Reception Class receive 45 minutes of Dutch language lessons per day, delivered by an experienced and qualified native Dutch teacher.
Is it a problem if my child enters the English Stream and has not had any Dutch lessons yet?
No previous exposure to the Dutch language is required for entry to the Preschool. For admissions to the English Stream is a link to the Netherlands or the Dutch language required, or at least a motivation why it is beneficial for the child to learn Dutch. There is 'streaming' within the year group and work is done on the Dutch goals in a differentiated way. In this way, differences in Dutch language skills are taken into account.
What level of the Dutch language development can be expected?
The Dutch language program of our English Stream helps to develop the Dutch language of your children. By delivering the Dutch language lessons as part of the daily curriculum, we ensure that in 3 years your child develops a good understanding of the language and achieves fluency in verbal communication. Therefore it is also important for parents to pay attention to the Dutch language at home and actively practise it as much as possible. In addition, extra Dutch language classes can be booked on a surcharge as part of the Extra Curricular Activities.
Does the ‘Nederlandse Inspectie’ (Dutch inspection) visit Holland International School?
The ‘Nederlandse Inspectie buitenland’ visits Holland International School once every 4 years. The last inspection visit was in 2023 and the school was qualified as Excellent.
Is the education at Holland International School provided by qualified teachers?
Every teacher at the primary school is qualified and has at least a bachelor degree from the College of Education (PABO), in some cases supplemented with master degrees in educational disciplines. Moreover, our teachers have a lot of experience (working) in primary education.
For the International Stream, both teachers and assistant teachers are qualified to teach the English national curriculum. We hire highly and they are native speakers. Moreover, our teachers have a lot of experience (working) in primary education.
How is the landing at Holland International School?
Moving to a distant country, living in a metropolis and finding your feet in a new school can be drastic and overwhelming for your son or daughter. At Holland International School we do everything possible to make your child feel at home quickly. We invite your family to drop by, experience the atmosphere and meet the teacher of your child's group. This makes the first day of school a lot less daunting.
How is the transition to Dutch education?
For children of the Dutch Stream will the transition be very smooth as there's a good connection with the curriculum and there's no language barrier. With the knowledge and experience of 100 years of Dutch education in Singapore, we expect to bring children of the English Stream to a level of proficiency in the Dutch language that will allow them to enter Dutch education. The teachers, together with the educational counsellors, make sure that the students’ correct information is sent to the new school. The students receive an Educational Report (Onderwijskundig Rapport) to bring along to the Netherlands when they leave Holland International School. This report contains all (educational) information regarding the student to ensure that the teacher in the Netherlands is aware of what has been provided to the student and what the student’s development has been.
How is the transition to an International School?
Annual research and feedback from International Schools have shown that the students’ command of the English language is sufficient to connect into the international educational system. The transition to an International School will be especially smooth for students of the English Stream at Holland International School. In addition, the school prepares its group 7 (Year 6) and group 8 (Year 7) students to be academically ready for a smooth transition to secondary school.
Holland International School GENERAL
What are Holland International School’s international activities and connections?
An international connection is made in the IPC units. We also focus on these connections during our cultural assemblies (i.e. international holidays and festivities).
How big are the groups?
The groups at Preschool have a maximum of 18 toddlers. The groups at Primary School have a maximum of 24 students.
What extracurricular activities does Holland International School offer?
We have an extensive programme of extracurricular activities. These programmes last 8-10 weeks. We currently offer 35 extracurricular activities. The activities variate from art to games, and from sport to cooking. Extracurricular activities are not mandatory and are meant to acquaint the students with the activities.
Does Holland International School provide camps in the school holidays?
No, we don’t provide any camps. However, there are other places in Singapore that offer all kinds of camps during the school holidays.
Does Holland International School celebrate the Dutch festivals?
We celebrate Sinterklaas, Easter, Kingsday and Christmas at Holland International School. We also celebrate the local/international festivals, like Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Hari Raya.
What is the school's policy on bullying?
The school has a Bullying protocol / Behavioural protocol that is part of our educational content.
What does the school do concerning media knowledge?
Media knowledge is a part of our educational content. Besides that, we also provide an annual “media knowledge week”.
How digital is the school?
The school uses iPads, iMacs, laptops, ‘Google Classroom’, and each class room has an interactive smartboard. The different appliances are part of our educational content.
Is there a library?
Holland International School has a library with Dutch and English books. Every group visits the library once a week. Students can borrow a maximum of 5 books per week. Moreover, Holland International School also does a lot to promote books (i.e. the “Kinderboekenweek” and the ‘Poetry Week’).
How does Holland International School communicate with the parents?
Holland International School communicates with parents mostly through the digital communication platform “Social Schools”. This is a controlled environment where only parents of Holland International School’s students have access to. The platform uses an app and a website.
Does Holland International School have a uniform?
The students at Holland International School don’t wear a uniform. However, the students do wear a Holland International School gym t-shirt during the PE classes and school trips. Also, all students are required to wear a school hat for outside play time. This is to protect them from the sun.
What are the school times?
The school times at Preschool are from 8.30am to 2.30pm. Children in the Playgroup (18 months - 2,5 yo) have the option for shorter days, from 8.30am to 12.30pm.
English Stream:
Reception class from 8.30am to 2.30pm.
Year 1 and Year 2 have class from 8.30am to 2.30pm.
Dutch Stream:
Group 1 and 2 have class from 8.30am to 2.30pm.
The groups 3 through 8 have class from 8.30am to 3.30pm.
On Friday the groups 1 through 8 have class from 8.30am to 1.30pm.
ADMISSIONS
Can I register my child if I don’t have any local information yet?
Yes, you can. Missing information, like home address and a local telephone number, can be provided to the Admissions department after registration.
At what age can a toddler start Preschool?
Children can start Preschool at the age of 18 months.
At what age can a child start Primary school?
The entry age for the Dutch stream is 4 years. Normally, a child will start in group 1 of the Dutch primary school a week after he/she has turned 4 years old.
The entry age for the English stream is also at the age of 4 years old, but they can only start primary school in Reception Class when they were 4 years old in August of that school year. When the have the required age for entering Reception Class they can start anytime throughout the school year. This also applies for Year 1 and Year 2 of the English stream.
Is there a bus service that takes the students to school and brings them back home afterwards?
Yes, Holland International School has outsourced the bus service to ‘Woodlands Transport’. More information is provided in the link below:
https://www.hollandinternationalschool.sg/en/information/bus-transport/
In which area of Singapore do most of the students live?
‘Woodlands Transport’ drives in a radius of 18 kilometres around the school, yet most students live within 8 kilometres from the school. We find many families living in Bukit Timah, Holland Village and Dempsey Hill area. We strive to minimise the transport time for the students by efficient planning for the bus routes. The maximum travel time is 45 minutes.
Is there a waiting list for a certain group?
No, there is no waiting list at the moment.
Is starting school possible throughout the whole school year?
Starting school is possible throughout the whole school year, also for the English Stream. Most children start at Holland International School after a holiday.
Can I come by for a tour around the school?
Absolutely! An appointment can be made with the Admissions Officer, whom you can reach at the following email address: admissions@hollandinternationalschool.sg
What are the school fees for Holland International School?
Please click on the following link for more information about our school fees:
https://www.hollandinternationalschool.sg/en/admissions/fee-structure/
The fees for the Dutch and for the English Stream are equal.
The new fees for 2023-2024 are expected to be available in May 2023.