How are available places assigned to children who have applied for a place? This page tells you how this is done:
Nursery and primary education
If there are more applications than available places in a school, pupils are first ranked according to certain criteria. Then they are assigned the places, according to their ranking.
Step 1: Pupils are ranked:
- The pupils who have applied will be ranked based on their choice of school. First come the pupils who indicated the school as their first choice, then the pupils who indicated it as their second choice, and so on.
- Within a group of children with the same school choice, the ranking is then done based on the distance from the school. First come the pupils whose parents’ home or work address is closest to the school, then those whose parents’ home or work address is farther from the school. The distance is calculated as the crow flies. For each choice of school, the shortest distance is used. This may differ per choice of school. For example, for choice 1 the home address and for choice 2 the workplace address.
Step 2: Pupils are assigned places:
- Pupils with 1 parent who is sufficiently proficient in Dutch enjoy priority. This priority applies for 65% of the places.
- Then, pupils with a GOK or non-GOK profile are given priority for 20% of the places. In some schools, there is priority for GOK pupils. In other schools, there is priority for non-GOK pupils.
- After that come the other pupils.
More information about the priority groups.
Watch the video on how the places are distributed. The video has subtitles in English. There are also versions with subtitles in Dutch and French.
Secondary education (1st year A and B)
If there are more applications than available places in a school, pupils are first ranked according to certain criteria. Then they are assigned the places, according to their ranking.
Step 1: Pupils are ranked:
- The pupils who have applied will be ranked based on their choice of school. First come the pupils who indicated the school as their first choice, then the pupils who indicated it as their second choice, and so on.
- Within a group of children with the same school choice, the ranking is then done based on a randomly generated number. This random number determines your child’s place in the school’s ranking.
Step 2: Pupils are assigned places:
- First, siblings who are also children of staff have priority, then other siblings, and finally other children of staff. They are given priority over all other children in the distribution of places.
- Next, pupils with 1 parent who is sufficiently proficient in Dutch enjoy priority. This priority applies for 65% of the places.
- After that, there is priority for 15% of the places for pupils who have attended Dutch-language elementary education from the start of compulsory education (with reservation).
- Then, pupils with a GOK or non-GOK profile are given priority for 20% of the places. In some schools, there is priority for GOK pupils. In other schools, there is priority for non-GOK pupils.
- If any places remain, they will be assigned to the children who had not yet had their turn.
More information about the priority groups.
Watch the video on how the places are distributed. The video has subtitles in English. There are also versions with subtitles in Dutch and French.
