Was your child born between January 1st and April 30th, 2017, and do you live in Amsterdam?
Read on! Because of the corona measurements, the school application procedure is a bit different from usual.
The schools are closed until at least April 28th, and afterwards, 1 or 2 weeks of May vacation are added.
This means that the eenpitter lottery will take place while the schools are still closed.
When are the application deadlines? -> Friday, April 17th for the eenpitter schools, and Wednesday, June 3rd for the central schools.
There is no advantage when you hand-in the form earlier than the day of the deadline.
In any case, the lottery deadlines still stand, and you may submit your form online or throw it in the post box of the school. Within one week you should receive a confirmation of your application. If you don’t receive a confirmation, you should contact the school where you have delivered your form, before they carry out the lottery.
Normally it takes two weeks until you hear the outcome of the lottery, either by email or regular mail. They give you two weeks to confirm whether you want your child to have the place. If you don’t confirm in time, your child’s spot may be assigned to another child.
You may take part in both lotteries. First, you’ll have to confirm your spot with the eenpitter school (if you are lucky enough to get any). After the central lottery, you decide which school you like best, and cancel your application with the other school again. They will not fine you for cancelling again. Please cancel as soon as you can, so they can make another child happy.
Will you move to a new house soon, but after the lottery deadline? If you can prove your future address (purchase/rental contract), you may take part in the lottery for the schools close to your new address.
The eenpitter lottery: Deadline: Friday, April 17th
The so-called eenpitter schools have their own form and deadline, which always takes place before the central lottery.
Which schools are the eenpitters? See https://schoolwijzer.amsterdam.nl/en/po/questions-and-comments/question/do-all-schools-participate.
Check on the website of your favourite eenpitter school how their specific application procedure works.
You can also find the application form on the school’s website (AANMELDINGSFORMULIER BOVO BASISSCHOLEN).
Please make sure to only list the eenpitter schools on this form.
About the central schools: Deadline: Wednesday, June 3rd
You should use the application form that the municipality (Gemeente) sent you by regular mail around the time that your child was 2.5 years old.
On this form, you rank at least five schools in order of your preference. Please note that this only applies to schools that take part in the central lottery.
You have equal priority for the eight central schools closest to your house. You may also list schools where you don’t have priority, but you should realize that your chances will be smaller there. See also https://schoolwijzer.amsterdam.nl/en/po.
If you have lost (or never received) the application form, you can download a blank form here:
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/static.schoolwijzer.amsterdam.nl/uploads/documents/aanmeldformulier-basisschool-2020-2021–blanco-drukwerk-dr037870-zndr-snijlijn.pdf.
Please find the translation of the form below.
If you use this blank form, you’ll also have to submit proof of your address (for example, a copy of your rental/purchase contract) and proof of your child’s date of birth (e.g., copy of passport or health insurance card).
At least until the beginning of May, all info sessions have been cancelled too. Parents could contact the individual schools to ask for an alternative for the info sessions if they hadn’t visited the school yet. Some schools have made a video in which they walk through the school, or they organize a video call with interested parents. At least you will get some kind of impression then.
More info from the municipality about the influence of the corona measures on the application procedure you can find here: https://bboamsterdam.nl/coronavirusentoelatingsbeleid/. (Phone: 020-716 3801 (Mon – Tues – Thurs) / toelatingsbeleid@bboamsterdam.nl).
Do you need more support?
In this video, I explain how the lottery system in Amsterdam works: Dutch education FAQ – pt1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hg6lKmVh6u8&mc_cid=10f9ee43e7&mc_eid=2be7801d50
In this article for IamExpat, I explain in more detail how Amsterdam’s school application policy works (they haven’t updated the lottery deadlines yet):
www.iamexpat.nl/read-and-discuss/education/articles/new-rules-application-procedure-primary-schools-amsterdam
If you need any help with this process, please send me an email, or book a private consultation session with me through Skype or FaceTime:
https://new2nl.com/families/#introduction.
Good luck– I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!
.
Translation of the blank application form (central schools):
Personal details of the child
BSN kind: Social security number of child.
Is uw kind een jongen of een meisje?: Is your child a boy or a girl?
Voornaam kind: First name of child
Achternaam kind: Last name of child
Woonadres (straat + huisnummer): Current address of child (street name + house number)
Postcode: Postcode / ZIP code (you’ll get priority for the eight schools closest to your house)
Woonplaats: City (+ country)
Geboortedatum kind:……(date of birth of child; in order to avoid confusion, please write the name of the month in letters)
Gegevens contactouder (wettelijk vertegenwoordiger) Personal details of contact parent/guardian
De heer/mevrouw/familie Mr./Ms./family (circle which one is applicable)
Voorletters: first letter of first name, and middle name(s) – if applicable (NOT of last name)
Achternaam: Last name
Telefoonnummer: Phone number
Emailadres: Email address
In case the parent lives at a different address than the child, s/he needs to fill out their address below. If the same, leave blank.
Tick the applicable boxes:
1/ An older sibling is already at the same school
2/ Your child has a VVE-indication (some more rules apply)
3/ Your child attends an IKC/brede school (see the bottom of the form for applicable IKCs)
4/ A parent has a permanent work contract with the school
Schoolvoorkeur: Choice of schools
Please list at least five schools in order of your preference
Aanvullende opmerkingen: Additional comments
(for example, your estimated moving date, if applicable)
When you sign this form, you declare to have answered the questions truthfully.
Datum: Today’s date
Naam ouder/verzorger: First + last name of parent/guardian
Handtekening ouder/verzorger: signature of parent/guardian
