The summer vacation for the Dutch schools in the Amsterdam region (Northern part of the Netherlands) is coming up.

From July 10th to August 22nd, the schools are closed. The first day of school is on August 23rd. During the summer, the schools are usually not reachable. 

Holiday periods for primary schools are set nationally with staggered start/finish times across three regions in order to spread out most of the holiday rush. The timing of the vacations changes every year. This year, the Central region starts on July 17 and the Southern region on July 24. 

During the rest of the year, the children are off for 6 more weeks, spread out over the year. After every 6 or 7 weeks of school, the pupils have 1 or 2 weeks off to relax and recharge their batteries. Here you can find all school vacations in one overview.

The international schools have their own schedule and some of them are already off. The admissions departments of the private international schools still work remotely during the summer, and they are usually easier to reach, if needed. 

The Dutch school attendance law is very strict, and the same for all. Children may only take time off from school if they have a specific reason, like for example a family wedding, or a funeral, or when their parents can prove they cannot go on vacation during the summer because of their job.

You’ll have to fill out a special form and submit it together with proof of the event (e.g., a wedding invitation) a few weeks in advance to the principal of your school.

In this article for the Amsterdam American Business Club (AABC) I explain the do’s and dont’s.