Sondervick College

The Dutch Secondary School System

The Dutch system for secondary schools has been divided into three different levels of education:

VMBO

Full name in Dutch: Voorbereidend Middelbaar Beroeps-OnderwijsLiterally meaning: Preparatory Secondary Vocational EducationExisting out of various directions; E.g. Construction & Technique, Welfare & Care, etc.Practical approach4 years

HAVO

Full name in Dutch: Hoger Algemeen Voortgezet OnderwijsLiterally meaning: Higher General Secondary EducationTheoretical approach5 years

VWO

Full name in Dutch: Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk OnderwijsLiterally meaning: Preparatory Scientific Education (pre-university education)Existing of the two directions: Gymnasium (includes the extra subjects Greek, Latin and Classical Culture) and Athenaeum (Exists of only the standard VWO-subjects, however does not include Greek, Latin or Classical Culture).Theoretical approach6 years

In the Netherlands children enter secondary school around the age of twelve and - depending on the level of education - graduate around the age of either sixteen, seventeen or eighteen.

Sondervick College provides education on all three of these levels. In 2008 the school first started teaching bilingual education at VWO level. Meaning not just the regular Gymnasium and Athenaeum (where all subjects are taught in Dutch) can be followed, but also the bilingual variants (where 65-70% of the subjects are taught in English instead of Dutch) can be followed.

Head of school

Mr. Nol van Beurden

Old Locations

The Sondervick College was founded in 1995 consisting of the following schools:

The Anton van Duinkerkencollege for HAVO and VWO

The Veldhof schoolcommunity for VBO and MAVO

MAVO Koningshof

MAVO Selsterhorst

VSO De Stolberg

New Location

In 2007 the school moved to its new location: The Kempen Campus, consisting of the six buildings A to F and the adjacent athletics track and sports fields.

The school is housed in the buildings A, D, E and F. The HAVO and VWO education is housed in A. The VMBO education is housed in E and F. Building D is the central building (Used bij students of each level). It includes a big canteen, a stage for school events and special classrooms for subjects as music, drama, handicraft and art.

The buildings B and C house indoor sports facilities like a gym, fitness room and gymnastics hall. These buildings, as well as the athletics track and sports fields, are used by not only the school (for Physical Education) but also by various sports clubs.