We as a network organisation

Appropriate education is the name of the system in which the schools offer basic and extra support to pupils who need it. It is not a separate type of school. The Ministry of Education finances de samenwerkingsverbanden in order to be able to implement appropriate education.  All regular primary and special education schools in Amsterdam and Diemen together provide a suitable place for each pupil and prevent pupils from not attending school. How this is achieved and with which agreements, differs per samenwerkingsverband. Our support plan (ondersteuningsplan) 2020-2024 outlines how we are implementing this within our samenwerkingsverband.

Appropriate education is primarily intended for those pupils who need extra support in order to be able to complete their school career successfully. But there is also appropriate education for teachers. They also need help and support on a regular basis in order to make the education suitable for each pupil.

We support school boards and schools by providing resources. In addition, we answer questions schools have when registering pupils for a declaration of admissibility (toelaatbaarheidsverklaring) or when pupils are symptomatic of severe single dyslexia. The staff of the medical and rehabilitation Expert team and Autism Support Service can advise schools on specific questions concerning individual pupils. The coordinator ‘thuiszitters’ can answer questions relating to duty of care, absenteeism and children not being able to attend school.

All children deserve a good education in a setting that suits their developmental needs. This is a basic right and we want to give every child a good educational experience: safe, with enjoyment and where their best is brought out. Continuity and as few school changes as possible is in the interests of the child's development. Seeing and following the development of the child during education starts with a smooth transition from pre-school to primary education up to and including the transition to secondary education. The cooperation with our partners for youth care is a discernable part of this. We believe that (young) children benefit most by growing up in their own environment and it is therefore preferred they attend education close to home.

We are jointly responsible for a diverse and extensive range of primary and special (primary) education that matches the challenges within Amsterdam and Diemen. To achieve this, we work together with parents and our partners in and around the school at district, regional or urban level. Trust and education close to home are the starting points. Within agreed frameworks, school boards have the freedom to make choices that best fit their school or schools and their pupils and professionals.

We are responsible for the proper support of the implementation of appropriate education (passend onderwijs). We do this in an expert and clear manner. We respond to changing needs and wants within our samenwerkingsverband.

We call our principles our guiding principles. This set of guiding principles gives direction to our actions in practice:

• Developmental needs of the child
• Trust in the professional
• A suitable place for every child
• Solidarity
• Education collaborates with parents and partners in and around the school
• Children grow up together in the neighbourhood

These are the six ambitions we focus on over the next four years:

• Complete coverage for all students in Amsterdam and Diemen.
• Continuous fostering of the quality of appropriate education
• Providing the optimal link between education, child support and care
• Tackle supra-administrative issues in the neighbourhood and region in solidarity
• Provide flexible continuous lines [pre-school – Primary education / special (primary) education-secondary education / secondary (special) education].
• Processes are supportive and procedures effective.

Every school year we draw up an annual plan, with all our objectives for that year.

This school year we have twelve goals:

• A new and accessible website, which is attractive for both parents and professionals;
• The digital knowledge platform ibwijs will be used by (almost all) internal supervisors at the end of this school year;
• Within our samenwerkingsverband we make new agreements about basic and extra support and make a format school support profile based on this;
• All schools work with ParnasSys/Kindkans;
• Stimulating new initiatives by using the development budget;
• The programme for gifted pupils becomes even more appropriate;
• Continuous work on the best possible connection between education and (specialist) youth care;
• Prepare a guide to duty of care;
• Completion of a pilot project 'approach to absenteeism in primary education' and, if the results are good, we will encourage all schools to use this approach. Through a good preventive approach, we try to avoid absenteeism. If a pupil is unable to attend school, we try to keep this period as short as possible;
• Revision of the procedure for issuing a declaration of admissibility (toelaatbaarheidsverklaring);
• Continue to develop the plan of action for the transition from primary to secondary education;
• At even more locations within het samenwerkingsverband, regular schools are supported by the shared expertise of special (primary) education.

The complete annual plan, with all the goals for this school year, can be found here. 

We have many partners with whom we implement appropriate education. These are the most important partners within the network:

• All schools and school boards for regular primary education and special (primary) education in Amsterdam and Diemen
• Youth care organisations such as the Parents' and Children's Team in Amsterdam (OKT) and ‘de Brede hoed’ in Diemen
• Municipality of Amsterdam and Diemen
• Providers of health care

Parents are usually involved for the first time when the school applies for a declaration of admissibility (toelaatbaarheidsverklaring, TLV) for a special primary or special education. Our social experts always contact parents to explain the procedure, provide more information and, if necessary, ask more information.

Parents who want to participate in-, contribute ideas about- or decide on the policy of appropriate education in Amsterdam and Diemen can become a member of the support plan council (ondersteuningsplanraad, OPR). Would you like more information? You can find it here.