In addition to special primary education, special education (SO) is a more intensive form of education: The classes consist of a maximum of 12 pupils.
Special education can be divided into four 'clusters' with a specific expertise.
1. Special education for pupils with a visual impairment; who are blind or partially sighted.
This form of special education ('cluster 1') does not fall under our samenwerkingsverband (national clustering of assessment).
>> Stichting Visio provides declarations of admissibility (toelaatbaarheidsverklaring, TLV) for special education for children who are blind or partially sighted.
2. Special education for children with an auditory disability or language development disorder.
This type of education ('cluster 2') is aimed at pupils who are deaf or hard of hearing or children who have serious speech and language difficulties. This type of education does not fall under our samenwerkingsverband either.
>> The Simea Foundation provides the TLVs for special education for children who are deaf or hard of hearing or have a language development disorder.
3. Special education for children with long-term illness, (multiple) physical disabilities or severe cognitive impairments
This type of special education ('cluster 3') does fall under our samenwerkingsverband and makes a distinction between four different types:
- children with a long-term illness (LZ)
- children with physical disabilities (LG)
- Multiple disabled children (MG)
- children with severe cognitive impairments (ZMLK)
>> An overview of all special educational schools for 'cluster 3' can be found here.
4. Special education for children who have difficulties in the field of their social-emotional development or behavioural difficulties
The last type of special education ('cluster 4') is also part of our samenwerkingsverband. It consists roughly of two different types of schools.
- The first are the PI schools. These are schools for children who have great difficulty functioning in a group. Each of these children needs an individual approach. Especially in the field of their social-emotional development. They need a lot of structure and clarification of what is expected of them.
- The second type are schools for children with serious behavioural difficulties. These schools are designed to offer a lot of structure and clarity and they focus intensively on behavioural regulation.
>> An overview of all special educational schools for 'cluster 4' can be found here.
