Compulsory education, special leave or exemption

Exemption few hours per week children of 5 years old

If a whole school week is still too tiring for your child at the beginning, you may keep your child home 5 hours a week until your child turns 6. You do not need permission for this. However, you must report it to the school principal or the school board.

Exemption enrollment in a school

In the following cases, you may request exemption from school enrollment:

• Psychological and physical complaints in your child.
• No neighborhood school fits your beliefs or how you look at life.
• Your child attends school abroad.
• You lead a migratory life. For example, as a fairground operator or circus worker.

The exemption is valid for 1 school year. In case of severe physical or psychological complaints, a longer exemption may apply.

Exemption from school attendance

Sometimes your child may receive permission to be out of school for one or more days. For example:

• disease
• suspension
• a religious holiday
• a marriage
• a funeral

Exemption few hours per week children of 5 years old

• You notify the school that you are keeping your child home for a few hours a week.
• If you wish to keep your child home more than 5 hours per week, please ask permission from the school principal.

Exemption enrollment in a school

• You report to the municipality's compulsory education officer that you are not enrolling your child in a school.
• Do this before your child turns 5. If you do this later, you must do it before July 1 each year.

Exemption from school attendance

• If your child is sick or there is a religious holiday, please notify the school that your child will not be coming to school.
• In other cases, request a leave of absence from the school's principal.

Exemption enrollment in a school

• For psychological and physical complaints: a statement from a physician, educator or psychologist.
• If you feel that no school in the neighborhood fits your beliefs or how you view life: a statement explaining why this is so.
• If your child is attending school abroad: a statement from the principal of the foreign school.

Exemption from school attendance

If you must request leave from the school principal: supporting documents that show the leave is needed. For example, the invitation to a wedding or an obituary.

• You may not take your child on vacation outside the school vacations. If you do, you are breaking the law and are liable to punishment.
• If you cannot get time off work during the school vacations, you can request leave outside the school vacations 1 time per school year. You should do this at least 8 weeks in advance to the school principal.

Check out the rules and Requirements about this on the website of the Rijksoverheid.