Rainbow school in Tilburg: "colorful and excellent”

The report of the expert visit found that the Dutch system of schooling is quite distinctive. In strict terms, all Dutch schools are private having been established as the initiative of private individuals or groups rather than the state. Of course the state provides finance for most but control of staffing and curriculum is jealously guarded at the local level. Often several schools in a district will be managed by a board of governors, mainly comprising professionals.

The Groenwoud School is typical of several that serve multi-ethnic parts of the city. It is pleasant and well-resourced although pupil-teacher ratios of 30 seem quite high for a school where Dutch is not always the language spoken by pupils at home. The head teacher and staff work very hard to ensure all parents receive at least one home visit each year. It is noticeable that the school does not display anything that reflects the diverse cultural origins of the children. The head-teacher explains that this is deliberate. The policy of the school is that all the children are Dutch and that it would confuse them to remind them of a past culture. It is also notable that few teachers in Tilburg are of migrant background. It is explained that this is because teaching is not considered a desirable profession by minorities.