OPEN-DAYS 10 February & 18 May 2024 10.00 - 12.00 hours
SCHOOLGUIDE Amstelland International School
October 2023
2023 - 2024
School Guide 2023-2024
CONTENTS
2
1.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE AIS
5
2.
MISSION, VISION, VALUES
6
3. CURRICULUM INFORMATION PRIMARY SCHOOL, IPC
7
4. ASSESSMENT, REPORTING AND PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
15
5.
STUDENT SUPPORT
17
6.
STUDENT WELL-BEING & SAFEGUARDING
18
7.
THE PRIMARY SCHOOL DAY
19
8.
LEAVE OF ABSENSE
21
9. COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS/GUARDIANS AND STUDENTS
23
10. ADMISSIONS PROCEDURE
24
11. FINANCIAL MATTERS
26
12. SCHEDULED EVENTS & SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
28
13. CONTACT US
31
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School Guide 2023-2024
1. THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE AIS WELCOME TO THE AMSTELLAND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Our school aims to further develop internationally minded, curious and empathetic young people who are intrinsically motivated to positively impact their local and global community, creating sustainable change.
The AIS philosophy is built upon the understanding of
All educators are asked to critically evaluate the
the importance for community. The fundamental role
resources in their classroom, what the purpose is of their
quality relationships play in fostering a healthy thriving
resources, how do they add value to learning or do they
learning community. We are curious about one other and
require innovation, recycling or simply no longer
unanswered questions which invite for exploration. Our
has a purpose? We practise the understanding of
curriculum is designed to challenge every learner to seek
“It takes a village to raise a child” on a daily basis.
The school philosophy is founded on a deep understanding of compassion for one another,
understanding which excites them to develop a love for
All adults in the school building make an effort to learn
community-based learning, relationship building, valuing our unique identity whilst learning
learning to the world around them.
the names of student community. No member of our
the importance of celebrating diversity.
community is unnoticed or undervalued. We strive for We believe that every member of our community is
collaboration and we all take ownership of our collective
This school guide takes you on a journey of what it means to be part of the AIS learning
valuable. Each member of our community has unique
responsibility to provide a safe and exciting learning
community and how our educational approach is structured. This school year we will
talents and skills which require refining and creative
environment for all stakeholders.
further professionalise our organisation, with a focus on improving education, organisation
expressional freedom. Our action-based research
and communication. Our school development plan 2022-2023 will embrace the need for
projects inspire children and the adults in our community
Identity and diversity are celebrated whilst learning
to take ownership of their learning and empower
how to respectfully disagree and bravely express our
student voice. At AIS we do not only hear what our
vulnerabilities. At AIS we understand the importance
children have to say, more importantly; we actively
of developing a global awareness, inviting multiple
listen.
perspectives despite our difference, developing a growth
creativity, social and emotional safety, re-connecting after COVID and prepare our school for the International School Recognition & the Dutch Primary School Inspection. AIS is steadily growing to meet the demand for international education within Amstelveen & Ouderkerk. In order to maintain a balance between growth, stability and educational quality, our team has developed a school plan which will be closely monitored by our quality care committee (QCC) throughout the school year.
mindset. We aim to create critical thinkers who play an At AIS we design our classrooms inspired by Reggio
intricate role in improving the world we live in as global
Emilia’s philosophy towards love for learning.
citizens and ambassadors of their own cultures.
In line with Onderwijsgroep Amstelland’s school group educational strategic plan, AIS aims to continue developing a deeper understanding of what it means to be internationally minded, fostering a curiosity about one another, AIS values building trusting relationships with all twelve Dutch schools in our dynamic organisation. Our parent community play a fundamental role in developing and maintaining these important relationships. While fostering our global citizenship values at AIS, we embrace the local Dutch community and seek out invitations to participate and experience the Dutch culture celebrating the values of our host country.
Our team looks forward to welcoming you at the AIS family!
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School Guide 2023-2024
2. MISSION, VISION, VALUES
MISSION STATEMENT
VISION STATEMENT
Amstelland International School is dedicated to establishing a learning community which empowers student voice, invests in nurturing relationships, fosters compassion for humanity and inspires a shared responsibility of our planet.
International education which inspires creative thinking, provoking children to become curious and take ownership of their learning.
3. CURRICULUM INFORMATION PRIMARY SCHOOL, IPC All classes have a maximum of 22 students. In order
Groups 1 and 2 have full-time Teaching Assistants to
to ensure an optimal learning environment for our
help support the teaching and learning. Group 3 classes
students, the profile of class groups at the AIS is guided
have part-time Teaching Assistants, who may also assist
around the principles of mixed ability levels, social/
other areas of the primary school according to different
emotional and learning diversity requirements, English
curricular and student needs. Teaching Assistants help
language ability. The teaching and leadership team will
support the diverse learning environment so that the
decide on whether or not a particular age level/group will
teacher may differentiate to meet the needs of individual
remain together moving into a higher grade or be mixed
students and make optimal use of a multi learning-style
creating a new community. When mixing class groups
approach in daily lessons.
AIS follows a very careful and sensitive procedure: Our student care coordinator meets regularly with the ▶ The teacher identifies healthy learning peers & social group for each student ▶ These students are placed together in a Friendship Pod (between 3 to 5 students) ▶ The friendship Pods are then shuffled creating a
SCHOOL VALUES:
teaching team to continuously evaluate the academic, social and emotional needs of all our students. Any additional learning needs required are provided within the means of a mainstream school according to Dutch law.
new combined class community ▶ The new combination of healthy learning peers/
Curiosity
Friendship Pods form a new class list.
The educational team is trained throughout the school year on child protection and student wellbeing. During six designated meetings the whole team collaboratively
Community
Relationships
Agency
Each class has a designated Primary School qualified
dialogue about the needs of the children in their class.
teacher who is responsible for the individual year group.
Sharing best practices is fundamental to improving
In Group 1, 2 & 3 we have qualified teachers co-teaching
teaching and learning at AIS. Parents are invited to
alongside the classroom teacher in their role as teaching
four designated parent information evenings especially
assistant.
designed to foster awareness of the vulnerability of our children and how to apply positive parenting strategies
Responsibility
The year group teachers work collaboratively on
at home. AIS invites parents to curriculum workshops
planning the curriculum and this ensures that all
and social coffee mornings further fostering the sense
students have access to the same key concepts and
of community.
learning assessments. In addition to the Classroom Teacher, there are specialist teachers who deliver Dutch Language and Culture, English Language Acquisition (ELA), and Physical Education (PE). All teachers are involved in the assessment and the progress reports
The AIS is a Dutch subsidised international school. This
The AIS is accountable for high standards to the
enables us to deliver high quality international education
Inspectorate of the Dutch Ministry of Education,
at competitive school fees rates.
International School Recognition and The International
(PLG) of the individual students that they teach. AIS will be elaborating on our ARTS and culture team, integrating skilled ART, Drama, Musci and Robotics specialists.
Primary Curriculum (IPC) accreditation standards.
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These IPC phrases are described below.
Personal Learning Goals: These are the goals which
AIS has designed a sexual education curriculum which
Children learn through a series of IPC units of work.
informs children about their bodies, emotions and
Each unit of work has a theme that today’s children find
thoughts. The ongoing changes children experience,
interesting and relevant. Children learn many of their
The IPC Unit: A collection of learning tasks based around
of; Adaptable,Collaborator,Communicator,Empathetic
positive body image, personal (safe) expression, self-
subjects through this one common theme so that their
a theme which children carry out to meet their learning
Ethical, Resilient Respectful, Thinker. By their nature, the
worth, self-esteem and the diversity of family structures,
learning has meaning to them. Linking subjects means
goals.
personal goals are not age specific.
are some of the topics our educational team explore
that children can make lots of connections with their
with the students. Parents play an intricate role in the
learning. The more connections the brain can make, the
IPC Unit Letter: An informative letter sent home at the
International Goals: These are the goals for children’s
impact our curriculum has on the lives of their children.
better a child can learn.
beginning of each IPC unit. The letter is written by class
learning, development and understanding on Interna-
teachers to inform parents about the learning involved
tionalism. For example, knowledge and understanding
within the next IPC unit and how to help at home.
beyond that related to their own nationality, culture and
We believe that parents are the first and most important
promote and develop the children’s personal qualities
contact for any child. Parents are empowered to take the
The development of skills is a very big part of the IPC.
lead in translating our school philosophy appropriately,
Learning activities at AIS have been designed so that
whilst inviting room for their own cultures and religious
our children can develop these skills. The IPC is not just
Entry Point: An activity at the beginning of each IPC unit
an international perspective and the ability to adapt to
beliefs at home.
‘topic’ learning. Although the learning is based around
which provides an exciting introduction to the work that
other education systems.
a theme, the learning that the children do within that
is to follow.
INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY CURRIULUM (IPC)
home country; the ability to develop both a national and
Learning Tasks: The children’s learning tasks which are
theme has very distinct outcomes to ensure that children are learning exactly what they need to. Nobody can
Knowledge Harvest: A specific activity which takes place
delivered with a variety of learning styles in mind; these
predict the nature of work and life opportunities that will
in the early stages of each unit. This activity provides
will include enquiry-based research tasks, recording
The International Primary Curriculum is a curriculum
be available for our children in the future. Many of the
an opportunity for children to reveal what they already
tasks and international tasks.
that is being used in over 1000 schools in 90 countries
jobs don’t yet exist!
know about the theme they are studying and for their
around the world. It was launched in 2000 having
teacher to build on that knowledge.
been created by a team of leading experts in children’s
The IPC focuses on a skills-based approach to prepare
learning from around the world. The goal of the IPC is
our children for the fast-changing world they will be
Subject Learning Goals: These are the goals of
for children to focus upon a combination of academic,
living in. The IPC has been designed for children of all
achievement for the children’s learning within the IPC
personal and international learning and through the IPC develop all the skills children will need in order to
abilities and all learning styles. It encourages learning in groups as well as
Exit Point: An activity carried at the end of a unit to provide an exciting and stimulating exit to the learning which the children have done.
subjects. Each Milepost’s subject goals are appropriately levelled for the children’s ages.
individual learning.
confidently face the world of tomorrow.
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Learning should be at the core of what every good school does, and the overarching question the IPC asks is ‘How does this improve learning?’ The IPC Learning Goals
The 8 Personal Learning Goals are all things we can be:
Art
are so central to the IPC that it’s important to think about
Design, Technology and Innovation
the language used when talking to the children, with
Geography
colleagues and with parents. An IPC teacher talks about what children have learned before they talk about what
Health and Well-Being
children have done. The clear, precise Learning Goals
History
give schools, teachers and leaders the chance to do that much more easily. The Learning Goals are organized into
ICT and Computing
3 distinct but connected sections.
Language Arts
SUBJECT LEARNING GOALS
Mathematics
The clearly defined Learning Goals of the International
Music
international, global and intercultural perspectives on the world around them, whilst developing the capacity to
Adaptable
take action and make a difference.
Communicator
of curiosity about the world and its people is essential
The development of an inquisitive mind and a sense
Collaborator
for international learning. It facilitates the acquisition
Empathetic
feelings of bewilderment or uneasiness that they might
of investigative skills which helps learners to overcome
Ethical
experience when faced with unfamiliarity. Furthermore,
Resilient
cultures and societies as well as the commonalities that
it raises their awareness of the differences between
Respectful
bind humanity together. An understanding of diversity
Thinker
among different nations and peoples, creating a
is essential to fostering mutually beneficial collaboration platform for the sharing of learning around the world.
Curriculum were developed with teachers from our
PE
Each Personal Learning Goal has a number of indicators
member schools and beyond, with reference to over
Science
with progression through the mileposts. These are
The expectation that learners will take action as a
included in the International Curriculum Learning Goals
result of their learning is a particularly crucial part of
document alongside the Subject and International
the International Learning. The International Learning
Learning Goals. Opportunities to experience and practice
Goals encourage thoughtful engagement with local and
these specific goals will be built into the learning tasks
global issues and combined with the Process to Facilitate
found within each unit of learning.
Learning, provide opportunity for direct intervention
twenty different national and regional curricula. The Subject Learning Goals cover the Knowledge, Skills and Understanding that children should learn in:
PERSONAL LEARNING GOALS Personal Learning Goals cultivate within us, a set of ways of approaching challenges, and they strongly shape our attitudes and capabilities as thinkers and learners. For this reason, if learners are to flourish and overcome challenges, their dispositional qualities must be a key area of focus for teachers and school leaders. It has been argued that there is a need for increased focus on
so that children feel empowered to enact meaningful
INTERNATIONAL GOALS
change. Moreover, the goals help to bridge the gap
The International Curriculum is unique in defining
can immediately begin applying their newly acquired
International Learning Goals that help learners begin
international Knowledge, Skills and Understanding
the move towards increasingly sophisticated national,
outside of the classroom.
between school and the wider world so that learners
soft skills as we enter the fourth industrial revolution; with increasing levels of artificial intelligence, equipping learners with skills that artificial intelligence cannot emulate is more important than ever before.
The aim of the Personal Learning Goals are to develop the character of our students and their attitudes towards learning.
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NUMERACY: WHY DO WE USE NUMICON? Numbers and maths, in particular, can be difficult for children to understand when expected to do so by means of rote learning. Numicon is a concept based math program designed to teach children how to understand and experience mathematical concepts by mean of hand on learning.
Numicon slate can be used to help children visualise
Literacy Concepts that are covered are:
what numbers look like. Seeing numbers beside each other solidifies for children the unique relationship between the digits and aids with seeing patterns.
Phonetic Awareness
Numicon then provides a method of showing children
Vocabulary
how numbers work together.
Story Telling
LITERACY: WHY DO WE USE LUCY CALKINS UNITS OF STUDY
Comprehension Skills Fluency Creative Writing
Lucy Calkins Unit of Study series encourage students to discover and refine their own personal writing style, as they compose “stories that matter.” In many of the groups at AIS we use the Writer’s Workshop to
Languages
Parents are partners in their children’s learning, we
encourage the students through exploration and inquiry
We believe language to be one form of expression, a
encourage parents to speak their home language (mo-
into writing. Learning to write is a process. Skills for
tool to use when communicating verbally accessing a
ther tong) at home with their children. It is fundamental
writing are taught with respect for a child’s development
diversity of languages & dialects. At AIS all languages are
that young children grow up with a strong mother tong
and meeting their needs.
equally celebrated and form part of our identity as a rich
foundation. Once this foundation is established correctly,
learning environment, seeking to understanding one
a child is able to learn a second, third or even forth lan-
another overcoming language barriers.
guage successfully building upon their firmly established
Numicon is a collection of flat plastic shapes with holes
Reader’s Workshop focuses on the essence of
in them. Each shape represents a number from one to
reading and that is understanding. The children learn
ten, and each number has its own colour. The mental
comprehension skills by exploring and thinking about
At AIS Primary, we study two official languages:
impact that Numicon has is a kinesthetic one. Due
authentic literature.
English and Dutch (Netherlands).
to children being able to be hands-on with numbers,
Both workshops are constantly integrated into other
they can see and feel what they are learning and the
project and learning areas. Lucy Calkins’ main emphasis
approach. This multi-sensory experience allows children
is on storytelling, reading, and writing, but this program
to maintain the information they have learned.
also covers scientific areas by means of carefully selected
mother tong base.
text choice. The key to all of these items is to permit kids Numicon is arguably a fantastic example of learning
to wonder, to question, to be creative, and to see the
through play. It is a leading primary school product
world through clear and thoughtful eyes.
that allows teachers, parents, and guardians to create visual and interactive activities for children to learn maths with. Dealing with complex maths problems can be frustrating but using Numicon aids with children’s understanding. Using a wide variety of resources, it uses bright imagery to help support the understanding of a range of mathematical concepts. It is a highly useful tool in a classroom situation. Either as a stand-alone product or by integrating it into your own lesson plans and resources, Numicon provides a practical, visual experience for children trying to understand numbers and mathematical operations in a simpler way. A
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School Guide 2023-2024
DUTCH LANGUAGE COURSES The second language taught at AIS is Dutch, this is the language of our host country; ▶ Two official one hour lesson blocks ▶ One hour Dutch culture lessons ▶ Two hours of Gym taught in the Dutch language *(translation in English where and when necessary). AIS has chosen to teach our Gym lesson in Dutch encouraging our students to integrate into the Dutch sporting community making sport clubs/ trainings accessible to our students.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSES (ELA) Any student that studies at our school and whom is not proficient in the English language is exempt from the
ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS As AIS grows in student numbers, our population and
4. ASSESSMENT, REPORTING AND PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
rich diversity of spoken languages expand. Currently AIS has no additional language program, in the school year
Definition of learning
2022-2023 AIS will establish additional language classes after school hours. All home languages are celebrate
At AIS we believe learning to be an ongoing learning process which develops an attitude of curiosity, nurturing
and students are encouraged to think creatively in their
the freedom of creative expression & trust, whilst expanding ones sense of self & building community.
mother tong language. Students who require additional language support are invited to express their understan-
We believe the purpose for assessment at AIS is a dynamic, ongoing process that evaluates the conceptual,
ding in their mother tong and translate their thinking as
creative and compassionate development of the child, guides parents, teachers and informs the curriculum.
an additional tasks. Parents are partners in their child-
Parents are partners in their children’s learning, we encourage a no homework policy at AIS. Children are
ren’s language development and play an intricate role
motivated to take ownership of their learning and engage in hands on project based learning activities with
in the translation process. Conceptual understanding
their parents at home. Our Action Based Research projects are designed by the teacher and students. Both
of any concept at AIS is freely expressed in the students
have agency of the learning process. Parents are invited into this process and encouraged to support their
preferred language and form of communication.
children at home by making a real world connection to the concepts explored at school.
two officially Dutch lesson per week. These students follow an intensive English language course to fast track their BICS development. Once these children are proficient and confident in using the English language after six months to a year, they then join the Dutch language classes.
PRIMARY SCHOOL REPORTS
guided questions which encourage our parent
The school year is divided into three terms of:
their learning journeys according to our school
community to ask their children questions about philosophy.
TERM 1 Autumn
• Our parents ask questions
TERM 2 Winter
• Our teachers observe the process
TERM 3 Spring
• The children share their knowledge • Our community collectively celebrate the children’s learning
1. TERM 1 is a settling report, primarily focused on the student’s Personal Learning Goals (PLG) acoording to the IPC and evidence of their bassline assessment outcomes (Knowledge Harvest).
2. TERM 2 Parents teacher conferences, formal academic report.
3. TERM 3 a Student-Led Conference is held where parents can view and celebrate the work of their children. Formal academic report. *This is a celebratory conference opportunity. All students take their parents on a learning journey walk through their achievements and progress. The classroom are set up in diverse curriculum areas with provocations, student portfolio’s and teacher
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School Guide 2023-2024
Internal and external assessment ▶ Internal summative assessment (observations &
5. STUDENT SUPPORT
documentation of active learning) identify a stage
At Amstelland International School we welcome children of all nationalities, beliefs and cultures.
in the learning of students, irrespective of stages reached by other students. ▶ External assessment (PIM/PIE/CAT) are online
The Amstelland International School believes that the well-being of our students to be the most important
exams based upon British school standards as a
aspect of their development and learning. Children are able to thrive academically once their pastoral
strategy to monitor and improve the success rates
needs have been cared for. The AIS team prioritise developing a close working relationship with our parent
of students.
community and a large group of professionals which form our external student support team.
Assessment strategies
The AIS teaching team will meet with the Director to dialogue about in class observations and possible
▶ Teachers are required to use a variety of interactive
stage one support required or any child in question. This support will occur in class and be provided by
learning experiences and diverse engagements
the classroom teacher, teaching assistant or the child will be provided with additional learning materials/
opportunities for the students to explore and
manipulatives to be applied to their learning independently.
express their conceptual understanding during a unit of study.
Stage two support will include an external agencies involvement in the students individual learning plan/
▶ Assessment environments are safe, supportive,
goals. The personalised learning plan/goals (PLG) will be shared with parents and reviewed every six weeks.
and welcoming environments, helping students to develop confidence and a love of learning. Diverse
STANDARDISED TESTING
methods to express ones knowledge is available for
Student Support team meetings
the students to use.
Lower Primary - Gr 0-2
Middle Primary – Gr 3-5
Upper Primary – Gr 6-7
an age group to see if they are making appropriate deve-
6 September 2022
7 September 2022
8 September 2022
lopmental progress in relation to a majority of children
1 November 2022
2 November 2022
3 November 2022
of their age. It is also a way for our school to monitor the
24 January 2023
25 January 2023
26 January 2023
7 March 2023
8 March 2023
9 March 2023
18 April 2023
19 April 2023
20 March 2023
30 May 2023
31 May 2023
1 June 2023
Standardised testing is a way of assessing children within
quality, breadth of coverage and balance of the curriculum we are delivering. Our standardised tests look at development in Mathematics and Languages. Progress in Maths (PIM) & Progress in English (PIE). Parents are partners in their children’s learning, we
Partner external agencies
Procedural steps
encourage a no homework policy at AIS. Children are
1.
Student Care Coordinator
1.
motivated to take ownership of their learning and enga-
2.
Speech and language therapist
ge in hands on project-based learning activities with their
3.
Samenwerkingsverband – Special educational needs
parents at home. Our Action Based Research projects
4.
Occupational therapist
and Director informally observe the students
are designed by the teacher and students. Both have
5.
Child phycologist
developments
agency of the learning process. Parents are invited into
6.
Parent child advisor
3.
Student support meetings occur monthly
this process and encouraged to support their children at
7.
Kabouterhuis primary school
4.
Stage one support requirements are implemented
home by making a real-world connection to the concepts
8.
Stichting Ark
5.
When necessary, stage two support requirements
explored at school.
9.
School doctor
requirements are stated on their application form 2.
Classroom teachers, Teaching assistants, SCC
are implemented in partnership with the
10. Veilig Thuis – Child Services 11. Learning Diversity Teacher
Students educational, personal and medical
students’ parents. 6.
Student support requirements and developments are reviewed every six weeks.
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6. STUDENT WELL-BEING & SAFEGUARDING All members of our community are responsible for the
AIS student well-being & safeguarding (SWS) policy is
well-being and safeguarding of our students. The safety
divided into five sections;
and well-being of the children is the most important
1.
Protocol, (step by step guide) of actions &
factor and all actions planned or taken must ensure that
responsibilities required to be followed/taken when
the children are safe and secure at all times. At AIS we
encountered with any SWS situation.
consider it our responsibility to safeguard the physical,
2.
What consuetudes as a SWS concern.
emotional, social and mental well-being of all individuals
3.
Inhouse and external training to develop awareness
within our school community. The Council of Internati-
and the skills required to identify or take action in a
onals Schools (CIS) & International Primary School (IPC)
SWS situation.
safeguarding criteria has been implemented into the
4.
school policy at AIS.
*The identity and dignity of any person who might find themselves in an incident, will always be handled with compassion and discretion according to the GDPR regulations.
5.
The contact information of relevant safety officers in the school and external agencies.
7. THE PRIMARY SCHOOL DAY We kindly ask all parents to drop off and pick up their
Arrangements for the first week of school
children at designated entrances and not to enter the
ALL Group 0 and 1 children attend school half days
school building.
(12:00 pick up) during their first week of school.
▶ Arrival/school opens 08:45 ▶ Registration / lessons / Begin 09:00
Healthy Snack & Lunch
▶ Circle time/classroom meeting after (30 min rest)
Please make sure that your child has a healthy breakfast.
▶ Lessons
This is the most important meal of the day! Kindly we
▶ Lunch Break - Coordinated by Ludios. Gym teachers
ask you to provide a healthy snack and lunch, to avoid
interacting with the children teaching them social
confusion please have the snack and lunch in two clearly
games
labelled, separate containers with the word
▶ 30 minutes (lunch time) & 30 minutes (play time) 30 minutes (rest - Group 0 & 1 only) ▶ End of day 14:30 – Pick up.
Snack/Lunch and your child’s name on the container. We promote healthy eating at school, and some ideas for healthy snacks are sliced fruits or vegetables, or cheese and crackers. We are a nut free school, please do not
Our Daily Routine
send your child to school with any nuts as many of our
Every morning we warmly welcome your child to enter
children are allergic.
the reception area at 08:45, kindly we ask they proceed to their classroom where their teacher will have set up the classroom to receive them . School finishes at 14.30 every day of the week.
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8. LEAVE OF ABSENSE
School Bag Please provide your child with a school bag that is big enough to hold their A4 library folder as well as
Absences, late arrivals, and after-school pick-up
their lunch and snack box. This should preferably be a
After-school pick-up, It is important that all children
backpack that they can carry easily. At AIS we promote
are collected from school on time.
independence and encourage children to care for their
LATE ARRIVALS AND SICK LEAVE Student absences
own personal belongings. Please remember to send:
In regard to afternoon pick-up, we would like to make the
The AIS closely monitors student attendance on a daily
following requests:
basis, this includes being late for class. The school is legally obliged to report absences to Bureau Leerplicht
• A pair of clearly marked gym shoes that can
▶ Parents need to ensure that if their child has
stay at school • An extra full set of clearly labelled clothes • Indoor shoes or slippers
GYM & other Physical activity sessions
(Truancy office) of the gemeente where the student is
permission to go home along with an adult other
registered. Parents/guardians are responsible for
than the child’s parents/guardians, to provide
informing the school by email before 8.30 a.m. in case
school with a written request and identification of
of illness: please email you classroom teacher &
the adult taking responsibility of their child.
info.ais@ogamstelland.nl
▶ If children are to be collected for a play-date, etc. by
Children are encouraged to develop their self-help skills which promotes independence and builds their selfesteem. Parents are kindly asked to practice tying their shoelaces at home. Please send your children to school with Velcro or zip-up shoes until they are able to tie their shoelaces independently. We ask you to consider the clothing your child is wearing on the days when PE is taught. We recommend all children should wear comfortable gym clothes to school on these days. Please avoid, dresses, skirts and skinny jeans on GYM days. You
Rest time for Gr 0 & 1 children
will receive more information at the beginning of the
Every day after lunch the children in Group 0 and 1 will
year regarding the exact schedule. No jewellery should
have rest time if they require it. Please send a small, pil-
be worn during the PE lessons due to safety reasons.
low labelled with your child’s nameand small blanket in a plastic bag for your child’s quiet resting time. We suggest
Children at AIS go out to play in all weather
that your child has rest/quiet time at home on days that
conditions.
they don’t have school to allow them to get into this
Please provide you child with rainboots and a raincoat
routine. During this quiet time, children are expected to
so that they are able to enjoy playing outdoors in the
rest their bodies without disturbing their friends. You are
puddles. Please send your child to school in play clothes,
welcome to send a clearly marked soft comfort toy that
clothing that is allowed to get dirty, messy, full of
can stay at school. These will be kept with the pillows
learning and exploration stains.
and blankets and will only be allowed during rest time.
another student’s parent/guardian after school, the
Unexpected circumstances
Classroom Teacher needs to be notified via email.
When unexpected circumstances lead to a student being
Students will not be sent home with the parent or
late or absent the school must be informed as soon as
guardian of another student unless the Classroom
possible. The Head of School will decide if the reason
Teacher has been notified.
provided by the parents is valid.
We are making these requests in order to ensure that
Late for class and Bureau Halt
all of our students are supervised at all times during our
If a student has been late four times within four school
afternoon exit routine.
weeks a warning letter will be sent out to the student and parents/guardians. If the student continues to
After-school Club UniKidz
arrive late for class the school will report the lates to the
A variety of after school activities are organised by UniKidz.
Truancy office. The school may ask the Truancy officer
UniKidz is a dynamic organisation located on campus,
(Leerplichtambtenaar) for intervention between school,
they provide workshops, swimming lessons, baking, golf,
student and parents. The Truancy officer will then invite
dance, sewing, languages, art, guitar, and much more.
parents and student for a meeting. Truancy will report
For more information please search: www.UniKidz.nl
students with more than twelve lates in four school weeks to Bureau Halt. Halt is a Dutch organisation with a national network of offices which aims to prevent and combat juvenile crime. Bureau Halt offers a special programme for school absences. For more information on Truancy and Bureau Halt: https://www.amsterdam.nl/onderwijs-jeugd/leerplicht/ leerplicht-verzuim. https://www.halt.nl/halt-straf/ Information about the Behaviour Policy and detentions can be found in the Student Handbook.
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School Guide 2023-2024
GUIDELINES FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND EXTENSIONS OUTSIDE DESIGNATED SCHOOL VACATION PERIODS
9. COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS/ GUARDIANS AND STUDENTS Parents are encouraged to read the school news and
Participation council (PC)
1. Extra leave request
blog page of the website on a weekly basis. Classroom
The PC operates as a critical friend of the Leadership
The Dutch Compulsory Education Law (Leerplichtwet)
teachers regularly post events and specific news letters
Team. Its function is to advise the Leadership Team and
1969 (LPW 1969) states that a request for a leave of
relevant to their classroom on the classroom pages.
to ensure that checks and balances are in place when the
absence must be submitted in writing to the Head of
Parents are kindly asked to contact the classroom tea-
Leadership Team makes decisions. The PC will discuss,
School a minimum of 6-8 weeks in advance.
cher via email in the morning and afternoons to indicate
advise and sometimes co-decide on AIS policy matters.
any late arrivals, doctors’ appointments and playdates.
It will meet once every six to eight weeks and consists of
Please note that AIS will not release a child to any other
staff, student and parent representatives.
In accordance with Article 14 (LPW), the school Di-
3. Exceptional circumstances
rector can grant requests of leave of absence up to a
Only in cases of absolute emergency is it possible to
adult without written permission form the primary care
maximum of ten (10) school days.
request leave of absence retrospectively. Written evi-
givers.
Requests for leave of absence exceeding ten (10)
dence must be submitted within two (2) school days
days must be submitted to the Truancy Office (Bu-
after the period of absence.
reau Leerplicht Plus). The following are examples of exceptional circumstances: The Head of School is legally obliged to report any student who is absent from school without permission to the Truancy Office. Please note: when asking for an extension, written declarations and / or supporting documents are mandatory.
• To comply with legal obligations which can only take place during school hours. • To attend wedding of blood relative or extended family member - within The Netherlands • (maximum 2 school days) - outside The
2. Extra Vacation leave request (Article 13a) Parents of school-age children must adhere to the designated school vacation periods.
Netherlands (maximum of 5 school days). • Serious life-threatening illness of blood relative or 1st/2nd family member. • Death of blood relative or 1st/2nd family member.
The school Director must receive written evidence The following are examples of exceptional circumstances
the parent’s profession does not make it possible for
which will not be considered valid:
a joint vacation of two consecutive weeks within the
▶ Once per school year. ▶ For a maximum of two consecutive weeks per school year. ▶ Should not fall in the first two weeks of the schoolyear.
Privacy regulations prohibit our staff in distribute the
staff from the Primary School. It functions in an advisory
email addresses of all the families in a particular class
and policy-making capacity. Suggestions concerning re-
to parents. If you are interested in collecting the email
gulations and other appropriate matters may be brought
addresses and/or contact information of families in your
to the notice of Staff Council members.
child’s class we request that you do this in person. This is to respect the individual contact preferences of our AIS
Student Council
community. At AIS we do not encourage group WhatsAp-
The Student Council is made up of student representati-
p’s. Should a class community wish to create a social
ves, and functions in an advisory as well as policy-making
media communication platform, we urge you to read and
capacity. Suggestions concerning regulations and other
conform to our social media and communication safety
appropriate matters may be brought to the notice of
policy. AIS has a clear anti-bulling policy which can be
Student Council members. The student council are also
found on the website. Parents and students are expec-
the representatives for AIS at conferences and Onder-
ted to communicate between one another according to
wijsgroep Amstelland student events.
Coffee Mornings (Parents supporting the AIS) Events for parents include themed breakfasts, coffee
• Visit of family or friends from other countries or from country of origin.
This type of leave can only be granted:
The Staff Council is made up of teaching and support
our compassionate communicate agreements.
from the employer that the specific nature of one of
designated school vacation period.
Staff Council
• Travel arrangements made to take advantage of low season travel discounts. • Earlier departure or return travel arrangements to avoid peak travel times. • Activities of associations such as scouting or sports
mornings, monthly workshops and in the future we aspire to introducing Dutch cultural outings. On our whole school calendar, parents are invited to attend our monthly coffee mornings and enjoy a relaxing conversation with the leadership team and our parents. Building community and seeking out contact is important to ensure our community remain connected.
camps. Other children in the family are on different vacation periods. • Sabbatical leave.
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School Guide 2023-2024
10. ADMISSIONS PROCEDURE
GROUP PLACEMENT
At Amstelland International School we welcome
If you would like to enrol your child(ren) to our school,
Group placement academic year 2023-2024
children of all nationalities, beliefs and cultures.
please visit our website, there you can fill in a registrati-
All children will be placed into the academic year that corresponds with their date of birth.
on of interest and review the full admissions procedure. We welcome: • Children with international parents who will reside
For Early Years applications before a decision can be
in the Netherlands for a limited period, 3-5 years.
made on acceptance, we will invite your child for an
(Dutch and non-Dutch nationals).
Informal Social Play Morning.
• Children with Dutch parents who have lived abroad
Age
Class (group)
4
0 (Jan-July)
4
1
5
Upon date
UK
US
Pre-R
Pre-K
1 October 2019
R
Pre-K
2
1 October 2018
Y1
K
or who are planning to move abroad in the next
If your child attends a pre-school, kindergarten, play-
6
3
1 October 2017
Y2
Gr-1
two years.
group or day-care, the Early Years report is required to
7
4
1 October 2016
Y3
Gr-2
be completed by their Early Years school/teacher.
8
5
1 October 2015
Y4
Gr-3
9
6
1 October 2014
Y5
Gr-4
10
7
1 October 2013
Y6
Gr-5
11
MYP1 – Kopklas
1 October 2012
Y7
Middle School
• Children who have received international education previously and require a transition period into the Dutch school system. (In some cases, we will
For all other Groups we will require at least 2 years
partner with the Taalschool – Dutch language
school reports (translated into English).
classes – to ensure a smooth transition for your child).
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School Guide 2023-2024
11. FINANCIAL MATTERS SCHOOL FEES
school, parents are required to sign and acknowledging
Amstelland International School is recognised by the
nal School in fulfilling the payment of the school fees in
Dutch Ministry of Education, which enables us to offer
full. In order to secure a position within the school for the
a high-quality international education with subsidised
following school year, parents are required to clear the
school fees. Our school fees are set annually according to
outstanding balance of the school fees in full before the
Dutch International Primary School guidelines. Enrolment
beginning of the following academic school year.
their financial obligation towards Amstelland Internatio-
is € 200 admissions fee (non-refundable). The deposit is € 500. This deposit is refundable when
The chart below shows the tuition amount depending
your child leaves the school and if you have fulfilled all
on the month the student starts school at Amstelland
the financial obligations. To secure placement within the
International School:
Month
Starting in
Amount
August / September
100 %
€ 5,070
October
90 %
€ 4,563
November
80 %
€ 4,056
December
70 %
€ 3,550
January
60 %
€ 3,042
February
50 %
€ 2,536
March
40 %
€ 2,028
April
30 %
€ 1,520
May
20 %
€ 1,013
June / July
10 %
€ 507
You can visit our website to review the full Policy.
OUR IMAGINATION IS WHERE WE GO WHEN OUR REALITY JUST SIMPLY WON'T DO. IMAGINATION IS WHERE VISION IS BORN, EVERY BIRTH OF A NEW IDEA FORMS OUR NEW REALITY. WHAT ARE YOU IMAGINING? Jacquelene Da Silva
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School Guide 2023-2024
12. SCHEDULED EVENTS & SCHOOL HOLIDAYS Amstelland International School calendar 2023-2024
July
Saturday
02-09-2023
Summer Holiday
Friday
19-07-2024
Last day of the school year, students go home at 12:00
Sunday
03-09-2023
Summer Holiday
Saturday
20-07-2024
Summer Holiday
Monday
04-09-2023
Inservice training day. School closed for students
Tuesday
05-09-2023
First day of school for the students
October Wednesday
11-10-2023
OGA inservice study day. School closed for students
Saturday
21-10 to 30-10-2023
Autumn Holiday
Monday
30-10-2023
Inservice training day. School closed for students
Tuesday
31-10-2023
First day of school for the students
September Saturday
02-09-2024
Summer Holiday
Monday
02-09-2024
Inservice training day. School closed for students
Tuesday
03-09-2024
First school day
December Wednesday
13-12-2023
Inservice training Cambridge. School closed for students
Thursday
14-12-2023
Inservice training Cambridge. School closed for students & Team social
Friday
15-12-2023
Collaborative planning next Unit. School closed for students
Saturday
13-12-2023 to
Winter Holiday
07-01-2024 January Tuesday
08-01-2024
First day of school for the students
February Thursday
15-02-2024
Inservice training day. School closed for students
Friday
16-02-2024
Inservice training day. School closed for students
Saturday
15-02 to 26-02-2024
Early Spring break
Monday
26-02-2024
Inservice training day. School closed for students
Tuesday
27-02-2024
First day of school for the students
March Friday
29-03-2024
Good Friday. School closed
Saturday
30-03 to 01-04-2024
Easter weekend
April Friday
26-04-2024
Inservice training day. School closed for students
Saturday
26-04 to 05-05-2024
May school Holiday
May Monday
06-05-2024
First day of school for the students
Thursday
09-05-2024
Ascension day. School closed
Friday
10-05-2024
Professional development day for staff. School closed
Monday
20-05-2024
2e Pinksterdag. School closed
June Friday
28
28-06-2024
Inservice training day. School closed for students
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School Guide 2023-2024
Relationships
Responsibility
Community
Agency CONTACT US
OPENING TIMES
Adress
Monday - Friday
Amstelland International School Asserring 93
Doors open
8:45
1187 SM Amstelveen
Lessons begin
9:00
Telephone: +31 20 820 90 91
Afternoon pick up
14:30
E-mail: info.ais@ogamstelland.nl
Curiosity 30
www. amstelland-international-school.nl
31
Amstelland International School Asserring 93 1187 SM Amstelveen Phone: +31 20 820 90 91 E-mail: info.ais@ogamstelland.nl
www.amstelland-international-school.nl