Contact us

The British School is located in part of the old south of Amsterdam called the Oud-Zuid.

Havenstraat 6, 1075 PR Amsterdam

 

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  • Department Contacts
  • Location
  • FAQ's

General Enquiries

For general enquiries, please complete the form below

  • Travelling by bike

    You can easily get to the school by bike and we have bike racks on site. If you’re new to the city or not familiar with the area, look at our travel guide which has helpful maps and tips for navigation your way by bike.
  • Travelling with public transport

    The School is surrounded by great transport links and is accessible directly by bus and tram, and connected indirectly by train and metro.
  • Travelling by car

    We encourage families to cycle, walk or take public transport to school but understand this is not always possible. There is no parking provided by the school and limited public paid parking. We do have a Kiss & Ride Zone to drop children off on a school day but we have rules for using this zone.

    • Pupils must be aged 9 years (or older) to use the zone
    • This is strictly a no parking and no waiting zone (even for a 'quick' drop off)
    • Drivers may not leave their vehicle and there will not be any school staff on hand to
    • assist
    • If you need to come in to school for any reason, you will need to park elsewhere
    • Do not drive on the pavement
    • No parking on the pavement or the bike paths
    • No U-turns allowed on the Havenstraat, use the turn-around loop at the BP garage to
    • leave the area
    • Follow instructions from the traffic wardens in yellow vests as they are ensuring
    • everyone’s safety

    If you do not qualify to use this zone, there are alternatives.

Havenstraat 6
1075 PR Amsterdam
The Netherlands
  • Do I have to be British to apply?

    Our school follows the National Curriculum used in England, however, we are an international school and welcome all students irrespective of their nationality. In fact, 85% of our students are not of British nationality.
  • My child was previously in an IB or different curriculum school. Can I still apply and if I can, how does this affect their schooling?

    Given the international nature of the school our teachers are very experienced in supporting children transferring from different Schools and curriculums.
  • My child does not speak English. Can I still apply?

    Definitely! With over 40 different native languages and over 75 different cultures, many children join our school with little or no English. Children are supported in the classroom in their acquisition of English or join specialist EAL lessons in small groups to practise.
  • Which Year Goup will my child join?

    Children are placed with children who will celebrate the same birthday as them during the academic year which runs from September 1 to August 31. This is an important and distinctive feature of the British System enabling children to strengthen social skills and peer group identity. Staff work hard to tailor the teaching for a wide range of learners in their class. Very occasionally, due to academic or developmental reasons, we may question the appropriateness of a child transferring to the next group at the end of the academic year.
  • What languages are taught in the school?

    First language English speakers will join Dutch lessons a minimum of 2 lessons per week. From Year 3 pupils start to learn French. Senior School pupils have a choice of Dutch, French, German and Spanish, and choose two to study at Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9). At least one language choice is then encouraged for GCSE (Years 10 and 11) and continued study is available at A Level (Years 12 and 13).
  • We speak Dutch at home, will my child still have to attend Dutch lessons at School?

    For children who have Dutch parents and speak Dutch at home, there are Native Dutch lessons. During these lessons children follow a similar programme to that taught in Dutch schools.
  • How many children are there in each class?

    In the Primary Years (Early Years and Junior School) the maximum class size is 24 and in the Senior School the maximum class size is 22.
  • Do you offer support for children who have additional needs?

    Our School’s Learning Support department can provide support for children with specific educational needs. During the Admissions process each applicant is treated individually to assess if we can support their specific needs. If we feel that our school is not the best place to accommodate a child’s needs, we will offer support with alternatives.
  • What is included in the fees?

    The school fees cover all compulsory trips and educational materials such as textbooks. One to one learning support, extra-curricular activities, laptops (in the Senior School), optional trips, private music lessons, school lunches and uniforms are not included in the cost of the fees and must be paid for separately. If textbooks and locker keys are not returned when a child leaves the school these will be invoiced.
  • What are the timings for the school day?

    Nursery Children attend morning sessions 8.45-12, afternoon sessions 12-3.10 or full days 8.45-3.10 Children in Reception attend 8.45-15.10 Children in Year 1 attend from 8.45-15.15 For children in Years 2 and 3 School starts at 08.45 and ends at 15.25 For children in Years 4, 5 and 6 School starts at 08.45 and ends at 15.30 In the Senior School, School starts at 08.40 and ends at 15.40.
  • Do you offer after School care?

    Majest Global provides after school care exclusively to British School children from the ages of 3 to 12. They can be contacted directly here.
  • What are the school fees?

    All details about School fees can be found here.
  • Do you have an entrance exam?

    Our school is non-selective, and we welcome applications for all children. For students joining the Senior School and in particular Years 10 and 12, testing may be required to ascertain a student’s suitability for the GCSE and A Level program.
  • Where do children attending the British School of Amsterdam live?

    About 75% of our pupils live within 2km of the school. Other families live in Amstelveen, Uithoorn, Aalsmeer, Haarlem and beyond!
  • Do you have a school bus?

    We do not offer a school bus service. Most of our families travel to school either on foot or by bike. For families who live a bit further away, the school has excellent public transport links.
  • How does the school support children’s wellbeing?

    We have a whole school, age appropriate PHSE (Personal, Social and Health Education) programme. This promotes the social and emotional skills that underpin effective learning, positive behaviour, and the emotional health and wellbeing of all who learn and work in school. All students take part in Physical Education lessons too. Children in the Early Years follow the Forest School program, children from Year 3 to Year 6 swim for half of the school year and Senior students have sport outside at specialist locations. During the year we hold Wellbeing Weeks where student wellbeing is given an extra focus.
  • Do you have after school activities?

    Yes, our extra-curricular programme is provided by specialist teachers and instructors and changes on a termly basis. With activities ranging from football to sculpture, and (L)earning money to Irish dancing.
  • What do you do for creative arts?

    We are immensely proud of the creative arts available in our school. Each school section celebrates creativity in its own way with performances, choir events and assemblies being held in our theatre. Additionally, we are fortunate to have experienced peripatetic music teachers, who come into school to give private individual music lessons on different instruments. Private lessons are coordinated by YMBSA (Young Musicians BSA) and are charged in addition to school fees.

General Enquiries

For general enquiries, please complete the form below