How does the school system work in Flanders and in Dutch-language schools in Brussels? Which school does my child go to at what age?

What is not allowed, what is required?

• Children can attend nursery school (kleuteronderwijs) from 2½. A child under 3 only starts on fixed entry days: the first school day after the summer, autumn, Christmas, carnival and Easter holidays, the first school day of February and the first school day after Ascension Day (Primary Education Decree art. 12).
• A nursery pupil who turns 5 before 1 January must be present for at least 290 half-days in the school year; absences the school accepts can count (art. 26). A child who turns 6 before 1 January of the school year starts primary school; primary school lasts 6 years (art. 6 and 13/1). For admission, the nursery class council gives an advice that also assesses Dutch; for a child who was not actually present for 290 half-days, the primary school's class council decides if the nursery's advice is unfavourable or if the child was not enrolled in a Dutch-language nursery school.
• Compulsory education runs from the school year starting in the year the child turns 5 to the end of the school year in the year it turns 18 (law of 29.6.1983, art. 1). For a child of foreign nationality it starts 60 days after the family registers with the municipality (art. 1 §7).
• At the start of compulsory education, the school tests every child's Dutch (taalscreening, since 2021-2022). A child whose Dutch is not good enough must follow a language integration track, in principle an intensive language immersion (taalbad) or an equivalent alternative (art. 11quater).
• At the end of primary school, the class council decides whether to award the primary school certificate (getuigschrift basisonderwijs) (art. 53). In the 4th and 6th year of primary and the 2nd and 6th year of secondary there are Flemish tests (Vlaamse toetsen) in Dutch and maths; the result alone is not decisive.
• Secondary school (secundair onderwijs) has 3 stages (graden). The 1st stage has A classes and B classes for children without the primary school certificate (Codex SO art. 133/2). A child who passes 1B also receives that certificate.
• In the higher stages there are three tracks: preparing for higher education (doorstroom), preparing for both higher education and work (dubbele finaliteit), and preparing for work (arbeidsmarkt) (art. 133/4). Aso, tso, kso and bso still exist as types of education. A student who passes the last year of secondary school receives the secondary school diploma.
• In secondary school, students usually receive an orientation certificate (oriënteringsattest) at the end of the year; the last year ends with a diploma (Flemish government decree of 15.7.2022, art. 70 and 72). A means passed and free to continue; B means passed, but some tracks are closed; C means not passed: repeat the year or change track. In the 1st year, a C certificate is given only in exceptional cases.
• GO! schools and municipal and provincial schools must offer a choice between a recognised religion and non-confessional ethics (Constitution art. 24). Private (vrij) schools do not have to offer this choice; they may teach religion, ethics, both, or world-view studies (cultuurbeschouwing) (Primary Education Decree art. 42). Catholic schools usually teach Catholic religion.

Penalty and indirect consequences

Why does this rule exist?

Compulsory education makes sure every child gains basic knowledge and skills. Early language screening aims to keep children with weak Dutch from falling behind at the start of school.