DON’T MISS
IamExpat FairIamExpat Job BoardIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Education
Dutch news & articles
Dutch primary school students perform well but rarely excel
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Dutch primary school students perform well but rarely excel

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

Miscommunication causes problems between migrant parents & teachersMiscommunication causes problems between migrant parents & teachers
Dutch designer helping create the Highway of the FutureDutch designer helping create the Highway of the Future
Dutch general election 2012Dutch general election 2012
The Netherlands at the 2012 Summer Olympics!The Netherlands at the 2012 Summer Olympics!
The Hague gets creative in bid for Capital of CultureThe Hague gets creative in bid for Capital of Culture
Income requirement for family migration set to increaseIncome requirement for family migration set to increase
Dutch Parliament votes for return to fixed dentist feesDutch Parliament votes for return to fixed dentist fees
Changes to basic Dutch health insurance package for 2013Changes to basic Dutch health insurance package for 2013
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat FairsWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Dec 20, 2012
Carly Blair
Read more

Dutch primary school students perform well but rarely excel at reading, arithmetic, and science, according to the newly released Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS-2011) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS-2011).

The primary school students examined were aged 9 to 10. In 2011, test scores for Dutch students in this age range positioned the Netherlands as one of the better performing countries for reading, arithmetic, and science education.

While differences in scores between the Netherlands and neighbouring countries are mostly small, the Netherlands does not perform particularly well compared to the participating Asian countries (such as Singapore).

Furthermore, the Netherlands has seen its rankings in reading, arithmetic, and science drop compared to the first PIRLS measurement in 2001 and the first TIMSS measurement back in 1995.

While this can be partly attributed to high-performing countries like Finland starting to participate in PIRLS and TIMSS later than the Netherlands, according to the authors it is also because the level of education in the Netherlands has decreased at the same time that it has increased in many other countries.

The report's authors note that a defining and unique characteristic of education in the Netherlands is the relatively small difference in performance between the weakest and strongest pupils.

For arithmetic and science, 99% of students reach at least the lowest knowledge and skill levels distinguished by TIMSS, while the lowest reading skill level was achieved by all 9 to 10-year-old pupils tested.

However, at the same time there are relatively few excellent students in the Netherlands. Three to seven percent of Dutch students tested achieved the highest level for the different test areas, far less than in countries that perform well.

According to the authors, this indicates that the Dutch education system is good at making sure that weak students at least reach the basic level, but apparently not as good at helping talented pupils excel.

The PIRLS and TIMSS surveys are organised by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement and are carried out in the Netherlands on behalf of the Dutch Programme Council for Educational Research (PROO), part of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).

These studies are performed in over 45 different countries among pupils aged 9 to 10. These most recent data are from the spring of 2011, when more than 7.000 Dutch pupils in this age group participated in PIRLS or TIMSS.

By Carly Blair