No final test but flow test. Is your child ready?

This school year, too, various laws and regulations have changed for primary and special education. Starting this school year, we will be talking about the transfer test and we will no longer talk about the final test. Is your child ready?

Primary education made the news several times a few weeks ago. What was going on? The General Association of School Leaders (AVS) and the Primary Education Sector Association (PO Council) wanted to add an additional exam week to the final test period. Indeed, there were many signals from the south of the country that the final test cannot be combined with carnival.

Ultimately, even the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education had to be involved. She decided to indeed offer schools an extra week to take the final test digitally. Because of that extra week of taking, all schools can create good conditions for their students to take that final test. And that makes us happy. But that was certainly not the only important news about primary education.

This school year, too, various laws and regulations have changed for primary and special education. Sometimes it's almost impossible to keep track of. As a parent, you already have more than enough on your mind. However, from the 2023/2024 school year, now, we will no longer speak of the final test, but of the flow test. What does that mean for you and your child?

What is the flow test?

We'll start at the beginning, so easy and organized. The flow-through testing bill was adopted in February this year. This law came into force this school year. So from now on, we no longer speak of a final test, but of a flow-through key. What exactly does it all mean? It's pretty simple. The content of the flow test is similar to the final test, which doesn't change much. And they call it the flow-through test because your child flows through to high school and continues to develop there.

The new law also states that there is only one central registration week for all students. Because, writes the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), this way everyone has an equal chance of getting a place at their preferred secondary school. The first central registration week for secondary education is in the week of March 25 to 31.

In addition, your child's school advice will be updated upward if they have made the flow test better. It contributes to a smooth transition to secondary education, because that is sometimes exciting enough. And it contributes to greater equality of opportunity. That also makes us very happy.

What else does that mean?

Of course, it does affect the time frame. Want to know what awaits you as a parent in the near future? We'd like to give you a brief overview below:

• Before November 15, schools will sign up for that flow-through test.
• Between 10 and 31 January, your child will receive provisional school advice.
• In the first or second week of February, your child will take the flow-through test.
• The schools will receive the results of the flow test no later than 15 March.
• Before March 24, you and your child will receive final school advice.
• With the final advice in his pocket, your child will apply to secondary school between March 25 and March 31.

A small side note. The central registration week does not apply to students who move on to secondary special education. They can sign up earlier with the provisional school advice.

Do you still want to know more about the flow test? Very understandable. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has organized various digital information meetings. You can find these here.

‍Good preparation is half the work.

It may still seem a bit far away. But we know better than anyone that school and the time you think you have literally fly by. Before you know it, it's already February. And then that flow test comes awfully close. Exciting! For you, but certainly also for your child.

That is why it is extremely important to start preparing on time. Such a flow test and everything that comes with it can be very impressive for primary school students. They are not only tested on their knowledge and skills. It also determines which level of secondary education is most appropriate.

Practice before the flow test.

That's why we're happy to help your child practice the flow-through test in group 8. These training courses cover all topics needed for the flow test, such as math, reading and language learning.

In such a training, we first start by explaining the subject, such as relationships, a subdomain in math. We explain exactly what relationships are and how they can be solved. We finish by making exercises. In our training courses, we clearly emphasize the combination of explaining and practicing, because we really think it is very important that children understand what they are doing.

We always end the last training with a flow test that is comparable to the real work. Of course, we do that to relieve some pressure and tension. But also to see which topics are still difficult and may need extra attention.

The biggest advantage? Your child knows what to expect and that brings peace of mind. As a result, your child will enter the flow test a lot more confidently.