Exemptions from compulsory school attendance in the Netherlands
Children aged 5 to 16 are obliged to attend full-time education. In certain circumstances, your child might be exempted from compulsory school attendance. This is called vrijstelling van leerplicht (exemption from compulsory school attendance). In that case, your child does not have to go to school. Where you apply for the exemption depends on the situation.
Exemption
With an exemption from compulsory education, your child does not have to attend school. There are 3 types of exemption (in Dutch):
Can your 5-year-old child not yet cope with a full school week? Then your child may attend school for 5 hours less. You can request this from the head of the primary school. Does your child need more rest? Then you may request an additional 5 hours of exemption. This too can be requested from the head of the primary school.
In some cases, you can request exemption for part of the school year for your child. This can be done with the municipality. You must do this before 1 July for each school year. These are a few situations in which you can request exemption:
- Your child is seriously ill. Or your child is facing challenges such as autism or depression. For exemption, you need a statement from a doctor, psychologist or educator. Your child's own GP may not make this declaration.
- You have an objection about the philosophy or religion being taught at the school in your neighbourhood. You can apply for exemption in this case op grond van richtingbezwaar (on grounds of directional objection). For this exemption, you must make a declaration to your municipality.
- Your child is registered in the Netherlands, but attends school abroad. For this exemption, you must make a declaration to your municipality.
- You have a travelling profession, for example as a circus artist. Your child can be exempted from enrolling in a school for part of the year. For this exemption, you must make a declaration to your municipality.
There are times when your child does not have to attend school for good reason. This is called geoorloofd schoolverzuim (permissible school absence). Examples of permissible school absenteeism are:
Your child is ill. Report this to the headmaster of your school within 2 days.
- Does your child have to attend a wedding or funeral? If so, the school headmaster must give permission in advance.
- Do you want your child to be free on a (religious) holiday such as Eid al-Fitr or Yom Kippur? If so, tell the head of the school in advance. Apply for exemption from the head of the school for this purpose.
Your child will only be given leave to go on holiday if:
- it is not in the first 2 weeks after the summer holidays;
- your work prevents you from going on holiday during the school holidays.
This is how it works for you
Here is some information from your municipality.
Days off outside holidays
Please note: you can only apply for an exemption from compulsory education if you live in the Netherlands and are registered with a municipality.
Do you want to go on holiday with your child outside the school holidays? Or is there a special occasion that requires your child to miss a day of school? Then you can request this from the school principal or the school attendance officer of the municipality.
Going on holiday outside the school holidays?
You can submit a request to go on holiday outside the school holidays to the school director. The school director can only grant an application if you meet all three of the following conditions:
- If at least one of the parents has an occupation with seasonal work. For example, in the agricultural sector or the catering industry.
- If the family cannot go on holiday during any of the school holidays in one school year.
- If the extra holiday does not fall in the first two weeks of the school year.
The extra holiday is never longer than ten days.
Extra day off?
In special cases you can request one or more days off for your child. You can request this permission from the school director for a maximum of ten school days. Special cases are:
- A moving
- A wedding and celebration of a 12.5, 25, 40, 50 or 60 year anniversary of immediate family
- Marriage anniversary of relatives by blood or marriage
- Celebrating 25, 40 or 50 years of service
- Serious illness or death of immediate family
Less than 10 days?
Application form (PDF)
More than 10 days?
Requests for more than ten days off should be directed to the attendance officer. You can do this with an online form, for which you need DigiD.
Do you disagree with a decision of the Inspectorate? Then you can lodge an objection with the municipality. You can do this with an online form (with DigiD)
Questions about this topic?
Contact the Municipality of Heerenveen
Visiting address
Crackstraat 2
8441ES Heerenveen
| Monday | 08:30-16:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:30-16:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:30-16:00 |
| Thursday | 08:30-16:00 |
| Friday | 08:30-16:00 |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |