Harbour International to Harbour Bilingual Transfer Policy

This text is a guideline for parents who are planning to move their child(ren) from the Harbour International Department to the Harbour Bilingual Department.

Harbour Bilingual information

  • The main language at Harbour Bilingual is Dutch.  

  •  50% of the lessons are taught in Dutch in all year groups.

  • The Dutch educational curriculum is followed, which means children in group 3 and 4  will first learn to read and write in Dutch. The percentage of lessons where Dutch is spoken, goes up to 60/70% during these two years.

  • The language of communication to parents is Dutch. 

  • The Bilingual programme is not designed to meet the needs of expatriate families.

 

Admission requirements for the Bilingual department:

  • Your child needs to speak and understand Dutch at an academic level, which means they can follow lessons independently. Speaking Dutch at a social level is not enough.  

  • If your child enters the Bilingual Department after group 3, they must be able to read with understanding in Dutch. 

  • Your child’s level of Dutch will be assessed before admission. 

 

If  you wish to apply for a transfer from the International to the Bilingual department you need to follow these steps:

  • Contact either Jacquie Scott - Head of School or Anna Roeven - SEN Coordinator and inform them of your plans.

  • SEN Coordinator Anna Roeven will then get in touch with the SEN Coordinator of the Bilingual department: Hedwig te Witt.

  • When there is a place available in the Bilingual department, the SEN Coordinator of the Bilingual department will contact you. Your child(ren) will be invited to the Bilingual department for assessment. 

  • The SEN Coordinator of the Bilingual department will make the final decision about the placement of your child(ren). She will contact the parents and Anna Roeven to inform you of her decision This process can take up to six (school) weeks.

  • If your child(ren)’s  has/have  been accepted, entrance to the Bilingual Department will take place after a natural break in the school year -  after a holiday period.

  • If your child(ren) is/are applying to enter group 3, entrance is only possible after the summer holiday and not throughout the school year.