Wereldschool

The Wereldschool (World school in English) is a virtual school/company located in Lelystad, Netherlands.

Founded in 1948, the Wereldschool is a company providing teaching programmes for Dutch-speaking children between 3 and 16 years old who are going abroad with their parents for an extended period of time. Pupils enroll in teaching programmes specifically for their school level (primary school or three secondary school levels) or a specific course such as IB Dutch and language courses. Approximately 1,400 pupils per year enroll, spread over more than 128 countries.

The school provides full distance learning to children going/living abroad or coming back to the Netherlands and corresponds to the Dutch curriculum so that re-integration in Dutch schools after returning to the country is possible.

The Wereldschool web site is at http://www.wereldschool.nl.

More Details

With the help of books and distance guidance and support the children can continue Dutch education anywhere in the world, with support from a teacher based in the Netherlands. Children receive an education package containing an comprehensive manual with a lesson planner and educational materials (exercise books etc.). The Wereldschool works with teaching methods used within Dutch schools, ensuring that the curriculum corresponds with the Dutch education system.

Preceding departure abroad, both the educational provisions and fitting in the curricula of the Wereldschool are talked through with the parents, when requested. It's essential that the correct choice of school is made for the children in the country of residence. Is the best choice a local or an international school, whether or not supplemented with one or more subjects provided by the Wereldschool? Or is complete home tuition to be preferred?

During their stay abroad parents and children are supported and coached by experienced teachers. The use of a web-based pupil monitoring system assures an optimal counselling. It's also possible to communicate through e-mail, post, fax or telephone. Once every school year the Wereldschool sends a teaching kit. This kit contains all study- and workbooks, CD-ROMs and other teaching materials which a pupil needs for the subject concerned. An extensive Wereldschool manual is also part of the kit.

After return to Belgium or the Netherlands, the Wereldschool can help in integrating in the education system. It is also possible, for example, to have the children's levels of Dutch tested when they have attended a foreign school for a longer time.

On practical matters, the School’s regulations include mention of responsiveness:

1.6 The teacher or replacing teacher is obliged to respond within 48 hours after receiving a message from the parents or students, and tests must be corrected within 5 working days.

1.7 Lesson materials are (if available within this time) sent within 14 working days after the client has paid.

Source: http://www.wereldschool.nl/content.aspx?id=3487

Wereldschool is a company that falls under IVIO Educational Group, it also receives partial funding from the Dutch government but students pay fees per module, as you can see for instance on the (Dutch) page: http://www.wereldschool.nl/content.aspx?id=67.

References

• "Wereldschool", Wereldschool, unknown publication date, http://www.wereldschool.nl/content.aspx?id=454, 31 January 2012

• "Education abroad", Wereldschool, november 2010, http://www.wereldschool.nl/uploadedFiles/De_Wereldschool/Education%20abroad.pdf, 31 January 2012

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