Welcome to the Sondervick College website. You will find lots of useful information here to help you make the best possible choice for the next step in your school career. The Dutch education system in general is explained, bilingual education, language support and the use of laptops at Sondervick College are all explained.
In English
Sondervick College, our school
Our school provides education for a broad range of students and caters for all academic levels. Our campus has purpose built school and sport accommodation in a rural setting on the outskirts of the village center of Veldhoven. Veldhoven lies next to Eindhoven which makes it easy to get to. Our green and spacious campus with 4 school buildings means that every student has their own home base at school. The benefits of lots of space around you combined with the safety and familiarity of having your own home-building where you’re known by staff and fellow students.
Digital awareness
In an increasingly digital world it is important to help you to find the balance beteween the digital world and the real world of the classroom and society. By using a range of teaching methods and supports our students have the opportunity to discover what works best for them. All our students use a laptop on a daily basis, either in the lesson or for homework. Depending on what the goal of the lesson is a teacher decides how best to make use of digital supports. As a school we believe in helping our students to develop a broad range of skills for their future. The laptop is used as a tool to support the learning process, learning new things and developing new skills remain the primary goals.
An international flavour
Our school is situated at the heart of a vibrant and multicultural surburb of Eindhoven. Eindhoven is well known for being a centre of technical, industrial en medical expertise. The high concentration of companies employing a highly skilled and academic workforce has attracted a truly international community to the area. Our school has close links to many of these companies and we actively incorporate international topics in our educational programme. We aim to help you to become a world citizen equipped with the cultural awareness and skills to make a difference at local or international level.
Getting off to a good start
As the saying goes ‘a good start is half the battle’! Starting a new school is always exciting and can be a bit scary too. We take great care in helping you to make this move and contact the primary school of all students so as to get a complete student profile. Even before the new school year starts you will have met your new classmates and mentor at an introduction before the summer holidays. The mentor is one of the teachers with the special responsibility of making sure everything goes smoothly and that you find your feet quickly. If parents or students have any questions, no matter how small, they can always contact the mentor for help.
The Dutch education system
Primary school determines secondary level
The primary school provides a certificate of academic advice. The receiving secondary school is obliged to place a student according to this advice. Parents and both schools are involved in the move to secondary school. International students need to have equivalent information so as to best place the student.
Dutch as a second language (NT2)
We have a rich mix of nationalities at our school, among those are students with American, Spanish, Indian and Chinese backgrounds. They have the challenge of mastering Dutch in common. We offer support depending on the need but cannot admit a student with no working knowledge of Dutch. Our philosophy is to build on succes. The average expat student takes one extra year to complete their secondary education.
Bilingual education (TTO)
If you would you like to improve your English and are also interested in learning more about world then TTO offers you the opportunity to do just that. We offer TTO at havo and vwo. This means that you follow at least half of your lessons through English from first to third year. In senior cycle you have the opportunity to continue on with Cambridge Proficency. We have developed our very own subject ‘ELC’ English Langugae and Culture as part of the TTO programme. This lesson is taught by either a native or near-native English speaker. Together with the teacher you look at lots of different cultural traditions of the English speaking world. We also focus in on skills such as public speaking and debating.
Is bilingual education the best choice for you?
We take care in choosing the best route for all students. As all final exams are taken through Dutch, we are obliged to teach all subjects in senior cycle through Dutch. Entry to the secondary sector requires a working use of Dutch, which means for havo/vwo a minimum of A2 / B1 (ERK) is advisory.
We will of course be more than happy to help you making this choice.
Sondervick International School
Sondervick International School opened its doors on our campus in August 2023. A school that will offer an English language curriculum and prepare you for an English language diploma? With our partners from the primary schools and international companies, we are working hard to establish a school where all students from an international background will be welcomed.