School Life
School Guide and School Plan
The ESH School Guide provides parents with detailed information about procedures and processes within our school. In the School Plans 2022-2026 you find an outline of our vision for the development of the Primary and Secondary School in the coming four years and beyond.
Primary School PLan 2023-2027Secondary school plan 2022-2026
Attendance
The European School the Hague is bound to Dutch rules and regulations concerning absences and special leave. ESH is required to inform the Compulsory Education Officer of the municipality of The Hague of unauthorised absences from school. Special leave from school can be granted for a range of different reasons.
Sports
Sports contribute to overall physical, social-emotional as well as cognitive development of students. While playing with other students from school, sports provide a sense of belonging, team spirit, leadership, self-esteem, self-confidence and respect among the children.
Sport teaches so many life skills including honesty, integrity, fair play, and teamwork. Children who participate in sports get these beneficial opportunities. ESH has specialist PE teachers who lead and coach the students for local inter-school Dutch tournaments for primary, and inter-school European tournaments for our secondary school.
Music
Making music has a positive effect on school performance. It stimulates the mind and body to work together. Music increases happiness and is well known to stimulate brain development as well as ignite creativity. Social and emotional growth is enhanced as music connects us with other people.
At ESH, students are given the opportunity to play a musical instrument (as an extracurricular activity or in primary music lessons) - which contributes to their motor development and promotes discipline and perseverance. Making music together teaches children to take others into account and stimulates the development of social and emotional skills. Whether it’s through a school band, small ensemble, or just singing together, making music encourages bonding and creates positive memories.
Leadership
As educators at ESH, we have a valuable opportunity to help students develop and exercise leadership in a responsible manner. Therefore ESH plays a role in helping students, who are members of the school council, develop their leadership skills in order to reach their full potential as future leaders.
At the primary school, we have a P5 Pupils Council and a P4 Eco-Team. At the Secondary School, we have many leadership opportunities, as class representatives, student representatives in the SPC as well as the Student Council.
Security
Wearing school-issued ID badges with colour-coded lanyards is required at ESH. Staff lanyards are blue with the school name. Primary parents receive two green lanyards with badges with the photo of their child. Secondary students receive orange lanyards for their ID badge. Visitors receive a yellow lanyard with a visitor’s badge at the reception. Please respect our security officers and follow their instructions.
Complaints Procedure
We are committed to providing good education and a pleasant school climate. If, despite our best efforts, things do not go as expected, you can discuss this with us. Our policy is that you should first discuss the problem with the person(s) directly involved and, if this does not lead to a solution, with the teacher/mentor or the deputy head. If even that contact does not lead to a solution, you can turn to the principal. The principal will hear the parties directly involved and try to find a solution with them.
If you feel that the problem cannot be solved at the school, you can file a complaint to the Executive Board of the Stichting Het Rijnlands Lyceum or to the Landelijke Klachtencommissie Onderwijs (LKC, National Education Complaints Committee). The complete complaints procedure and an explanation of how it works can be found on the website of the Stichting Het Rijnlands Lyceum (Complaints procedure | Stichting Het Rijnlands Lyceum)