The British School in The Netherlands

BSN's Educational Philosophy

The British School in the Netherlands grounds its educational approach in three interconnected pillars that together define what it means to be a BSN student.

Academic Excellence

BSN's first pillar holds that every student, regardless of background or starting ability, deserves teaching that meets their individual needs and maximises their love of learning. As a non-selective school, BSN does not screen students at entry; instead, it commits to stretching each child through a rigorous British curriculum supplemented by IB pathways. The school's 2023 IB Diploma average of 35 points and 98% pass rate — achieved across a fully mixed-ability cohort — reflects this commitment in action.

Key academic features:

• IGCSE examinations at Year 10–11 (Cambridge International)
• A-Level, BTEC, IB Diploma Programme, and IB Career-Related Programme at Years 12–13
• Non-selective admissions: all abilities welcome, including non-English speakers
• EAL support integrated from day one for new language learners

Breadth of Experience

BSN believes that education extends well beyond the classroom. With more than 550 co-curricular clubs, sports teams, ensembles, and societies, the school ensures every student can discover passions outside academic study. From competitive rugby and Model United Nations to swing band performances and the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, the breadth of opportunity is deliberately wide.

This pillar also encompasses international school trips, arts exhibitions, and community service projects — experiences that BSN argues are inseparable from genuine learning.

Character & Community

The third pillar focuses on the whole person. BSN's published Character Profile articulates eight values students are expected to develop:

• Courage
• Perseverance
• Creativity
• Curiosity
• Responsibility
• Compassion
• Collaboration
• Integrity

These values are reinforced through a four-house system (Amsterdam, Delft, Gouda, Leiden), student councils, pastoral programmes including PSHE, and dedicated wellbeing staff — a trained counsellor and health officer on every campus. The house system deliberately mixes age groups and nationalities, building community across the school's diverse population of nearly 90 nationalities.

Global Citizenship

Underpinning all three pillars is an explicit goal: to produce successful global citizens who can make an impact and help to build a better world. This framing is not incidental — it shapes curriculum choices, co-curricular design, and the school's open admissions philosophy, which welcomes families from nearly 90 countries without requiring English proficiency at entry.

Academic Pathways at BSN

One of BSN's defining academic features is the genuine breadth of qualification pathways available to students in Years 12–13 (the Sixth Form). Rather than committing exclusively to A-Levels or the IB Diploma, BSN runs all four major British and IB post-16 programmes simultaneously.

The Four Pathways

1. A-Levels (Cambridge International / Pearson Edexcel) The traditional British qualification, offering students depth in three or four subjects. In 2023, BSN students achieved:

• 36% of grades at A*–A
• 85% of grades at A*–C
• Subjects include Mathematics, Sciences, Humanities, Languages, Arts, and more

2. BTECs (Pearson Edexcel) Vocational qualifications running alongside or in place of A-Levels. BSN achieved a 100% pass rate in BTECs in 2023. BTECs are valued by UK universities for applied and creative disciplines.

3. IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) The internationally recognised two-year diploma requiring six subjects across three levels (HL/SL), Theory of Knowledge, an Extended Essay, and Creativity Activity Service. BSN's 2023 IBDP results:

• Average score: 35 points (world average ~30)
• Pass rate: 98%
• Approximately 20% of students scored 40 or above (out of 45)

4. IB Career-Related Programme (IBCP) A hybrid combining IB subjects with vocational components. BSN achieved a 100% pass rate in 2023, making it particularly effective for students pursuing applied or creative career paths.

University Outcomes

BSN graduates consistently earn places at highly competitive universities. Reported 2023 destinations include:

• Oxford University (UK)
• Princeton University (USA — Ivy League)
• TU Delft (Netherlands — top technical university)
• McGill University (Canada)
• Universities across more than 23 countries

The school reports that 95% of Sixth Form leavers secure their first or second choice university place.

Non-Selective Foundation

Critically, these results are achieved within a non-selective admissions framework. BSN explicitly states it does not screen students at entry, which makes the above exam outcomes particularly noteworthy — they reflect teaching quality and student support rather than selective intake.

Community Life at BSN

With four campuses, approximately 2,100 students, and close to 90 nationalities represented in the student body, building genuine community at BSN requires intentional design. The school achieves this through a layered pastoral architecture.

The House System

Every BSN student — from Early Years through to Year 13 — is assigned to one of four houses at enrolment:

• Red — Amsterdam
• Blue — Delft
• Yellow — Gouda
• Green — Leiden

Houses are deliberately cross-age and cross-campus, meaning a Year 2 student and a Year 12 student may share the same house identity. Houses compete in sports events, creative challenges, and community activities for the House Cup. This structure builds vertical relationships within the school that transcend year group and campus boundaries.

Student Leadership

BSN cultivates leadership through structured roles: House Captains, Student Councils, and Eco Committees give students agency over school life. The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award (Bronze, Silver, Gold) is run for students aged 14 and above, combining physical challenge, skill development, volunteering, and expeditions.

Wellbeing Infrastructure

BSN maintains dedicated wellbeing professionals on every campus:

• A trained school counsellor on each campus, available to all students
• A Health Officer (school nurse equivalent) based on each campus during school hours
• PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education) embedded in the curriculum
• A safe and inclusive environment policy underpinning all pastoral work

International Mobility and Belonging

BSN's community is shaped by the reality of international mobility — many families are posted to The Hague for diplomatic, corporate, or international organisation roles, and students may join or leave mid-year. The school's non-selective, open admissions philosophy and its EAL Welcome Programme are specifically designed to help new arrivals settle quickly, regardless of English level or prior schooling background.

The result is a school culture that places high value on inclusion, transition support, and belonging — qualities that returning students and parents consistently cite as central to the BSN experience.

Admissions at BSN

Non-Selective Philosophy

BSN is explicitly and proudly non-selective. There is no entrance examination, no minimum English requirement, and no academic threshold for most year groups. The school's admissions page states clearly that students who speak no English at all are welcome to apply.

This is an unusual stance for an international school operating at BSN's fee level and academic standing. It reflects a belief that great teaching, good support systems, and high expectations can unlock potential in any child — not just those who arrive already performing at a high level.

Who Can Apply

• Students of any nationality (nearly 90 represented)
• Students of any English level (EAL support provided)
• Students aged 3 to 18 (Early Years through to Year 13)
• Students joining at any point in the academic year for most year groups
• Year 11 entry is not permitted — GCSE is a two-year course and mid-programme entry is not offered
• Year 10 entry is possible only at the start of the Spring Term

The Admissions Process

BSN's process is centred on fit rather than selection:

1. Submit an application form (year-round)
2. The admissions team assesses whether BSN can meet the child's needs
3. An interview with the student and parents (typically in English)
4. Submission of previous school reports and immunisation records
5. Internal placement testing after acceptance (to set year group and class level)
6. Assignment to a campus based on age, availability, and sibling placement

EAL and Learning Support

BSN's EAL Welcome Programme provides structured English language support from the first day. Students at all levels of English proficiency — including complete beginners — receive tailored in-class and withdrawal support until they reach age-appropriate fluency.

Learning support for students with special educational needs is available but assessed case-by-case. Parents of SEN students are involved in planning, and additional one-to-one support costs may apply.

Fees and Scholarships

BSN charges full published fees and operates a strict no-discount policy. There are no scholarships, bursaries, or sibling discounts. The annual enrolment fee is €2,500 (one-time, waived for Foundation 2 students progressing directly to Year 1). Annual fees range from €7,140 (Foundation 1 part-week) to €28,998 (Years 12–13), with an annual capital levy of €2,200–€2,800 on top.

What Makes BSN Distinctive

Scale and Reach

With approximately 2,100 students across four campuses and nearly 90 nationalities, BSN is frequently cited as one of Europe's largest international schools. This scale brings institutional depth — breadth of subject offerings, specialist staffing, extensive co-curricular programming (550+ clubs and activities), and multiple senior school pathways — that smaller international schools cannot match.

Four-Campus Architecture

BSN operates two junior campuses (ages 3–11) and two senior campuses (ages 11–18), all within a short distance of The Hague:

• Junior School Leidschenveen (JSL) — Ages 3–11, Vrouw Avenweg 640
• Senior School Leidschenveen (SSL) — Ages 11–18, Vrouw Avenweg 422 (opened 2018)
• Junior School Vlaskamp (JSV) — Ages 3–11, Vlaskamp 19
• Senior School Voorschoten (SSV) — Ages 11–18, Jan van Hooflaan 3, Voorschoten

This distributed model means families often have a choice of junior campus with a natural progression to the corresponding or nearest senior campus. Siblings at different ages may attend different campuses.

British Heritage in an International Setting

Founded in 1931 as The English School, BSN carries over 90 years of British educational tradition into an explicitly international context. The curriculum is built on UK exam boards (Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, Eduqas) but enriched by the IB Organisation's Diploma and Career-Related Programmes. Students therefore receive qualifications recognised by universities in the UK, USA, Netherlands, and globally.

Strategic Location: The Hague

The Hague is home to more than 160 international organisations and embassies, making it one of the world's most internationally mobile cities. BSN's student body reflects this: a significant proportion of families are posted diplomats, international civil servants, or multinational executives. The school's non-selective admissions policy and EAL support programme are calibrated for this highly mobile, multilingual population.

Affiliations

BSN holds membership in or accreditation from:

• IB World School (IBDP & IBCP)
• COBIS (Council of British International Schools)
• HMC (Heads' Conference)
• IAPS (Independent Association of Prep Schools)
• ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate)
• Cambridge Assessment International Education
• Pearson (Edexcel/BTEC) and Eduqas

This constellation of affiliations signals peer-group standing among leading British and international schools worldwide.