European School the Hague - Primary Campus

ESH Primary is conveniently situated in the International Zone of The Hague, strategically located between the city centre and the beach of Scheveningen. This cosmopolitan environment accommodates many expats and provides easy access to excellent city facilities and public transport.

Early Years and Primary.

Accredited European School

1400 students from over 50 countries

Two-part pupil support: basic support and extra support in cooperation with Passend Onderwijs Haaglanden (SPPOH).

Netherlands

Gemini said
The Primary Campus follows the official European Schools curriculum, which is organized into a two-year Early Years cycle and a five-year Primary cycle. Students are enrolled in one of five distinct language sections—Dutch, English, French, German, or Spanish—for their main instruction. The core subjects include Mother Tongue (L1) studies, Mathematics, and an integrated science and humanities program called Discovery of the World. Beginning in the first year of the Primary cycle, children also start a mandatory second language (L2) by choosing English, French, or German. In years P3 through P5, pupils participate in "European Hours," where they mix across different language sections for specific collaborative lessons. While formal external qualifications are not awarded during the primary stages, completing this curriculum fulfills the requirements to transition directly into the secondary cycle, which ultimately culminates in the European Baccalaureate diploma.

Gifted and Talented provisions adopt a highly inclusive, student-centred approach with in-class differentiation and a Talent Coach for identified students. A dedicated space and access to extracurricular clubs and university projects support their learning.

The School provides social-emotional support through the Secondary Well-being team, including a Student Well-being Counsellor, a School Psychologist and a School Social Worker. Social-emotional support is offered in English and Dutch, and the team collaborates with parents and teachers to identify factors and implement a support plan. The department also runs social skills and fear of failure courses for students throughout the school year.

The School provides learning support for students with additional needs, including language and mathematics support, coordinated by the Support Department. Language support is available for English L1 and L2, French L1 and L2, German L1 and L2 and Dutch L1; Mathematics support is offered in English, French and Dutch. Executive functioning support bridges learning and well-being.

Language sections in the Primary School include Dutch, English, French, German and Spanish, with SWALS placed in English, French, German or Dutch. It is a mandatory requirement that students study English, French or German as Language 2. Mother tongue tuition is offered for a number of European languages, and many students work toward fluency in multiple languages to follow classes. In the Secondary School, language support is available for English, German, French and Dutch for L1 and L2.

Mental well-being is a central focus, with the Well-being team identifying factors affecting well-being and implementing a support plan in collaboration with parents and teachers. Social-emotional support is available in English and Dutch, and the school offers social skills and fear-of-failure courses for students.

A safeguarding protocol is in place, with a zero-tolerance approach to bullying. An Anti-bullying protocol exists and an anti-bullying coordinator is appointed (Ms Sitskoorn). Het Ouder- en Jeugdsteunpunt provides support for parents and teenagers with questions about inclusive education. The OPDC Zuid-Holland West placement offers additional educational support when needed.

Step 1: When to apply. Early Years applications are accepted from age 2 but are processed later. Applications to join at the start of the school year should be submitted by April 1; after that date placement may be delayed. Applications for mid-year starts should be submitted as soon as possible.

Step 2: Attend information sessions or arrange a visit. Regular information mornings are held for Primary School and Secondary School; prospective parents can meet staff and see the school. Dates for the next sessions are available on the admissions information page. If you cannot attend, submit a Registration of Interest Form and school reports (for pupils applying to P1–S6) and contact the Admissions Office to arrange a visit.

Step 3: Application procedure. Submit the formal application through OpenApply and create a parent account to track status. In the portal, upload required documents; Category I requires a passport copy, two years of school reports, any SEN/medical documents, a statement confirming Category I status from your HR office, and the Pupil Information Request Form. Category III requires a passport copy, two years of school reports, any SEN/medical documents, proof of payment of the €300 registration fee, the Pupil Information Request Form, and, in most cases, proof of eligibility for international education in the Netherlands. Additional information may be requested as needed.

Step 4: Next steps after submission. After submission, you will receive an automatic confirmation email; the application is assessed by the directorate; you may be asked for additional information, a meeting, or a placement offer or placement on the waiting list (Category III). For Secondary School applications, language and mathematics tests may be scheduled if transferring from another European School.

Step 5: Enrolment and post-arrival arrangements. With director's approval, placement letters are sent to parents to sign; acceptance of the offer. Subsequent arrangements such as class allocation, timetables, and introduction days (Early Years) will be communicated later.

Category III applicants may be placed on the waiting list. If a place becomes available, admissions officers contact the family with a placement offer; otherwise the applicant remains on the waiting list. Updates will be provided via OpenApply after the initial assessment.