Supervision of weak and very weak schools? Here is how it works

This brochure describes how the Dutch Inspectorate of Education (Inspectie van het Onderwijs) deals with schools judged to be ‘weak’ or ‘very weak’. ‘Schools’ here covers primary schools, special primary schools, the various tracks within secondary education (practical training, VMBO, HAVO, VWO) and schools for special and secondary special education.
On the whole, Dutch schools provide education of sufficient quality. The inspectorate may nevertheless conclude that the quality of education at the school or track it has examined has fallen below the minimum level. It is the inspectorate’s job to draw the school’s attention to this, in so far as the school has not already spotted it, and through intensive supervision to contribute to a swift and lasting improvement in quality.
The school board is responsible for the quality of education; it must ensure that quality is brought back to an acceptable level as quickly as possible. Although schools are often unhappy at first with a ‘weak’ or ‘very weak’ judgement, they are usually positive about the experience afterwards. Being forced to look critically at how you are doing produces new insight into your own organisation and into the way the teaching is done. And in the end that benefits quality.