Translated from Dutch. The Dutch page is the original. Read in Dutch
IEP score explained: which score means havo or vwo?
In the IEP Doorstroomtoets (the national test in groep 8, the final year of basisschool) your child gets a test score between 750 and 800. A score from 777 to 784 gives the toetsadvies (the recommendation based on the test) vmbo-gt/havo, 785 to 791 gives havo/vwo, and 792 or higher gives vwo. Below you will find the full table, how the old score of 50 to 100 fits in, and what the numbers on the groep 7 Talentenkaart mean.
In short
- Since the 2025-2026 school year, the IEP score runs from 750 to 800. Before that, it was 50 to 100. The last two digits are the old score: 781 is the same as 81.
- There are six toetsadviezen, from pro/vmbo-bb to vwo. Havo (senior general secondary education) is part of two of them: vmbo-gt/havo (777 to 784) and havo/vwo (785 to 791).
- The score is made up of three parts: maths counts for 45 per cent, reading for 30 per cent and language skills for 25 per cent.
- In groep 7, your child does not take a doorstroomtoets yet. The Talentenkaart shows an ontwikkelscore (progress score): 60 means your child reaches 1F, 80 means your child reaches 2F or 1S.
The table: IEP score and toetsadvies
At the bottom of the front of the report you will find the toetsadvies: the type of school that suits your child according to the test. There are six toetsadviezen. Only vwo (pre-university education) is a single recommendation; the other five are double.
| IEP score | Old score | Toetsadvies |
|---|---|---|
| 750–751 | 50–51 | pro / vmbo-bb |
| 752–768 | 52–68 | vmbo-bb / vmbo-kb |
| 769–776 | 69–76 | vmbo-kb / vmbo-gt |
| 777–784 | 77–84 | vmbo-gt / havo |
| 785–791 | 85–91 | havo / vwo |
| 792–800 | 92–100 | vwo |
The IEP score applies from the 2025-2026 school year; the old score applies up to and including 2024-2025. The boundaries come from the explanation by Bureau ICE, the maker of the IEP. They are set nationally. Pro is praktijkonderwijs (practical education). On your child's report, vmbo-gt may also be called "vmbo gl-tl": this is the same thing.
Your child has 781 points. That falls between 777 and 784, so the toetsadvies is vmbo-gt/havo. With the old score, this was 81.
Why 750 to 800 and no longer 50 to 100?
Up to and including the 2024-2025 school year, the IEP gave a score from 50 to 100. But the ontwikkelscores for the separate parts also ran from 50 to 100, and that caused confusion. So from 2025-2026, Bureau ICE put a 7 in front. The test itself has not changed.
Do you read online about an "IEP score of 81"? Then it is about the old scale. On the new scale, that is 781.
How is the score worked out?
The IEP Doorstroomtoets measures three compulsory parts. They do not all count equally:
| Part and what is measured | Counts for |
|---|---|
| Maths (rekenen): numbers, ratios, measurement and geometry, relationships | 45 % |
| Reading (lezen): reading comprehension, such as understanding, interpreting, summarising and looking things up | 30 % |
| Language skills (taalverzorging): spelling of verbs, other spelling and punctuation | 25 % |
So maths counts the most. Still, you cannot work out the recommendation yourself from the parts: the boundaries between the recommendations are set nationally.
The referentieniveaus on the report
The front also shows, for each part, which referentieniveau (national benchmark level) your child has mastered:
- 1F is the basic level. Almost every child should reach it by the end of basisschool.
- 2F (reading and language skills) and 1S (maths) are the target level. The government hopes as many children as possible reach it.
- If your child (just) does not reach 1F, the report says "op weg naar 1F" (on the way to 1F).
A green bar shows which level your child reaches and how far they are on the way to the next level. You can read more about the levels in 1F, 2F and 1S explained.
The detailed scores on the back
The back shows, for each section, for example spelling of verbs or punctuation, what percentage of the questions your child got right. This shows you what is already going well and where there is still room to grow.
Do not compare these percentages with those of other children. Each question counts differently, and in the digital IEP every child gets different questions: the test adapts itself. The percentages on the back also do not match the score on the front one to one.
IEP in groep 7: the Talentenkaart
In groep 7, your child does not take a doorstroomtoets yet, but the tests of the IEP Leerlingvolgsysteem (the school's pupil progress tracking system). The report for these is called the Talentenkaart. It does not show a test score of 750 to 800, but an ontwikkelscore for each part:
| Ontwikkelscore | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 60 | your child reaches the basic level 1F |
| 80 | your child reaches the target level: 2F for language and reading, 1S for maths |
There is no official table that links an ontwikkelscore to havo or vwo. But this helps: 1F and 2F/1S are goals for the end of groep 8. If your child already has an ontwikkelscore of 80 in groep 7, they are ahead in that part.
Below the graph you will see leergroeimeters (learning growth meters). If a meter is at least half full, your child has grown as expected.
At the end of groep 7, your child often gets a voorlopig schooladvies (provisional recommendation for secondary school level, also called pre-advies). The teacher decides this, not the test. The teacher looks at the IEP results, but also at everything your child has shown since groep 1: attitude to work, planning, perseverance.
Higher or lower than the schooladvies?
- Toetsadvies higher than the voorlopig schooladvies: the teacher must reconsider the recommendation and discuss it with you.
- Toetsadvies the same or lower: the teacher's schooladvies (the school's recommendation for secondary school level) still stands.
A difference can happen because the IEP only measures language and maths. The teacher looks at more. Also read what the toetsadvies means and what you can do.
In 2027, the IEP Doorstroomtoets takes place between 25 January and 12 February. The school receives the results by 15 March at the latest. All dates are in Doorstroomtoets 2027: all dates.
Does your child need to practise for the IEP?
Bureau ICE says your child does not need to practise for the IEP Doorstroomtoets. The test measures what your child has learnt over eight years, and they learn that in class.
What does help is knowing what the questions look like. Then your child will be less nervous on the day of the test. And if you notice that, for example, percentages or spelling of verbs are still difficult, your child can work on them calmly. That is what our IEP-style practice questions are for: always new questions, with an explanation for every answer.
Sources
- Bureau ICE: guide to the IEP Doorstroomtoets for parents and carers
- Bureau ICE: why has the IEP Doorstroomtoets test score changed?
- Bureau ICE: how is the IEP Doorstroomtoets score calculated?
- Bureau ICE: guide to the Talentenkaart for groep 6 to 8
Consulted on 14 October 2026. Schoolwegwijzer is not connected to Bureau ICE. Our practice questions are our own material.
Frequently asked questions
Which IEP score do you need for havo?
Havo is part of two toetsadviezen. A score from 777 to 784 gives vmbo-gt/havo, and a score from 785 to 791 gives havo/vwo. With the old score (up to and including 2024-2025), this was 77 to 84 and 85 to 91.
Which IEP score means vwo?
A score from 792 to 800 gives the toetsadvies vwo. With the old score, this was 92 to 100. Vwo is the only toetsadvies that is not a double recommendation.
What is the difference between the old and the new IEP score?
Only the numbers. Up to and including 2024-2025, the score ran from 50 to 100. From 2025-2026, it runs from 750 to 800. The content has stayed the same. If you want to compare with previous years, look at the last two digits: 776 is the same as 76.
Can I work out the toetsadvies myself from the separate parts?
No. Maths counts for 45 per cent of the score, reading for 30 per cent and language skills for 25 per cent, but the boundaries between the recommendations are set nationally. That is why you cannot work out the recommendation yourself.
What does an ontwikkelscore of 80 in groep 7 mean?
It means your child reaches the target level for that part: 2F for language and reading, or 1S for maths. This is the level meant for the end of groep 8. An ontwikkelscore of 60 means the basic level 1F.
What is a good IEP score?
A good score is a score that suits your child. Do not only look at the number, but also at the referentieniveaus on the report. 1F is the basic level; 2F (language) and 1S (maths) are the target level.
Practise in the style of the IEP?
Maths, reading and language skills as in the IEP Doorstroomtoets. Free and no account needed.
Practise IEP