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Groep 8 · the advice

Is the schooladvies too low? What you can do, step by step

If you think the schooladvies (the school's recommendation for secondary school level) is too low, you are not alone. About 28 per cent of pupils do better on the doorstroomtoets (the national test in groep 8) than their voorlopig advies (provisional advice). There is a lot you can do: talk to the school, use the test as a second chance and choose a school that leaves room to grow. Here is how.

6 min readParents of groep 8Updated on 23 October 2026

In short

Ask for an explanation: which tests and observations is the advice based on? You have a right to know.
The doorstroomtoets is a second chance. If the toetsadvies (the advice based on the test result) is higher, the school must in principle raise the advice.
You can ask for a dubbel advies (a combined advice for two levels), and choose a school with a mixed-level first year (brede brugklas).
Can you not reach an agreement? Add your own view to the onderwijskundig rapport (the school's report on your child for the secondary school), or, as a last resort, use the complaints procedure.

Step 1: ask for an explanation

An advice that is lower than you expected can come as quite a blow. In the conversation, first try to understand how the school reached its advice. You have every right to do so. For example, you could ask:

"Which tests and observations is this advice based on?"
"What do you see in class that I might not see at home?"
"What would need to change to reach the higher level?"
"Did you consider a dubbel advies? Why or why not?"

Also tell the school what you see yourself: how your child learns at home, what they want and what they are good at. The school only sees one side of your child. How the school reaches its advice is also described in the school guide (schoolgids).

Step 2: ask for a dubbel advies

Is the school unsure between two levels? Then a dubbel advies can be the answer, such as vmbo-gt/havo or havo/vwo. Your child can then start in a first-year class (brugklas) that covers both levels.

A school may not rule out a dubbel advies in advance. If you ask for one, the school must discuss it with you. The ministry also advises schools to be optimistic when in doubt. An advice that is too low can demotivate a child, and moving up to a higher level later is often difficult in practice.

Step 3: use the doorstroomtoets as a second chance

After the voorlopig advies, your child takes the doorstroomtoets, in 2027 between 25 January and 12 February. The result is a toetsadvies.

Toetsadvies	What happens?
Higher than the voorlopig advies	The school must in principle raise the advice. If it does not, or only partly, it must explain why that is better for your child.
The same or lower	The voorlopig advies stays the same. The test never lowers it.

This happens often: in 2024-2025, 71 per cent of advices were raised when the test result was higher. Before the current rules, it was less than 30 per cent.

Example

In January, Sem gets the voorlopig advies havo. His toetsadvies is vwo. The school can raise the advice to vwo or to havo/vwo. It may only keep the advice at havo if it can clearly explain why that is in Sem's interest.

What you can do: make sure your child starts the test well rested and without stress. Practising a few times with the type of questions helps them get used to it. Also read what the toetsadvies means.

Step 4: can you not reach an agreement?

Ask for a second meeting, if you like with the head teacher or the intern begeleider (IB'er, the staff member who coordinates pupil support) present.
Ask for the reasons if the school does not raise the advice after the test. The school must put these in writing.
Add your own view to the onderwijskundig rapport (OKR). This report goes to the secondary school. You have the right to a copy and may have your own view on the advice added.
As a last resort, use the school's complaints procedure. You can find it in the school guide.
Ask for help from Ouders & Onderwijs, the free information service for parents.

Step 5: choose a school that leaves room to grow

The definitief schooladvies (final advice) is the basis for registration, in 2027 between 25 and 31 March. If you are unsure about the level, you can put off the choice:

A mixed-level first year (brede brugklas or dakpanklas), for example vmbo-gt/havo or havo/vwo. After one or two years, your child can continue at the level that suits them best.
A large secondary school with several levels (brede scholengemeenschap). Your child will not need to change schools if they switch level later.

Good to know: the secondary school must place your child at the level of the schooladvies at least. It may not give an extra test to decide the level, and may not refuse your child because it thinks the test scores are too low. To find out what the levels mean, read vmbo, havo and vwo explained.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Can I get the schooladvies changed?

The school decides on the advice. You cannot force a change, but a good conversation with concrete examples will be taken seriously. After the doorstroomtoets, the school must in principle raise the advice if the toetsadvies is higher.

What if the toetsadvies is higher, but the school does not raise the advice?

This is only allowed if raising it is not in your child's interest. The school must explain its reasons and discuss them with you. Ask for these reasons. If you do not agree, you can add your own view to the onderwijskundig rapport or use the complaints procedure.

Can I ask for a dubbel advies?

Yes. A school may not rule out a dubbel advies in advance, and if parents ask for one, the school must always be willing to discuss it. A dubbel advies combines two school types that sit next to each other, such as vmbo-gt/havo. The school decides, but you can suggest it and ask why it is or is not possible.

Can the doorstroomtoets make the advice lower?

No. If the toetsadvies is lower than the voorlopig advies, the voorlopig advies stays the same. The test can only raise the advice.

Can the secondary school make my child take an extra test?

Not to decide the level. The secondary school works from the definitief schooladvies and must place your child at that level at least. Only schools with special requirements, such as bilingual education, may test for those extra skills.

Where can I go with questions?

Ouders & Onderwijs, a free information service for parents. They can also help if you and the school cannot reach an agreement.

Practise for the doorstroomtoets

Let your child calmly get used to the type of questions. Free, no account needed, with an explanation for every answer.

Practise the doorstroomtoets