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Groep 8 · the recommendation

Voorlopig schooladvies in groep 8: what it is and what you can do

The voorlopig schooladvies (provisional school recommendation) is the basisschool's (primary school's) recommendation for secondary school level, given before the doorstroomtoets (the national test in groep 8). Your child gets it between 10 and 31 January. It is the basis for the definitief schooladvies (final recommendation): after the test, the recommendation can only stay the same or go up. That is why this is the most important meeting of groep 8 (the final year of primary school).

6 min readParents of groep 7 and 8Updated on 23 October 2026

In short

Your child gets the voorlopig schooladvies between 10 and 31 January, before the doorstroomtoets.
The school bases it on a broad picture: tests from several years, work in class and how your child learns.
The recommendation is one type of school (for example havo) or a dubbel advies (double recommendation) of two types of school that are next to each other in level (for example vmbo-gt/havo).
If the toetsadvies (the recommendation based on the test result) is higher later on, the school must in principle raise the recommendation. The test can never make it lower.

What is the voorlopig schooladvies?

In groep 8, the basisschool gives a recommendation for secondary school. This happens in two steps:

The voorlopig schooladvies, between 10 and 31 January. This is the school's judgement, given before the doorstroomtoets.
The definitief schooladvies, no later than 24 March. This is the voorlopig advies, possibly raised after the results of the doorstroomtoets.

Because the test can only raise the recommendation, in practice the voorlopig advies is the minimum level. That is why it pays to prepare well for this meeting.

What does the school base the recommendation on?

The recommendation does not depend on one test or one day. The school builds a broad picture of your child and looks at:

The tests from the leerlingvolgsysteem (LVS, the school's pupil tracking system) in groep 6, 7 and 8, for maths, reading comprehension and language. Read more in the leerlingvolgsysteem explained.
Work in class: how your child does assignments and what the teacher sees.
How your child learns: attitude to work, independence, planning and motivation.
Possibly an extra test in the autumn, such as the NIO (an intelligence and ability test) or the Drempelonderzoek (a test of school skills and abilities).

How the school reaches its recommendation must be described in the schoolgids (school guide). This has been compulsory since the 2023-2024 school year. So it is a good idea to read it beforehand.

Example

For years, Noor has scored at 2F level (one of the referentieniveaus, the national standards for language and maths) for reading, and just below the target level for maths. She works independently and finishes her work. The teacher is unsure whether vmbo-gt or havo suits her best. The school gives the dubbel advies vmbo-gt/havo, so Noor can start at a school with a mixed first-year class (brugklas).

Single or double recommendation

Type of recommendation	Example	What does it mean?
One type of school	havo	The school thinks this level suits your child best.
Dubbel advies	vmbo-gt/havo or havo/vwo	Two types of school that are next to each other in level. The school thinks both could suit your child.

More than two types of school is not allowed. With a dubbel advies, you can choose from more schools and first-year classes. You can read exactly what the levels mean in vmbo, havo and vwo explained.

Is the school unsure? The ministry advises schools to be optimistic in that case: a slightly higher or double recommendation gives a child room to grow. In practice, moving up to a higher level later on is often difficult.

How to prepare for the meeting

Ask for the test results from the past few years in advance. Then you will know what is being discussed in the meeting.
Write down what you see at home: how your child does homework, what they enjoy and what they find difficult.
Bring your child if the school offers this. What does your child want?
Ask follow-up questions: "What is this recommendation based on?" and "What needs to happen to reach the higher level?"
Agree what happens after the test. Ask how the school will review the recommendation if the toetsadvies is higher.

You can find a full list of questions in preparing for the adviesgesprek (the recommendation meeting), and in the free checklist below.

Do you disagree?

This happens more often than you might think. According to the minister, about 28 per cent of pupils can, based on the test, achieve more than their voorlopig advies suggests. The ministry also names groups who more often get a recommendation that is too low, for example children of parents without an hbo or wo degree (higher education), children with a migration background, and girls.

Ask for an explanation and for the information the recommendation is based on. You are always allowed to do this.
Wait for the test. If the toetsadvies is higher, the school must in principle raise the recommendation.
If you cannot reach an agreement, you can have your own view added to the onderwijskundig rapport (the school's report about your child for the secondary school), or, as a last resort, use the complaints procedure in the schoolgids.

You can read what else you can do in schooladvies too low: what can you do?

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When will my child get the voorlopig schooladvies?

Between 10 and 31 January of groep 8, and always before the doorstroomtoets. In 2027, your child will take the doorstroomtoets between 25 January and 12 February. Many schools give the recommendation in a meeting with the parents and the child.

Can the voorlopig schooladvies still change?

Yes, but only upwards. If the toetsadvies from the doorstroomtoets is higher, the school must in principle raise the recommendation. The school may only decide otherwise if raising it is not in your child's interest, and it must then explain why. If the toetsadvies is the same or lower, the voorlopig advies becomes the definitive recommendation.

What is the difference between the voorlopig and the definitief schooladvies?

The voorlopig advies comes before the test. The definitief advies comes no later than 24 March, after the test results. You use the definitief advies to register your child at a secondary school.

What can I do if I disagree with the voorlopig schooladvies?

Ask for a meeting and ask what the recommendation is based on. If you cannot reach an agreement, you can have your own view added to the onderwijskundig rapport, or, as a last resort, use the school's complaints procedure. You can find it in the schoolgids. It is often wise to wait for the doorstroomtoets as well.

Can a dubbel advies include three types of school?

No. A dubbel (multiple) advies includes no more than two types of school that are next to each other in level, such as vmbo-kb/vmbo-gt or havo/vwo. A recommendation with three or more types of school is no longer allowed.

Does the NIO or the Drempelonderzoek count?

Many schools give an extra test in the autumn, such as the NIO or the Drempelonderzoek. The school may take that result into account, but the recommendation never depends on a single test. The school looks at your child's development over several years.

Practise for groep 8

Free practice questions for the groep 8 tests and the doorstroomtoets, with an explanation for every answer.

Practise the doorstroomtoets