Business in the Spotlight The British School

Stuart May

The British School of Amsterdam:

“EACH CHILD IS SEEN AS AN INDIVIDUAL”

After a complicated relocation to merge three separate school locations, plus Covid restrictions preventing people from coming together, The British School of Amsterdam is finally getting back to its normal routine. Stuart May, Vice Principal and Head of Junior School, could not be more excited: “It’s really good to get back to normal and to have all the children and their families back together again.”

When construction at the new location was finally over at the beginning of summer and Covid restrictions were officially lifted last September, The British School picked up where it left off, starting with assemblies, after-school activities and family meet-ups. Stuart has been with The British School of Amsterdam for nearly 13 years. “My day-today role is as Head of Junior School, where I am responsible for all the teaching staff and the 405 children in the Junior section, divided over 20 classes. In my other role as Vice Principal, I focus on training and development of our staff. Alongside this, I oversee school policy matters such as child protection, school safety and safer recruitment.” Though he never intended to settle in Amsterdam, Stuart says he was won over by the city itself and pace of life here.

Individual approach British education has a holistic and wellrounded focus and sets high standards. At the same time, expectations are attuned to the pace that is right for each individual child. This approach is rooted in The British School’s core values: ‘We nurture. We inspire. We empower’. Stuart explains: “We monitor each child individually, rather than trying to keep all the children at the same level. Their peer group is very important for making friendships and for social interaction. British education is about shaping the curriculum around their level with the idea that education should enable every child to reach their potential.” With a diverse international mix of pupils, the school wants to make everyone feel welcome in their community.

Family-oriented The British School also plays a central social role in the lives of many families, most of whom are expats. But Dutch families are also eager to connect with each other. The parents’ organisation is a vital part of the school. “There are a variety of special interest groups and even more activity groups such as the dads’ night out, cheese and wine club and running groups. They are very supportive of parents overall, and we feel it’s so important to give people a warm welcome upon moving to a new country. If you would like to learn more about our school, please feel free to come and visit us.”

The British School of Amsterdam Havenstraat 6 1075 PR Amsterdam +31 (0) 20 679 78 40 www.britishschool.amsterdam