Our school offers education in the Dutch language and the Dutch and Flemish culture
to kids aged four to twelve in Brisbane Queensland
Students
48
cultural enrichment days
4
School days
40
Groups
8
Students
48
Cultural enrichment days
4
School days
40
Groups
8
Dutch language education
The Duyfkenschool is a school for Dutch children in and around Brisbane. We organise physical lessons, cultural celebrations and online activities to ensure that Dutch families can connect with one another. This way, we hope to keep the Dutch language and culture alive in Brisbane. Together with parents, the Duyfkenschool ensures that children develop their Dutch language skills. This takes place at school, through language lessons and games with peers, and at home, by maintaining contact with family members, reading to children, and helping with homework.
The Duyfkenschool is a school for Dutch language and culture. It was founded in 2008 and is named after Dutch ship ‘De Duyfken’. This was the first European exploring ship to reach Australian shores, in 1606. The Duyfkenschool is an incorporated association and not-for-profit organisation. We are affiliated with the NOB (Dutch Education Abroad).
Language and Culture enrichment days
We do this during the lessons by means of language exercises with subjects related to history, society, art movements and other customs as we know them in the Netherlands.
Since the class time is not long enough to achieve all this, we also organize an NTC (Dutch language and culture) day four times a year.
More information about this can be found on our Facebook page.
If you have any questions or comments about the NTC days, please let us know via our contact form.
The Kings Birthday
Every year on or around April 27 the Sinterklaas party is celebrated at the Duyfkenschool. King’s Day always falls on the weekend with us.
During our King’s Day celebration there is room to sell stuff on the flea market, there are Dutch games to play such as shuffleboard, stilt-walking, tin throwing, tug of war, snacking and much more. There are also usually Dutch snacks and Dutch products for sale.
Our King’s Day celebration is open to anyone interested.
The exact date can be found on our Facebook page, of course you can also send a message via our contact form to inquire about the exact time and date.
Sinterklaas
Every year on or around December 5, the Sinterklaas party is celebrated at the Duyfkenschool.
Sinterklaas will come by with his sooty helpers to hand out sweets and have a chat with all the children about the past year. And of course Saint Nicholas has brought a present for all children.
In order to make this event a success every year, the children present must be registered in advance so that the organizers can ensure the smooth running of the event.
Children who are not attending school at the Duyfkenschool can also be registered for our Sinterklaas celebration, with an excessive number of registrations, children who attend education at the Duyfkenschool have priority.
Classes
Level: no requirements regarding knowledge and skills in the Dutch language. However, the children must be toilet trained before they can participate in the Dutch school
Since it has been proven that it is good for children to come into contact with both languages from an early age, we have started a toddler group for children aged 2.5 – 4 years. This toddler group is intended to prepare the children for Dutch education, which can be attended from the age of 4.
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The focus within this group is on language development, although attention will of course also be paid to matters such as social skills and creativity (after all, you work in a group with children). Language development will be supported in several ways:
- singing Dutch songs
- playing games that focus on language
- playing with everyday materials, where the teacher supports in naming things in Dutch
- role-playing
- watching and discussing Dutch-language television programs
- creative expressions that have a link with language (for example, making a drawing in which the teacher gives a clear assignment or in which the child expresses in Dutch what is to be seen).
The fee for joining the toddler group is $ 250 per term. This amounts to $ 25 per lesson of one and a half hours: Dutch education for the price of an average babysitter! Pupils from the toddler group can move on to the regular lower secondary group from the term that they turn 4 (or in consultation a term afterwards).
R3 group (for children for whom Dutch is their second language) – Wednesday 15:30-18:00
For whom: Children from 4 years of age. Children in the R3 group have relatively little knowledge of the Dutch language.
Goal: Expanding Dutch vocabulary and speaking skills.
How: Thematic education and play-based learning. The R3 group offers the opportunity to transition into other groups, if children’s Dutch language skills have improved.
The focus of the R3 group is to expand the Dutch vocabulary of the children, as well as building children’s confidence to speak Dutch. It is important that parents of children in this group are actively encouraging Dutch language engagement within the home situation, by speaking Dutch with the children, reading Dutch books or playing Dutch videos.
First grades
Group: 1 – 2
Level: This group is suitable for children who already have a basis in Dutch (R1 / R2 direction). Children are welcome when they turn 4 years old (the time when children in the Netherlands go to school). Enrollment starts at the beginning of the next Term.
This group follows the Dutch curriculum for language education for pre-schoolers. Thematic and playful work is done to maintain and expand the Dutch vocabulary.
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The “Puk en Ko” method is used, combined with other materials that match the current theme. We stimulate language development by working with language in different ways, so that there are always teaching methods that suit your child. Stories are told, songs are sung, but also book reviews are held. The children can also regularly get creative and move.
Interest in letters and words is stimulated, especially in group 2, in order to lay a foundation for the later reading process. This also uses rhyme, division into syllables, etc.
The development of toddlers takes place in leaps and bounds and varies per child. A toddler can sometimes work intensively on the same for weeks. Repetition is part of this age. We also ask parents to support what is offered at school by discussing things at home again. Parents receive a lesson report each week outlining the main topics and activities so that parents can build on this.
Middle grades
Group: 3 – 4
niveau: The middle school is suitable for children who already have a basis in Dutch (R1 / R2 direction).
In the middle school (groups 3 and 4) there are children from about 6 to 9 years old. In addition to strengthening the vocabulary, topics such as reading, spelling and reading comprehension are discussed. We use Dutch methods for this.
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Children in the Netherlands start learning to read around group 3. We are fortunate that most of the students who end up with us in group 3 are already laying a foundation in this. Yet reading Dutch texts is different, because we give different sounds to the same letters and use more / different double sounds. There is therefore a lot of practice with reading, both at home and at school.
In group 4, reading comprehension is more emphatically added. Use is made of the “Nieuwsbegrip” method, in which lessons are based on current Dutch news. In this way, our students also keep abreast of what is going on in the Netherlands.
Highest grades
Group: 5-8
niveau: This group is suitable for children who already have a basis in Dutch (R1 / R2 direction).
In the upper years there are students from about 9 years old.
In this group important steps are taken in mastering the Dutch language; we work on (verb) spelling and analysis, but of course also on vocabulary, speaking skills and (comprehension) reading.
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The pupils are largely classified by age, but the level of the pupil is also looked at and differentiated accordingly.
In the upper years, Staal is used for language, vocabulary and spelling, a modern teaching method that is supported by digital means and is very appealing to the students.
For reading comprehension we use the method “Nieuwsbegrip”. The lessons are based on current Dutch news, so that the children also stay informed about what is going on in the Netherlands.
Teenage group
age: 12 years and older
niveau: The teenage group is not an official part of the Dutch school. The teenage group consists of former students who meet several times a year to speak Dutch and watch a movie or play a board game.
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If you want to know more about the Teenage Group or want to get acquainted, send a message to the Duyfkenschool via our contact form and we will put you in touch with the members of the Teenage Group
Frequently Asked Questions
‘In the spirit of reconciliation the Duyfken school acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.’
Current news about the latest activities can be found on our Facebook page.