NETHERLANDS – SLO
Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO)
PO Box 502
3800 AM Amersfoort
www.slo.nl
CIDREE representative:
Mr Jindra Divis, director general (Past President)
j.divis(at)slo.nl
Mobile +31 61 309 95 30
CIDREE National Coordinator:
Mr Marc van Zanten
cidree-nl(at)slo.nl
Phone +31 33 484 08 40
Mobile +31 6 5241 5133
Institutional size: 175
Key functions
SLO serves as the national institute for curriculum development in the Netherlands. It is an independent, non-profit organisation, bridging the contexts of policy, research and practice. A major characteristic of the work of SLO is the interaction between various levels of curriculum development (national, school, classroom, pupil). A main challenge for SLO is the strengthening of (both longitudinal and horizontal) coherence of curricula.
SLO has the following tasks:
- design and validation of national curricular frameworks (core objectives, attainment levels, examination programmes, curricular strands);
- analysis, design, and evaluation of exemplary curriculum specifications at school and classroom level;
- knowledge development (through research) and professional development in the field of curriculum (through publications, and consultancy);
- scientific underpinning and international orientation of curriculum development
- national coordination of curriculum development activities;
- advice to and support of the government regarding curriculum development.
Educational Sectors Covered
- Primary Education/Special Education
- Junior Secondary Education
- Senior Secondary Education
- Vocational Education
- Research & Consultancy
Current Educational Priorities/Projects
- Curriculum Monitoring & Evaluation
- Subject Renewal
- Excellence, Talent Development & Personalisation
- Curriculum & Teachers
- Educational Materials & ICT
- Curricular Strands (longitudinal)
- Coherence in the Curriculum
- Curriculum & Assessment
Current Organisational Priorities/Concerns
SLO strives after an integral approach in order to develop relevant, consistent, useful, effective and sustainable curricula. SLO works as follows:
- the actual development work is preceded by monitoring and trend analysis of scientific, educational en societal information; the results are broadly discussed and lead to the formulation of improvement and innovation projects;
- the development process is research-informed, including systematic formative evaluation of draft products;
- from the very start projects anticipate on implementation and upscaling of the development work through cooperation with relevant partners (especially teacher education, both pre- and in-service, and educational guidance).
