Compare International Schools in Arnhem, Netherlands

Parnassusstraat 20, 6846 RB Arnhem, The Netherlands. Rivers International School Arnhem is situated on the south side of the River Rhine, easily accessible by car or public transport. The Arnhem region is in the east of the Netherlands near the border with Germany. The school serves the international community in and around Arnhem.

Preschool, Primary, Secondary. The Secondary Department offers the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP).

The school is a day school. It is co-educational and offers an international education.

Close to 45 nationalities are represented and many languages are spoken.

Home Language Programme keeps international students connected with their heritage, language and culture. Students whose Language A is neither English nor Dutch take Home Language as a compulsory school-managed programme, with individual aims set each semester; English/Dutch Language A students may also take Home Language classes.

Secondary lessons are 60 minutes each. The daily timetable runs from 08:30 to 16:55 with seven periods and breaks at 10:35-11:00, 13:05-13:35, and 15:40-15:55.

The Rivers Café is currently closed.

Primary uses the British National Curriculum as the framework for Literacy, Maths, Science, Geography, History, and ICT. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, learning is rooted in Continuous Provision (CP). The Rivers Way emphasizes a formative, visible approach and involves learners in co-constructing success criteria to build ownership and transferable skills. Wellbeing and Philosophy are woven throughout the curriculum. Curriculum maps for terms 1-3 in 2024-2025 and terms 1-2 in 2025-2026 are available. Secondary follows the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (ages 11-16) and the Diploma Programme (ages 16-19), with subjects including Language A: English, Dutch, Language A Self-taught; Language B: English, Dutch, Spanish, Spanish ab initio SL; Individuals & Societies: Economics, Geography, History; Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Physics; Mathematics: Mathematics AA, Mathematics AI; Theatre.

After IB-MYP examinations, a number of students leave to continue their education in the Netherlands or abroad. After the IB-DP examinations, about one-third of students move on to higher education outside the Netherlands. The school provides facilities to research university and college courses worldwide, and IB students who wish to pursue higher education in the Netherlands have access to a Dutch counselor.

Wellbeing is at the heart of Rivers' curriculum and underpins personal development and community life. The Wellbeing curriculum is centred on empathy and compassion and uses six units: intention, interconnection, change, perception, transformation and empathy and compassion, with lead lessons linking to other curriculum areas. It fosters a calmer, more thoughtful, and connected learning environment. Wellbeing aims to develop confidence and self-esteem, help students feel valued, understand and talk about emotions and behaviours, behave responsibly and honestly, learn from mistakes, stay curious, resilient and creative, and treat others with respect. It also supports students to make informed choices about personal and social issues and to become independent and interdependent members of the Rivers community.

Inclusion aims to support and promote an inclusive culture throughout the school, enabling all children to achieve their full academic and social potential, overcoming barriers to learning and participation.

English is the language of instruction in the IB-MYP and IB-DP. Dutch and English are offered at Language A level, with a Dutch A and Dutch B taught in the DP and a Language A self-taught course available in the DP. Five languages are taught at B-level: Dutch and English in both the MYP and DP, and Spanish, German and French in the DP. On arrival, learners are assessed and placed into an EAL programme; English is taught in individual or small group sessions in a safe, stress-free environment. The aims include developing each learner's proficiency in English to participate fully in the curriculum and to support social and emotional needs, with the Learning Village providing targeted blended learning to help EAL learners access the mainstream classroom.

Wellbeing is guided through six units: intention, interconnection, change, perception, transformation and empathy and compassion. Lead lessons explore the main concept and link Wellbeing to other curriculum areas, supported by brain science and philosophy. Through Wellbeing, children develop confidence and self-esteem, value feeling valued, understand and talk about emotions and behaviours, behave responsibly and honestly, make mistakes and learn from them, be curious and resilient, develop creativity and flexibility, and show respect for others. They learn to make informed choices about personal and social issues and to be independent and interdependent members of the community. At the core is an acceptance of each other as humans on a learning journey, fostering a safe and friendly environment in which all can flourish.

There is a Reporting Code on domestic violence and child abuse for all staff, interns, volunteers and contractors; the code provides steps and may involve contacting Veilig Thuis (Safe at Home) for appropriate help. The Reporting Code is available on ManageBac and on the Rivers website. Personal Safety is part of the Rules of Conduct, with an emphasis on keeping themselves and others out of danger and protecting the environment.

Rivers International School Arnhem enrolls children aged 4–18. The language of instruction is English. The school accommodates non‑Dutch nationals who are temporarily resident in the Netherlands, with at least one parent working in the Netherlands (or in a Dutch border region) for a limited time, or Dutch nationals who have lived and been educated abroad for at least two years due to a parent's temporary posting, or Dutch nationals whose parent will be stationed abroad within two years and for at least two years (as confirmed in writing by the employer). Admission to Primary and the Middle Years Programme requires meeting one of these conditions. The language of instruction is English, and Primary students are not required to be fluent in English at entry; English development is supported throughout all year levels, and all students study Dutch at an appropriate developmental level. For MYP 4–5, English proficiency is required or demonstrated via testing; for the Diploma Programme (DP), a specified English proficiency level is required. The school reserves the right to request additional assessments or information as part of admission, and inclusion arrangements may be explored if a student has special educational needs, with the school retaining the right to refuse admission if needs cannot be catered for. Transition from Primary to Secondary requires compliance with applicable regulations again, and parental/advisory input from the previous school is considered for certain transitions. Enrolment follows the school's application procedures, including the submission of required documents and fees. Waiting lists are used in both Primary and Secondary when places are not immediately available, with specific processes and timelines described in the Admissions policy and related documents. The school's fee policy includes a non‑refundable enrolment fee, a deposit, and annual/instalment payment options, with detailed terms and conditions for 2025–2026. Fees for Primary, MYP, and DP are published and subject to change; deposits, refunds, and withdrawal terms are outlined in the fee policy. External testing and assessments (e.g., CAT4, Caliber, English assessments) may be requested as part of the admission process, and documentation such as past reports and parental employment details are required. The external flow of admission includes contact by the school, submission of documents, potential testing, and final placement decisions, followed by an admission confirmation and the provision of a Welcome Package.

In the Primary Department, applicants seeking a start in August/September are placed on a waiting list. There is yearly turnover, with many students leaving at the end of the school year. In March, current families are asked to confirm whether they require a place for the next year; once confirmed numbers of available places are known, letters of confirmation are sent to those on the waiting list, typically toward the end of April or beginning of May. In the Secondary Department, if a year group is full, students may be placed on a waiting list until places become available; the duration of wait time cannot be predicted.