Quality Assurance

Development of Education within the School

The ISE is accredited with the Council of International Schools.  To be accredited with this organisation the ISE undertakes a self-study against international school standards every 5 years.  The recommendations created during this  self-study process provides the school with a set of key action points for improving all facets of the school including, most importantly, the quality of education we provide.

In addition, ISE uses parent questionnaires and conducts focus groups with parents, staff, and students. The school also regularly analyses student assessment data to identify areas for further improvement. The findings and recommendations are used to develop school-wide improvement plans, including a four-year strategic plan guided by the school’s mission and vision.

Improving Education – Activities

Study Days

The school calendar has been organised so that across the school teachers can work collaboratively and take part in professional development workshops during our Study Days. This ensures that the quality of learning and teaching continues to develop. These Study Days are linked to the Annual Plan and the Mission and Vision of the school.  Within the Primary Departments we will continue to focus on pedagogical techniques, technology for learning,  and advancing students’ creativity.

Improving Education – Results

In recent years the focus for curriculum development was the development of a curriculum which is authentic and incorporates our student competencies integrating all subjects into a design thinking process. to improve the quality of education.

In the Primary International Department, a key focus for 2024–2026 is enhancing basic skills in Literacy, Mathematics, Citizenship, and Digital Literacy. An activity plan has been developed to outline the process for improving these skills among identified students. During the 2026-2027 school year we will focus on securing the development of these foundational skills which will include completing and reviewing the effectiveness of the actions included in each of the activity plans.

Government funding was granted through a subsidy to support the implementation. Each area of focus includes specific skill development targets as follows:

The Primary International Department is committed to enhancing foundational skills in Literacy, Mathematics, Citizenship, and Digital Literacy. A detailed activity plan has been developed to guide implementation, targeting identified students and supported by government funding through a dedicated subsidy.

1. Literacy – Areas of Focus

• Enhance reading skills by:
  • Providing teacher training on small group reading instruction
  • Purchasing age-appropriate instructional materials for literacy, phonics, and reading
  • Increasing engagement in phonics for older students
• Increase student participation and promote deeper-level thinking skills in Literacy activities
• Develop comprehension skills through effective and structured Guided Reading sessions
• Align key components of Literacy to ensure consistency and coherence across instruction

2. English as an Additional Language (EAL) – Areas of Focus

• Enhance pedagogical practices within the EAL team by adopting current, research-based strategies for EAL students
• Develop a streamlined onboarding process to:
  • Assess the specific language and learning needs of new students
  • Communicate outcomes effectively with all relevant staff

Implementation Strategy:

• Hire an EAL consultant to:
  • Improve pedagogical approaches and assessment processes
  • Support onboarding and foster interdepartmental collaboration

3. Mathematics – Areas of Focus

• Identify student needs and address specific learning targets, especially for students not fully supported by the standard curriculum
• Evaluate the effectiveness of current intervention programs
• Build teacher capacity to address diverse and differentiated needs in mathematics instruction

Implementation Strategy:

• Review current intervention programs to assess effectiveness and identify areas for improvement
• Implement a new, targeted intervention program
• Release time for the Maths Curriculum Leader (CL) to:
  • Deliver staff training
  • Model effective strategies
  • Support through co-teaching

4. Digital Literacy – Areas of Focus

• Build confidence and comfort in using technology tools for both staff and students
• Use educational technology to enhance student engagement across subject areas and prepare them for future digital demands
• Provide updated materials to support delivery of the scope and sequence for Digital Literacy

Implementation Strategy:

• Provide staff training to deepen practice in educational technology
• Integrate technology tools intentionally across the curriculum, including interdisciplinary applications
• Purchase and monitor use of digital resources, promoting student agency in tech use
• Release time for the Curriculum Leader to lead:
  • Training, modeling, co-teaching
  • Development and implementation of the Educational Technology scope and sequence

5. Citizenship – Areas of Focus

• Position the school as a community hub, strengthening ties with local organizations to increase visibility and engagement
• Develop student leadership through external collaborations
• Foster cultural awareness and inclusivity, respecting the diverse identities of the school community
• Improve staff competence and confidence in addressing complex physiological and social topics

Implementation Strategy:

• Form partnerships with local organizations to share resources, host events, and collaborate
• Invest in professional development materials related to relationship and citizenship education
• Purchase diverse classroom materials that reflect the school’s multicultural population
• Provide release time for the Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing (PHMWB) Curriculum Leader to:
  • Train staff
  • Model inclusive practices
  • Support with co-teaching sensitive subject area

To implement these curriculum developments, we have a number of Curriculum Leaders. These are teachers who have been allocated  hours to fulfill their curriculum roles and often have a supplementary education.

Relationship with the Community

Cultural Development

The cultural development of our students is  considered very important. Projects are completed in cooperation with the library and the Centre for the Arts in Eindhoven. The aim is to develop intercultural and global awareness by embedding it in all aspects of our curriculum.

ECO Schools

In January 2021, the ISE primary and secondary departments, together with the Kinderstad daycare centre and the facility company Vebego, started a project called “Eco schools”. Eco-Schools is a global program to encourage students to think and act in a more sustainable manner. Using seven steps, students consider the school environment and work on actions to make it more sustainable. Students for example can design projects for saving energy, reducing waste or cleaning up the school  yard. The school has achieved the ‘Green Flag’, which is the international quality mark for sustainable schools.

Traffic

The ISE is dedicated to promoting traffic education and safety within the school community.  As part of this commitment, the school actively participates in the BVL program, which stands for ” Brevet Verkeersveiligheid Label” (Road Safety Label). This program emphasises the importance of road safety education for students, ensuring they gain practical knowledge and skills to navigate traffic environments safely.

By integrating traffic education into the curriculum, the ISE aims to equip students with the necessary awareness and behaviour to act responsibly and safely in various traffic situations. This initiative not only enhances their personal safety but also contributes to the broader goal of creating a safer community for everyone.

It is important that children learn how to respond in  traffic. The students  have traffic lessons regularly. Once a year a traffic week is organised. Students participate in traffic projects on various aspects of traffic,  including Reflection Week, and workshops at school to raise awareness for traffic safety, e.g. the blind spot of trucks.

Students in Group 7 in both primary departments take a theoretical traffic examination in April, followed by a practical traffic examination.

Speech Therapy Services

Since the 1st May 2017, an independent speech therapist has been working at the ISE to provide speech and language therapy for students who require additional support. Students who present with speech and language challenges are screened. The test checks for the language development level, listening posture, pronunciation, sentence structure, stuttering or stammering, the position of the tongue/mouth movements and use of the voice. If necessary, treatment of any detected problems follows the screening, or a child will be re-examined at a later stage. Additional information can be obtained at the school.

Social Workers

Primary school is an important period in a child’s life. Sometimes there can be concerns about the social-emotional development of children. Some children need extra attention due to problems at home or at school. Sometimes parents have educational questions or need more support at home. A school social worker can help with this. The ISE works together with the Lumens group from Eindhoven. They provide a social worker at our school.

Library

The school has its own library providing both fiction and nonfiction books in Dutch, English and a variety of home languages. Students from all classes can borrow books or request information for the various projects that they are studying. The library has multiple books in various languages.

Since the 2024/2025 school year, our school has been participating in the VATT project (Van Alle Talen Thuis). Van Alle Talen Thuis is an impulse program that offers children the opportunity to discover and embrace books in their home languages ​at school and childcare locations, because the power of home languages ​is the key to language development, strengthens Dutch language skills and enhances understanding between cultures.

Quality Policy SILFO

The SILFO 2022–2026 strategic vision has been formulated based on the four C’s, which shape the various services across the foundation. In November 2025, the strategic vision was expanded with two additional C’s: Curiosity and Critical Thinking.

Caring

Attention and care for each other and for society.

Connecting

Collaborating, actively seeking connections, and creating networks.

Creating

Using creativity and inspiration to provide the best possible education with as many opportunities as possible.

Celebrating

Celebrating successes and learning from mistakes: education is never finished.

Curiosity

Being curious and exploring new and different possibilities.

Critical Thinking

Developing critical thinking skills to grow as responsible global citizens and to make the most of education.

The six C’s are supported by a developed set of tools that include measurable, perceptible, and demonstrable quality data. These data are collected, shared, and evaluated in a cyclical process, including targeted research, follow-up questions on previously obtained data, gathering feedback, conducting evaluations, engaging in dialogue, and sharing stories. This aligns with the appreciation framework of the Dutch Education Inspectorate. The quality cycle is embedded in various ways within the foundation’s working methods.

Management Reports

Since mid-2019, the foundation has used educational quality reports at both foundation and school level. These reports are reviewed quarterly by the school directors, the Control Department, the Quality Department, and the Executive Board.

The reports focus on measurable, observable, and demonstrable indicators of educational quality. Observable and demonstrable evidence is documented in the school portfolios, while measurable data is drawn from the schools’ student monitoring, assessment, and evaluation systems. These systems help track students’ progress in knowledge and skills.

At school level, continuous learning pathways help ensure that education supports students’ ongoing development. Educational quality is also evaluated through student and parent satisfaction surveys, classroom observations, and, for the International School, accreditation reviews conducted by the Council of International Schools.

Quality Dashboard

The development of educational quality is monitored through a Quality Dashboard, which is currently being implemented across all SILFO schools. The dashboard is based on a Quality Development Cycle that is aligned with the foundation’s Control Cycle.

The Quality Dashboard provides a clear overview of educational quality and is accessible to the Board, school management, staff, and the Supervisory Board through school portfolios. It is designed to support the monitoring and continuous improvement of educational quality in line with the foundation’s vision.

The dashboard uses indicators based on the quality requirements established by the Inspectorate. These include Critical Performance Indicators (KPIs), as well as indicators for observable and demonstrable quality, known as Critical Quality Indicators (KKIs). Both sets of indicators are linked to the objectives set out in the school plan.

Progress is reviewed quarterly with school management and reported to the Executive Board. The dashboard also serves as a tool for identifying and managing potential risks.

Quality Improvements

Actions and targets for quality improvement are reviewed and documented each quarter based on management reports and information from the Quality Dashboard. Where necessary, school management carries out further analysis at school level and adjusts school targets accordingly. These targets are then incorporated into the Quality Dashboard.

The quality assurance process and the tools used to support it are evaluated annually, helping to ensure the continuous improvement of educational quality.

Accountability

The management reports and Quality Dashboard are reviewed quarterly by the Supervisory Board. In addition, the location portfolios are presented and discussed annually during a meeting involving the Supervisory Board, the Executive Board, and the Joint Participation Council. Quality data are also published in the Annual Report and on the school’s website.