1. Welcome to IST
IST Secondary is the international secondary school of the Twente region. We are a small, warm community where students aged 11 to 18 from all over the world learn in English: your gateway to global citizenship.
This handbook is written for our current families and for families considering joining us. It outlines how the school operates, what you can expect from us, and what we ask of you. It is deliberately compact: providing everything you need in an accessible format. Most topics mentioned here are covered in greater detail on our website.
A new chapter
Since 2025–2026, IST Secondary has been under new leadership. Principal Luciën de Bruin and the team have made significant strides in refreshing and energising the school, helping our students and community thrive. If your impression of IST is a few years old, we warmly invite you to come and see the school for yourself.
- Address
- Tiemeister 20, 7541 WG Enschede
- Phone
- +31 (0)53 482 11 00
- Ages
- 11 – 18 (Year 7 – 13)
School structure and leadership
IST Secondary is part of Het Stedelijk, the public secondary school group of Enschede. Our principal, Mr Luciën de Bruin (since 2025–2026), leads daily operations and reports to the Stedelijk executive board and the IST Participation Council (see §8). IST is publicly funded for just over half of its costs; mandatory school fees cover the remainder.
Contact Details of Het Stedelijk
Bestuursbureau Het Stedelijk Lyceum
Address: Calslaan 17, Campus UT, Enschede
Postal address: Postbus 3883, 7500 DW Enschede
Phone: +31 (0)53 480 00 00
Email: info@hetstedelijk.nl
2. Our education
We aim for children to excel in both academic and personal achievement through accredited international programmes taught in English, alongside strong attention to Dutch language and culture.
Years 7 – 11: Cambridge & IGCSE
Years 7 – 9 follow the Cambridge Lower Secondary programme (providing a broad foundation across languages, sciences, humanities, arts, and sport). In Years 10 – 11, students work towards Cambridge IGCSE examinations; English, Dutch, Mathematics, and one Arts subject are compulsory, alongside chosen options.
Years 12 – 13: IB Diploma Programme
The final two years lead to the International Baccalaureate Diploma, recognised by universities worldwide. Students select six subjects at either Standard or Higher Level in addition to the IB core (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and CAS).
Beyond the classroom
IST offers extracurricular clubs, trips, house events, and community celebrations. The lower years maintain a broad, coherent curriculum to help students discover their strengths before choosing examination subjects.
IST Secondary's Vision
Our practice is guided by a well-rounded educational vision built on four essential pillars: Vision on Learning, Vision on the Organisation of Learning, Vision on Professional Conduct and Culture, and Vision on Development.
Please feel free to read the complete document here: Educational Vision statement.
3. Support & safety
Every student is assigned a mentor as their primary point of contact. When a student requires additional guidance (learning support, language support, or social-emotional wellbeing), our care coordinator ensures mentors and families are promptly connected with appropriate internal and external specialists.
IST Secondary has direct access to an internal special needs educator, works within the regional 'Samenwerkingsverband', and collaborates closely with care providers and the municipality of Enschede.
A safe school
We actively foster social safety through clear shared expectations, wellbeing monitoring, and a dedicated anti-bullying coordinator whom students and parents can always approach.
Our internal confidential advisor is Nicoline Kranenberg, reachable via nicoline.kranenberg@istwente.org.
4. School times, teaching time & holidays
Lessons take place Monday to Friday between 08:15 and 17:00 according to each student's timetable. Our curriculum meets Dutch statutory teaching-time standards. If a class cannot run as scheduled, we aim to arrange substitution or reschedule; sending classes home early is always a last resort.
Holidays & Public Holidays 2026–2027
| Autumn holiday | 10 – 18 October 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | 19 December 2026 – 3 January 2027 |
| Spring holiday | 20 – 28 February 2027 |
| Good Friday | 26 March 2027 |
| Easter Monday | 29 March 2027 |
| May holiday | 24 April – 9 May 2027 |
| Whit Monday | 17 May 2027 |
| Summer holiday | 10 July – 22 August 2027 |
Staff training & Non-teaching days
Students have non-teaching days during the academic year dedicated to staff professional development and curriculum planning:
- Monday 17 August 2026
- Thursday 8 October 2026 (no lessons in afternoon)
- Tuesday 17 November 2026
- Thursday 10 December 2026 (no lessons in afternoon)
- Monday 8 February 2027
- Wednesday 10 March 2027
- Monday 5 July
- Tuesday 6 July 2027
Please check the online calendar for current schedule updates.
5. Absence, illness & leave
- Illness: If your child is unwell, please inform the school by phone (+31 (0)53 482 11 00) before 08:15 on each day of absence.
- Exceptional leave: Leave outside regular holidays is strictly limited by Dutch law (e.g. specific family events or professional commitments) and must be requested from the attendance team well in advance. Unauthorised absence is required to be reported to the municipal attendance officer (Leerplicht).
Leave of Absence Request
For any planned absence (such as medical appointments or special family circumstances), please notify the mentor in advance and submit an official request form. This form covers both short-term appointments and extended leave requests.
You may find the Leave of Absence Form here.
Late Arrival Procedure
Students who arrive late must sign in immediately with their department coordinator. Persistent lateness requires students to attend early morning registration. If late arrivals continue to recur, the school is legally obligated to inform the municipal attendance officer.
Further details can be found in our Attendance Policy.
6. Admissions
Dutch legislation specifies eligibility criteria for international schools in the Netherlands. A student qualifies if at least one of the following applies:
- Holder of a foreign passport, with a parent working (temporarily) in the Netherlands or border region;
- Dutch nationality, having completed at least two years of schooling abroad due to a parent's employment;
- Dutch nationality, with a parent being posted abroad for at least two years within the next two years (employer confirmation required);
- For the IB Diploma Programme: holds a HAVO diploma or VWO promotion certificate alongside strong English proficiency.
Students are placed according to age; direct entry into an examination year (Year 11 or 13) is exceptional. The complete admissions policy and application procedure can be found here.
↑ Back to menu7. Tuition Fees
Government funding covers just over half of IST's operational expenses. Mandatory school fees finance the remaining costs of our international curriculum.
| Department | Fee 2026–2027 |
|---|---|
| Year 7 – 9 | € 6,441 |
| Year 10 – 11, DP1 – DP2 | € 7,893 |
- Fees include textbooks and curriculum trips, though examination fees and select optional activities are invoiced separately.
- New families pay a one-off €250 deposit for school equipment.
- Tuition can be paid as a single annual payment (end of July) or in eight monthly instalments (September–April).
Finance Office Contact
If you have any questions regarding invoices, payment options, or schedules, please feel free to contact our Finance Department via finance@istwente.org.
8. Parent participation and communication
Education thrives when school and home work in partnership. You can count on us for proactive communication, regular progress evenings, and open dialogue whenever it concerns your child. In turn, we kindly ask that you keep us informed, attend school events, and contact us early whenever you have questions.
The Participation Council (Deelraad)
IST Secondary has an established Participation Council composed of staff, parent, and student representatives. Under Dutch legislation (WMS), the council advises on key operational decisions and provides formal consent for specified school policies. Meeting minutes are public.
Members 2026–2027:
- Ms Yamini Jain (teacher, chair)
- Mr Remko Lulof (teacher)
- Mr Ernst Tanaka (parent, secretary)
- Mr Tibor Ramirez (student)
We encourage parents to make active use of this formal representative body. You can reach the council directly via mr.secondary@istwente.org.
Parent Council (PC)
The Parent Council consists of parent representatives across all year groups. It serves as a constructive sounding board to discuss practical, day-to-day aspects of school life directly with leadership. Meeting summaries are shared in regular parent communications.
Parent Support Group (PSG)
The Parent Support Group is an active volunteer group that organises social events, assists with information evenings, and helps celebrate community milestones. Joining the PSG is a wonderful way to connect with other families and support our school community.
Please visit our website for further details on Parent Participation and ways to get involved.
Communication
We publish a bi-weekly internal newsletter to keep families informed of school news and upcoming events. We also host a monthly Coffee Morning on the first Monday of each month, as well as regular Theme Evenings and Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences.
Students access their timetables and academic progress via SOMtoday. Parents are provided with separate accounts to monitor updates and reports easily.
↑ Back to menu9. Rules, privacy & complaints
How we treat each other
Our community relies on simple shared expectations: we foster an environment where everyone can learn effectively, respect one another's personal space and privacy, and ensure everyone feels included in conversation. Bullying and discrimination are strictly not tolerated. We are a smartphone-free school and have adopted a few other key policies, which can be viewed here.
Privacy
We process student data in strict compliance with GDPR standards, collecting only information necessary for educational purposes. Photos or videos of students are only shared with explicit parental consent, which can be updated at any time. Our full privacy policy is published on the school website.
Have a concern or question?
Most matters are resolved most quickly through direct contact. We suggest following this route:
- 1. The teacher or mentor (first contact)
- 2. The principal (if further discussion is needed)
- 3. Executive Board (Het Stedelijk, via formal procedures)
- 4. National Complaints Committee (Landelijke Klachtencommissie Onderwijs, LKC)
For sensitive issues, families are welcome to reach out to our internal confidential advisor, Nicoline Kranenberg (nicoline.kranenberg@istwente.org), or Het Stedelijk's external counsellor, Marijke Beerlage (marijke.beerlage@arboned.nl). They can provide confidential guidance on addressing concerns appropriately.
Internal Contacts & Regulations
If you ever experience or witness concerning behaviour, your child's mentor, the care coordinator, and our confidential advisor are always available to help confidentially.
You can read the official Het Stedelijk Complaints Procedure (please note: information on this external page is provided in Dutch).
10. Contact & quick answers
Our front desk is available on school days between 08:00 and 17:00. Many common questions are answered on our online FAQ page; for other enquiries, please feel free to use our contact form or call us directly (+31 (0)53 482 11 00). Would you like to visit us? Please feel free to plan a visit: we would be delighted to show you around.
Direct Department Contacts
- Front Office / General
- main.office@istwente.org
- Absence Reporting
- attendance.secondary@istwente.org
- Finance & Fees
- finance@istwente.org