Amsterdam children who missed school swimming still have a free catch-up route

In a city filled with canals, ponds and open water, a swimming diploma is not merely an after-school achievement; it is part of household safety. Amsterdam’s free schoolzwemmen starts mainly in group five. Participating schools can take the entire class during school hours or offer out-of-school lessons to children without a diploma. If a child reaches group six without diploma A, the city-funded vangnetlessen remain available through the year in which the child turns eighteen. Crucially, the school itself does not have to participate in schoolzwemmen for that catch-up route. Responsibilities differ. During whole-class lessons the school supervises the journey and pool visit, and the city may arrange a bus when the pool is far away. For out-of-school and catch-up lessons, parents handle transport and supervision. The first summer-holiday week provides intensive lessons for children who finished group five without a diploma; the final week targets incoming group-five pupils at participating schools.

• Group five is the main year for regular school swimming.
• Catch-up lessons serve group-six pupils through age seventeen.
• The child’s school does not need to participate for vangnetlessen.
• The city pays, while parents usually handle transport for out-of-school lessons.

Hokimi field note: Ask the school whether it participates and whether lessons are during or after school. For a child in group six or above without diploma A, note the October catch-up registration and compare pool travel times before choosing a location.

Information verified on 21 August 2026 · Source1 · Source2