The term ‘second stage’ refers to the 4th and 5th classes of havo and the 4th, 5th and 6th classes of vwo. In the school year 2007/’08, organisational improvements were introduced to make the second stage more effective. The objectives are reinforcement of skills and competencies, promoting independent learning and an active attitude and more coherence between the various subjects taught at secondary education level. Because the new second stage was introduced in the school year 2007/’08, havo and vwo were poorly attuned to one another that year. Havo graduates still attended the ‘old’ second stage, but in the school year 2008/’09, the new second stage became effective in vwo.
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