Lycée français Vincent van Gogh

The Lycée français Vincent van Gogh of The Hague-Amsterdam is a member establishment of the AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad) network and is directly managed by the Agency. Teaching takes place in accordance with the official instructions and programmes of the French Ministry of Education. Pupils are prepared for examinations within the French secondary education system (brevet, baccalaureate).

The establishment celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2017 and is divided between two sites: The Hague, where there is a primary school (preschool and elementary), a collège (lower secondary school) and a lycée (upper secondary school), and Amsterdam, where there is a primary school (preschool and elementary).

The status of the establishment has evolved since its foundation in 1947, now welcoming nearly 1,200 pupils, from PS (first year of preschool – age 3) through to Terminale (final school year).

Its various facilities and departments work towards the full development of its pupils’ personalities, at the same time as engendering independence and a sense of responsibility. Its extended English language offer demonstrates a commitment to making international connections.

  • 1947: the Netherlands section of the French Foreign Union and a group of francophone families work together to create a French school with a locally recruited teacher.
  • 1951: the school enjoys the patronage of the French Embassy in The Hague.
  • 1953: foundation of the Stichting International School, with the French school as one section. A specialised nursery school teacher is appointed by the Foreign Ministry and takes on the management of the school which at the time was providing all the primary level education.
  • 1954 – 1965: gradual introduction of secondary level classes(6ème to Terminale – age 11-17).
  • 1980: the French school in the Netherlands adopts the name Lycée français Vincent van Goghon 27 November.
  • 1982: the lycée becomes an examination centrefor the baccalaureate.
  • 1986: the establishment signs a direct managementagreement with the French State, then in 1990 with the AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad). It is now part of the network of French establishments abroad.
  • 1989the French school of Amsterdam, founded in 1957by Michelin, is combined with the Lycée Vincent van Gogh by ministerial order of 17 January 1989.
  • 1990: the Amsterdam school moves to the De Pijp district to cater for major increases in pupil numbers.
  • 2018: approval granted for the American International section with entries to 6ème (age 11) and 2nde (age 15) in September 2018 (covering all levels of the secondary school in September 2021).
  • 2021: approval granted for the American International section in the primary school with entries to CE2, CM1 and CM2 in September 2021.

AEFE

The Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) is a government institution supervised by the French Ministry of ForeignAffairs. Founded in 1990, it is responsible for monitoring and managing the network of French schools abroad.

The AEFE is the guarantor of the French education system abroad. It plays a key role in expanding France’s cultural and linguistic influence throughout the world and serves to boost the appeal of French higher education.

AEFE – Introduction (video)
Testimonials (video)