Vandermeijcollege

What Vandermeijcollege does

De Viaan is a Dutch public practical education school (praktijkschool) located at Havinghastraat 11, 1817 DA Alkmaar, operated by the SOVON foundation (Stichting Openbaar Voortgezet Onderwijs Noord-Holland-Noord), which governs nine public secondary schools in the North Holland North region. The school serves students aged roughly 12–18+ who learn best through hands-on experience, with entry criteria including an IQ between 55–80, a Praktijkonderwijs schooladvies, and learning gaps in at least two domains (reading comprehension, spelling, or mathematics). It delivers a four- to five-year program culminating in either a PRO diploma or an internal Entree-opleiding (MBO level 1) introduced in 2017, with recognized branch certificates (SVA, VCA, heftruck) available to students.

The school's core product is sector-specific practical training across five verticals — Techniek, Zorg en Welzijn, Plant en Dier, Handel, and Horeca — supplemented by theory lessons, internships, and post-graduation career guidance for up to two years. Class sizes are capped at 16 students per class and 12 per practical skills group to support individualized attention. The pedagogical stack combines the PROVV values framework with the Transformatieve School methodology (adopted 2019). Supporting technology is off-the-shelf: Magister for student information, Zermelo for scheduling, Microsoft Office 365 for staff productivity, and Kiem for retail training. The school holds multiple Gezonde School vignettes and the Gouden Schaal for healthy canteen provisioning.

De Viaan's revenue model is government-funded: it is financed primarily through the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, supplemented by European Social Fund (ESF+) subsidies for internship guidance and professionalization of practical subjects. The only direct user payment is a voluntary parent contribution (ouderbijdrage) of €60 per school year (2025–2026), adjustable by parents, with lockers and copy passes provided free. Recruitment is direct-to-consumer via organized open enrollment days (aanmelddagen) targeting parents of completing primary education students. A network of regional business partners — including ESPEQ, InstallatieWerk, Sigma Verf, McDonald's, Connexxion, Theater De Vest, and PCC Vondelstraat — provides external internships and workplace exposure, while internal training companies (Rataplan, Ranzijn) support in-school retail and plant/animal practice. Leadership comprises Director Mw. M. Stam, Deputy Director Dhr. J.J.M. van de Kamer, and Department Head Mw. I. Lammers.

Name

Vandermeijcollege

Legal name

De Viaan

Website

https://de-viaan.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

De Viaan is a Dutch public praktijkschool in Alkmaar, operated by the SOVON foundation, serving students aged 12–18+ with IQ 55–80 through hands-on training across five sectors (Techniek, Zorg, Plant en Dier, Handel, Horeca), internships, and a PRO diploma or MBO-level-1 Entree pathway, funded primarily by the Dutch Ministry of Education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Schools (Behavioral/Disciplinary & Nontraditional Settings) (EDAJAEAC)

Keywords

• Practical secondary education
• Special needs schooling
• Vocational internship programs
• Sector-specific training
• Workplace readiness education

Headquarters

HQ city

Alkmaar

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government-funded public education: As a public practical education school (praktijkschool), De Viaan operates primarily through government funding from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, supplemented by European Social Fund (ESF+) subsidies for specific programs like internship guidance and professionalization of practical subjects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

De Viaan is a public praktijkschool (practical education school) in Alkmaar, Netherlands, providing hands-on practical education to students aged 12-18+ with IQ 55-80 who have Praktijkonderwijs school advice. The school delivers sector-specific training across five sectors (Techniek, Zorg en Welzijn, Plant en Dier, Handel, Horeca), combined with workplace internships and an internal Entree-opleiding (MBO level 1), preparing students for employment or further vocational education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Praktijkonderwijs (Practical Education Program) Four to five-year practical education program for students aged 12-18+ with IQ 55-80 and Praktijkonderwijs school advice, combining theory and hands-on practical training to prepare students for employment or further vocational education.
• Entree-opleiding (MBO Level 1 Entry Program) Internal MBO level 1 entry-level vocational program offered as continuation after year 4, allowing students to progress to MBO level 2 with diploma recognition.
• Sectorvakken (Sector-specific Practical Training) Sector-specific practical training across five sectors: Techniek (Technical trades), Zorg en Welzijn (Healthcare and welfare), Plant en Dier (Agriculture and animal care), Handel (Retail/commerce), and Horeca (Hospitality). Students also earn recognized industry branch certificates including SVA, VCA, and heftruck credentials.
• Stageprogramma (Internship Program) Workplace internship program placing students in local businesses across all five sectors, transitioning from internal training in earlier years to external internships in years 4-5, including internship week projects across different sectors.
• Begeleiding (Student Support Services) Comprehensive student support services including orthopedagogue, social worker, mentor program, and career guidance, plus up to two years of post-graduation follow-up support to facilitate transition to work or further education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students achieve recognized branch certificates (SVA, VCA, heftruck diploma) increasing employability
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SOVON (Stichting Openbaar Voortgezet Onderwijs Noord-Holland-Noord)coreOthersParent organization overseeing 9 public secondary schools in the North Holland North region. SOVON coordinates educational policy, shared services, and maintains partnerships with businesses, government, and other organizations to ensure education reflects current societal developments.
• Sportakkoord AlkmaarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidy provider supporting the sports carousel (sportcarrousel) program for third-year students, enabling partnerships with 5 local sports clubs for clinic-based physical education.
• McDonald'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeople manager (HR) from McDonald's visited school to present on internships, job applications, work ethic, and career progression opportunities for students.
• ESPEQ (onderwijsinstelling techniek)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical education campus in Heerhugowaard where students visit for hands-on building and installation work experience. Hosts BWI Bouwmasters competition.
• InstallatieWerk (IW)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical training facility on the campus in Heerhugowaard where students learn PVC installation, copper and brass soldering for pipeline work.
• Sigma Verf (paint manufacturer)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of Europe's most modern paint factories, providing workshops on sanding and painting techniques. Also hosts Next Gen Sigma painting competition for students.
• ConnexxionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic transport company that provided company visits for second-year students, including transportation by actual Connexxion buses.
• Theater De VestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheater in Alkmaar where all students receive behind-the-scenes tours during Friday workshops, learning about stage production, lighting, and set design.
• PCC Vondelstraat (auto technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuto technology training center where students complete their SVA auto technology practical exam, including tire changing and fluid checks.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Other SOVON praktijkscholen in North Holland North: Sibling practical education schools under the same SOVON umbrella serving comparable student populations (IQ 55-80) in the broader North Holland North region; directly comparable in mission, funding model, and curriculum structure.
• Praktijkschool Castricum: Neighboring Dutch praktijkschool serving students with practical-education needs in the same North Holland region; comparable in target population, IQ eligibility band, and government funding model.
• Regionale Praktijkscholen Noord-Holland (collective): Network of regional Dutch practical schools operating under similar government frameworks; directly comparable on curriculum, funding, and student demographics.
• Het Stedelijk Lyceum (praktijkafdeling): Dutch secondary school with practical education tracks that overlap with the De Viaan student population; comparable in offering VMBO/praktijkonderwijs pathways funded via the same Dutch public system.

Broad incumbents

• MBO Entree-opleiding providers (ROC's): Regional training centers (ROCs) offering the MBO level 1 Entree-opleiding that De Viaan students can progress into; broadly comparable in curriculum content but at the post-secondary vocational level.

Others

• Magister (Van der Meulen / Iddink): Provider of the student information system used by De Viaan; an enabling technology vendor rather than a competitor, but deeply embedded in the school's operational infrastructure.
• Gezonde School (healthy school program): National certification framework under which De Viaan has earned multiple vignettes; not a peer but the standards body shaping De Viaan's well-being curriculum and recognition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vandermeijcollege

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vandermeijcollege