Orion College Amstel

What Orion College Amstel does

Orion College Amstel is a publicly funded Dutch secondary special education school (Voortgezet Speciaal Onderwijs, or VSO) located in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, serving students aged 12-18 with extra support needs related to behavior and socio-emotional development. It operates as part of Stichting Orion, a foundation that runs nine schools for openbaar (public) speciaal onderwijs in Amsterdam and is the sole provider of public secondary special education in the region. Enrollment requires a toelaatbaarheidsverklaring (TLV) issued by Samenwerkingsverband Amsterdam Diemen. The school limits class sizes to a maximum of 12 students with a dedicated mentor per group and offers three learning pathways preparing students for independent participation in the labor market or for MBO at entry level or level 2.

The school's core offering is its trauma-sensitive pedagogical approach, supported by an in-house zorgteam of three zorgcoördinatoren who double as behavioral scientists (gedragswetenschappers), a school social worker, and an embedded network of youth-care partners (including iHub familiezorg, JDK, Spirit, GGD, youth police officers, and the Urban Talent Academy). Technology is built on standard Dutch education infrastructure: ParnasSys and Somtoday for student tracking, Basispoort for digital learning materials, COOL for structured Chromebook environments with a teacher 'meekijkfunctie' observation tool, Google Workspace for institutional operations (configured with 25 privacy adjustments under a 2021 DPIA), and Social Schools/Klasbord for parent communication. The school distributes an annual Minigids, Schoolplangids, Innovatieplan, and Schoolondersteuningsprofiel to communicate its methodology.

Revenue comes entirely from public sources: per-student DUO funding from the Dutch Ministry of Education, TLV-linked allocations administered via Samenwerkingsverband Amsterdam Diemen, and ESF subsidies supporting the Orion Werkstraat labor-market preparation program. No private tuition is charged. The school holds the Dutch Education Inspectorate's 'Excellente school' designation for school climate since January 2018 and operates a branch (Urban Voetbalschool nevenvestiging) opened in school year 2018-2019 in collaboration with Urban Talent Academy for students not yet ready for MBO. It is directed by Kelly van der Koelen and is not a commercially owned or investable entity.

Name

Orion College Amstel

Legal name

Orion College Amstel

Website

https://orioncollegeamstel.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Orion College Amstel is a publicly funded Amsterdam secondary special education school serving 12-18 year-olds with behavioral and socio-emotional support needs, operating as part of Stichting Orion with capped class sizes and government-funded enrollment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism Classroom & School Program Support (Inclusion/Resource) (EDAKAKAC)

Keywords

• Special secondary education
• Behavioral support services
• Socio-emotional learning
• Vocational preparation pathways
• Youth care coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: Orion College Amstel is a publicly funded special education school under Stichting Orion. Funding comes from government sources (DUO - Ministry of Education) for providing education to students with special needs. The school receives subsidies including ESF (European Social Fund) for labor market preparation programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Orion College Amstel provides Voortgezet speciaal onderwijs (VSO), secondary special education for students aged 12–18 with extra support needs related to behavior and socio-emotional development. The school delivers instruction in three learning routes that prepare students for (independent) labor market participation or continued education at MBO entry level or level 2, with a maximum class size of 12 students and a fixed mentor teacher. It also operates the Urban Voetbalschool branch in collaboration with Urban Talent Academy for students not yet ready for MBO.

Product overview

Orion College Amstel is a single educational institution offering Voortgezet speciaal onderwijs (VSO) for students aged 12-18 with behavioral and socio-emotional support needs. The school operates with a maximum of 12 students per class and provides three learning pathways preparing students for the labor market or MBO. The institution includes a subsidiary location (Urban Voetbalschool) at Urban Talent Academy for students not yet ready for MBO settings. The school distributes publications including the annual Minigids (school guide), Schoolplangids (school plan), Innovatieplan (innovation plan), and Schoolondersteuningsprofiel (support profile) to communicate its offerings, working methods, and educational programs to parents and stakeholders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Urban Voetbalschool: A branch location opened in collaboration with Urban Talent Academy for students who cannot yet attend MBO due to age or capacity limitations.

Products and services

• Voortgezet Speciaal Onderwijs (VSO) - Orion College Amstel Secondary special education for students aged 12–18 with extra support needs related to behavior and socio-emotional development. Offers three learning pathways preparing students for (independent) participation in the labor market or continued education at MBO entry level or level 2. Maximum class size of 12 students with a fixed group teacher serving as mentor. Operates under Stichting Orion as the sole public VSO provider in Amsterdam.
• Urban Voetbalschool (nevenvestiging) Subsidiary location at Urban Talent Academy offering education for students not yet ready for MBO or who are insufficiently served by regular special education settings. Combines didactic offerings from Orion College Amstel with the pedagogical climate and specific sports/talent-focused setting of Urban Talent Academy.
• Three Learning Routes (arbeidsmarkt- en MBO-voorbereiding) Three distinct learning pathways preparing students aged 12–18 for independent participation in the labor market or continued education at MBO entry level or level 2. Each route is tailored to the student's individual preparation needs.
• Orion Werkstraat (ESF-subsidized labor market preparation) Labor market preparation program subsidized by the European Social Fund (ESF), providing joint work preparation, labor market preparation, and internship support for students. Operates under Stichting Orion's ESF subsidy for arbeidstoeleiding (labor market integration).

Quantifiable outcome

• Recognized as Excellente school (Excellent School) for school climate since January 2018

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stichting OrioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization consisting of 9 schools for openbaar (voortgezet) speciaal onderwijs in Amsterdam. Provides shared resources, expertise, governance, and the Expertisecentrum Orion for knowledge sharing. Orion is the only provider of public special education in Amsterdam.
• Samenwerkingsverband Amsterdam DiemencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIssues toelaatbaarheidsverklaring (TLV) for students requiring special education. Reviews each student's educational and support needs to determine appropriate school type. Provides referral pathway to the school.
• Urban Talent AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBranch location (Urban Voetbalschool nevenvestiging) opened 2018-2019. Combines Orion's didactic offerings and specialized knowledge with Urban Talent Academy's strong pedagogical climate and specific setting. Serves students not yet ready for MBO or standard special education.
• iHub familiezorgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides coordinated treatments and support through youth coach (focused on student and environment) and system coach (focused on home situation). Part of SJSO (Specialistische jeugdhulp in speciaal onderwijs) offerings at school.
• Stichting Jongeren Die Het Kunnen (JDK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacilitates after-school and out-of-school activities using sports to develop social and emotional skills including cooperation, self-confidence, and perseverance.
• SpiritminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides annual 'Liefde is...' training and Qpido has an open consultation about love, relationships, and sexuality at school. Optional individual guidance trajectories (Romeo & Julia) available.
• GGD Scharlaken KoordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides 'Beware of Loverboys' training to increase girls' resilience regarding loverboys. Part of youth services for Amsterdam.
• Stichting Be AwareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides training for teachers on identifying risk behavior related to alcohol, drugs, and smoking. Offers group guidance for youth with risky addiction behavior. Optional individual guidance trajectories at school.
• Jeugdagenten (Youth Police Officers)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree youth police officers are connected to the school. They provide advice to school and students, and conduct both preventive and curative conversations when forensic issues are present or threatened.
• GGD Amsterdam JeugdartsenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool doctor from GGD is regularly present at school. Has a role in student admission and important advisory role within the Commissie van Begeleiding.
• Stichting Je Binnenste BuitenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffers extensive CKV project called 'Future Me' focusing on talent development, future imagination, and future awareness of students.
• Stichting TaminominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides extended school day program focused on talent development and strengthening of social and societal competencies.
• Stichting Sociaal CementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports the setup of the renewed internal internship program, seeking cooperation with socially involved companies from the neighborhood.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Stichting Kentalis: Dutch nationwide special education provider focused on students with communication, hearing, and behavioral support needs. Operates under comparable public funding and TLV-style referral frameworks, with broader geographic scope than Orion.
• REC Amsterdam (Regionaal Expertise Centrum): Regional expertise center serving Amsterdam-area students with severe learning, behavioral, and developmental needs via clustered special education programs. Closest regulatory and demographic peer to Orion College Amstel.
• De Werkplaats (KPC Groep / Stichting De Werkplaats): Dutch secondary special education provider offering VSO and praktijkonderwijs to students with behavioral and learning support needs. Comparable regulatory/funder setup and target student profile.
• Stichting Orion (parent network, 8 other schools): Direct peer (and parent) network of 9 Amsterdam public VSO schools under the same foundation umbrella. Operationally comparable - same funding model, TLV-referral pathway, and learner profile (behavioral and socio-emotional support needs aged 12-18).
• IVO De Loods / VSO cluster schools (Amsterdam): Other Amsterdam-region VSO providers serving behavioral and socio-emotional support needs. Compete for the same Samenwerkingsverband TLV-referred student pool as Orion College Amstel.

Broad incumbents

• Cognita Schools: International K-12 education operator running large school networks, including SEND/special needs provision in multiple markets. Comparable as a scaled education operator delivering individualized student support, though private-funded rather than public.
• Stichting ZAAM (Zuid Amsterdamse Montessori/Montessorischool): Large Amsterdam-area public education foundation running multiple primary and secondary schools. Comparable as a Dutch public education stichting under DUO funding with overlapping Amsterdam catchment, though not a behavioral-VSO specialist.

Emerging players

• Urban Talent Academy: Orion's partner running the Urban Voetbalschool nevenvestiging for students not yet ready for MBO. Comparable niche talent-pedagogy positioning serving the same youth segment with alternative pedagogies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orion-college-amstel

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Orion College Amstel