A Study on Attitudes towards Accreditation of Early Foreign Language Education in Dutch Schools

Abstract

This thesis reports on a study that addresses the following question: Which are the vvto-schools’ and inspection bodies’ attitudes towards accreditation on early foreign language education? In the first phase of the study, data were collected through qualitative interviews with all three national inspection bodies, three schools with an accreditation certificate and three schools with no interest in receiving accreditation. The analysis of the qualitative interviews has served as the basis for the second research phase, namely, a quantitative questionnaire among all registered vvto-schools. The questions focus on the familiarity, the manageability and the valorisation of a vvto-accreditation. The results show that the overall attitudes on accreditation are positive. Non-accredited schools also believe that there is an added value in a vvto-accreditation. However, they choose not to get accredited because of the impending workload and lack of time and money. The results have also shown that non-accredited schools’ main pitfall is ignorance. If the government cooperates with the inspection bodies, these concerns can be taken away and more schools could take a step towards accreditation and thus the improvement of the quality of vvto.