Foreword
Merletle College is a school with a pleasant atmosphere. There is a lot of attention to contact between staff and students. Every student feels seen and heard. We often get this image back from students, parents and staff from the satisfaction surveys. In this way we promote the development of our students. We very much want to maintain this atmosphere and strengthen it wherever possible.
In this school plan, we present our course for 2025-2029. This plan is a dynamic document, which we adapt as social, political or educational developments demand. We continuously include our collaborative partners, staff, students and parents in the development of our school. To this end, we will evaluate this school plan annually, and adjust it where necessary.
Iedje Heere
Rector
Willem van den Kieboom
Director of organizational development
Hamid Ait Oumghar
Director of Education
Introduction
Our school plan has two main objectives. First, it gives direction to the development of Merlet College. Namely, the school plan answers questions such as:
What ambitions does our school have?
How do we help our students choose further education or a (running) job?
From what values do we work?
How can we ensure that students and staff can develop to their full potential?
How are we part of our environment?
Our school plan is in line with OMO's Growing Together: Heading 2030 and describes how we give form and content to our education and our organization. It provides the frameworks and space for our education types (vmbo-mavo-havo-vwo) for annual plans.
The second purpose of our school plan is to justify the choices we make. With the school plan we fulfill the legal obligation to draw up a strategic policy plan for the period of four years. The Board of Directors of Our Secondary Education (OMO) adopted this school plan on 26-06-2025. The Participation Council approved the school plan on 26-06-2025.
Creation of the school plan
The previous school plan provided a solid foundation for this school plan. Anno 2025 it still describes well what kind of school we want to be for our students. We are proud of the developments that have taken place in the planning period 2021-2025. Cooperation between the schools is almost taken for granted. Employees participate in the developments of their own school and the organization as a whole. The various schools offer many opportunities for students to develop beyond the acquisition of knowledge into young adults with a broad view of society and their future role in it. Personal development and citizenship are emphatically addressed. The learning needs of the individual receive attention in various ways. To support this process, strong efforts are made to develop the coaching role of the teacher.
In addition, the school participates very actively in the local community, in the social, civic, cultural and economic fields. With cooperation partners, we continuously discuss educational development and strengthening the ecosystem of which we are a part. This naturally leads to new insights. When drawing up the school plan, we intensively discussed a number of (new) themes with staff and students, using, among other things, so-called World Cafés. The results help us to further sharpen our ambitions and the way in which we can realize them. This has been integrated into this school plan.
History of Merlet College
The Merletcollege was formed in 1993 when all secondary schools in the municipalities of Cuijk, Grave, Mill and Sint Hubert merged. In 1999, the current building of the Grave location on the Stoofweg was realized. In 2017, the two separate locations in Cuijk were merged into a comprehensive school community at a new location on the Katwijkseweg. Location Mill is currently in the phasing out phase due to shrinkage, and is expected to close in 2026.
The Eerste Opvang Anderstaligen (EOA) in Velp is the fourth location of the Merlet College. At this location in Velp we focus on non-Dutch-speaking youngsters aged 12 to 18 who have been in the Netherlands for less than two years and who have little or no command of the Dutch language. The diversity of these students is great, on ethnic background, prior education and learning ability. Within OMO's Newcomers Steering Committee, schools work intensively together on educational policy and quality.
The Merletle College will have about 2,000 students and over 250 employees in 2025.
In the middle of the region
Equity of opportunity, decline in student numbers, regional (labor market) developments and increasing diversity in student populations make it increasingly important for secondary education in the Land of Cuijk to work in close alliances with regional partners to provide a suitable educational offering. From collectivity and unity, the secondary schools, consisting of Merletcollege and Mezzo schools, want to be a powerful partner in and of the region. Together we are building a future-proof educational landscape for all students in the region. By working together and redistributing the educational offering, we are jointly able to maintain a rich and qualitatively broad educational offering in the region.
Merletcollege is committed to paying more attention to vocational and practice-oriented education in all educational streams of the schools: vmbo, mavo, havo and vwo. To better connect with the needs of the labor market in our region, we emphasize Engineering & Technology and Care & Welfare. Together with our partners (education and business) we are building a hybrid working and learning environment. On our way to a learning region!
A second important focus is inclusion and equal opportunities for all students in our region. Through intensive cooperation of schools and chain partners, such as PO, VSO, PRO, further education, youth aid and other involved agencies, we ensure that students with various support needs receive the right guidance to successfully participate in the educational process within their own familiar environment.
Sociom youth workers respond to what students from outside the school bring into the school, and organize all kinds of activities for students. If necessary, they are discussion partners for students, on an equal basis. In addition, the youth coaches advise us on how to best connect with current social developments in the immediate vicinity of our school.
In order to guide the young people within the EOA location as well as possible, the EOA works closely with COA staff at AZC Grave and guardians from guardianship institution Nidos. In a three-weekly multidisciplinary consultation, the well-being and progress of the youngsters are monitored as well as possible.
School Profile
Our school stands for quality education for all students in the wider region. We prepare students to successfully advance in further education and/or careers in order to participate fully and with value in society. We teach them to value every human being, regardless of origin, religion, sexual preference, choice of clothing, and so on. We are an inclusive school.
Our educational concept is characterized by a wide range of subjects that are preferably offered in conjunction with each other, for example, in learning areas. This coherence is reflected in projects and in our cooperation with external parties. By making the relationship between the subjects visible, we help students look more broadly at what they are learning. We collaborate with external partners to enable learning outside of school and to provide a rich learning context for our students.
Id.
Our school has a Catholic foundation. Based on this foundation, everyone is welcome, regardless of philosophical and social background. We acquaint our students with various forms of worldview so that they learn to appreciate differences in outlook and also to understand each other. What experiencing and acting according to Catholic principles means to us is reflected in the core values of OMO, as described in the OMO Heading Plan Growing Together: Heading 2030:
"Good education" focuses on allowing every student to flourish. In addition to qualification, good education is also about learning to live together and preparing young people as participants in society. Central to our education is the human being in relationship with others.
Mission
In an increasingly complex world, we prepare our students both for a (school) career and for life. Our mission is that when students leave our school they can find their way in society. That they face the world as confident and ambitious young people with an open mind. That they have learned to take responsibility for their own development, to trust their own qualities and to cooperate with others in a respectful way. We learn for life.
Vision
In our vision we distinguish four different perspectives, from our awareness that we have a role as individuals but also as part of communities.
The Merlet College: where you grow, everyone flourishes
I
We help students explore their own identity, values and beliefs. We help them reflect on their talents and how they make choices as individuals that contribute to their personal growth and well-being. We teach them to balance individual and communal interests.
Me and the Other
Students need to learn how they relate to others. How they show respect, empathy and cooperate in different social contexts. Through encounters and dialogues, we teach them communication and social skills and how to deal with differences.
Me and Society
Students are part of a broader community. Therefore, we believe it is important for them to learn about democratic processes, social issues and the impact of their actions on society. Through active participation, students develop a sense of responsibility and commitment.
Me and the world
We live in a rapidly changing world in which new developments are the order of the day. Keeping up in our global society requires us to be flexible and creative and to use the available resources in a responsible and sustainable manner. We want to contribute to a just and sustainable world, and make our students aware of its importance.
Core values
Meaning, good education, good living and good acting are among the core values of Our Secondary Education (OMO). They are articulated in Growing Together: Heading 2030, the memorandum "Meaning and Good Education," the Manifesto "I am because we are" and the OMO integrity code. We have refined these OMO core values for our school into the following four core values, with which we give direction to our vision.
PLEASURE
By tapping into our natural curiosity, students and staff enjoy going to school. Fun not only makes learning more fun, it also makes what has been learned more memorable. From a positive and appreciative approach, we encourage each other to learn and develop. To take ourselves and the world a sustainable step further.
PARTICIPATE
People develop better and achieve better results when they learn to cooperate. In addition to working together, participating also means team learning and paying attention to each other and to the world around us. We encourage an entrepreneurial, innovative and creative attitude. Together we can contribute to a more beautiful world.
PERSONAL
Every person is unique and has their own qualities and dignity. We offer students the space to discover where those qualities lie and to develop them further. Mistakes are allowed, because development is a path of trial and error. Personal and inclusive are central to us: everyone is allowed to participate!
PRACTICAL
In addition to gaining knowledge, we also value practical learning. By linking theory directly to practical experiences, we make learning not only more effective, but also more fun and relevant. Practical learning, application of theoretical knowledge and practically oriented research prepare students optimally for their further education and for their future careers.
Education
We have a clear vision of education. On how our students become curious world citizens through personal growth and development, who confidently face the increasingly complex society. World citizens who have an eye for the other, for each other's qualities, for our planet, for social and ecological sustainability. Coaching and guidance are conditional for this.
At our school, we bring the outside world inside for context-rich learning and our students go outside to learn in practice themselves. In doing so, we stimulate students' curiosity. To provide the link between theory and practice, we collaborate with social partners, business and educational institutions in the region.
Four locations
Our three regular locations in Cuijk, Grave and Mill are similar when it comes to basic organization (design of processes, procedures and rules, etc.), education and professional culture. The vmbo has a broad offer at all locations and there are differences in emphasis per location. In Grave we are working on a practical havo and in Cuijk we offer bilingual education at havo and vwo and Technasium. In this way we offer students a wide choice, enabling them to choose a learning route that suits their talents and interests.
With EOA education at the Velp location, we want students to learn the Dutch language, become acquainted with Dutch society and prepare for forms of further education. In the first reception, learning the Dutch language and culture is central. The students receive an intensive multidisciplinary curriculum of Dutch, citizenship, math/mathematics, physical education, English, cooking and drawing/craft/technique/textiles. With sufficient language and math levels, the student moves on to a form of appropriate education. We believe in a combination of education and care. We offer an educational offer 'from getting up to going to bed', together with partners. Customization is the standard in this.
At all our locations, our educational offerings contribute to the well-being and thus the learning ability of our students. This is only possible from a shared responsibility.
Person education and socialization
Inclusive learning community
We are an open and inclusive community, where young people can prepare themselves for their position in society now and in the future. We show respect for each other and each other's differences. Staff members are engaged and share their passion for education and focus on the learner. Students are seen and heard and feel connected to each other. Smallness within the big picture is a prerequisite for this. The security offered by our school is therefore very important.
Safe and Healthy Learning and Working Environment
We hold each other accountable for everyone's contribution to the safe and healthy learning and working environment. We influence student behavior in a positive way, from the appreciative perspective. Bullying has no place in our school. All agreements we make with each other about safety, are in our anti-bullying protocol and our social safety plan. It goes without saying that a healthy lifestyle is also part of this. From our vision of 'Healthy School' we challenge both pupils and staff to work structurally on a healthy lifestyle and good physical condition. All locations have the Healthy School vignette.
Career Orientation and Guidance (LOB)
We prepare students not only for their later careers, but also for the world of tomorrow. We help students discover themselves, where they can and dare to make their own choices when it comes to a meaningful life and a happy and successful future. We also pay attention at school to the (preparation) for the choice of subjects. For example, we organize in-depth introductions to all elective subjects in the upper school as part of career orientation and guidance (LOB). The LOB guidance of students lies primarily with the mentor coaches, who provide general information. If further support or customization is needed, the mentees and mentor coaches are further supported by the deans. The dean team supports the mentor coach so that they can coach their mentees on the three domains: (i) discover yourself, (ii) discover the world and (iii) design your route. Together with the mentor coaches, student affairs coordinators, school administration, guidance team and the teachers, the deans ensure that the student goes out to discover the world with a well-filled backpack of knowledge and skills.
We involve the outside world intensively in the choices students make after their careers at our school. For example, there is an annual occupational fair for the vmbo and mavo students, havo and vwo students visit the training evening of the Arnhem and Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences (HAN) and vwo students visit the Radboud University Nijmegen. In addition, students do internships.
Individual choices & coaching in learning
Students learn with us to cooperate and make their own choices. Being skilled at making choices helps them take ownership of their own learning and be successful in their future lives. We match the student's learning needs as closely as possible. In part, that learning occurs at self-selected times (time-unbound) and in a self-selected place (location-unbound). The focus is always on a continuous learning process to achieve a sustainable learning outcome. Students choose from a wide range of subjects, receive support where necessary and have their own mentor coach.
In the coming years, we will take important steps to offer students even more choices. We will work with a class schedule with choice hours and coach hours, which offers the student more space for making individual choices. Each pupil is guided by a mentor coach, who is the pupil's first point of contact and the focal point of guidance. During coaching hours, the mentee speaks with the mentor coach about talents, needs, ambitions and circumstances that affect learning. These needs may relate to particular subjects, but also to other issues such as "learning to learn," making choices, planning, etc. Coaching helps the student get to know themselves better, get the best out of themselves, know what choice to make. This helps them develop their personality formation, qualification and broad development. In addition, the mentor coach guides the group to which the pupil belongs ("class") in developing study and social skills, so that pupils can perform optimally and feel comfortable at our school.
We cooperate with socially engaged institutions, for the social formation and learning process of students. After all, learning is not only done within the school building! Think of activities that touch on manners, norms and values and citizenship education. In addition to cognitive development, there is room for social-emotional development, non-cognitive skills, desired behavior and cultural development of the student. This cooperation is wide-ranging in the areas of arts and sports, health and welfare and education. In doing so, we are part of several networks of regional organizations.
Teaching practice
In addition to the aforementioned mentor coaching - which focuses on the personal development of students - there is subject coaching. In subject coaching, the focus is on subject development and formative practice. Every teacher is a subject coach who provides feedback and practical tips during the lesson to develop in-depth knowledge and skills of the student, focusing on connecting (theoretical) knowledge and practice. This enhances motivation and promotes learning. Subject coaching happens both on the process and the content of the lesson. We will further develop subject coaching in the coming planning period. We apply the basic principles of the book Didactic Coaching of Voerman and Faber, such as creating a safe learning environment, encouraging self-direction and giving constructive feedback.
In the junior year, the roof-top classes provide broad developmental opportunities for all students. The substructure connects to the stage where developing skills to learn and work together is central. In the vmbo we organize cross-curricular lessons (e.g. in learning areas). In the upper school, students orient and deepen their knowledge within the chosen profile.
We will start this plan period by giving students the opportunity to earn a vwo diploma through an enriched-havo route. For students who can handle more, there is the opportunity to complete subjects at an accelerated pace or to take and/or finish at a different level.
Basic Skills
We believe it is important in our education that students develop basic skills.
We want our students to be active, motivated and progressively more independent in their educational careers.
> This is one of the three spearheads on which we are strongly focused in the coming planning period. In our annual plans we describe in concrete terms what we are going to do 12 to realize this.
LANGUAGE
Good language skills enable you to communicate thoughts, ideas and feelings clearly to others and to receive and process linguistic information. This is important not only for communication and interaction in personal life, but also for learning in all subject areas and functioning in society. Language proficiency is the foundation for success in many areas of life. We ensure that all students are language proficient, appropriate to their level. Effective, language-centered instruction is embedded in all subjects. This leads not only to a deeper understanding of the subject matter, but also to the practical use of language in various disciplines.
arithmetic
Arithmetic is also important for everyone, now and in the future. In education, but certainly beyond. Being able to calculate well ensures that students can solve problems, and that they can think in a structured way. This enables them to function better in society. Math skills are supported by all sections. By teaching together and by teaching students the same methods, students develop math skills. There is, of course, room for the individual, and for individual differences in solution strategies.
DIGITAL LITTLE
In today's society, it is important for people to be digitally literate. Being able to find information, to judge the reliability of the source, to distinguish fake news from real news: these are basic competencies for everyone. We prepare students for a future in which digital technology plays a central role. We do this by integrating knowledge and skills into the curriculum, ensuring reliable and secure systems, and supporting students in their personal and social development in the digital field.
(WORLD) CITIZENSHIP
The purpose of our citizenship education is to develop responsible and engaged global citizens who contribute to a just and inclusive society. This requires knowledge of fundamental rights, democracy and the world, as well as skills such as critical thinking, respectful communication, empathy and cooperation. Through hands-on projects, cross-cultural exchanges, we encourage students to take responsibility and become aware of their impact on the world. We do this from the four perspectives: me, the other, society and the world. In this, the school is a training ground for citizenship, a safe environment where students experiment with roles and responsibilities. We challenge them to reflect, cooperate and actively contribute to the school and our society, based on respect and trust.
Diversity of subjects
In addition to the regular subjects, this school plan period (starting in grade 1) we are starting elective classes. Students enroll based on their personal preference, need and interest. We distinguish three types of elective hours:
1. Subject hours
Elective hours with a subject teacher for support and deepening
2. Work Hours
These are hours in which students work independently under supervision
3. Specials
An extra-curricular offering on a particular topic.
From the LOB domain "discover the world" we make the connection between our school and the labor market and society. We shape the vocational program from the profile Service and Products (D&P) with extra attention to care, technology and engineering. The D&P subject at the vmbo is a broad profile, in which each student can find deepening and enrichment to suit personal interests. Students in vmbo also do internships to gain practical experience. In addition, the vmbo On Stage project is an inspiring program that puts students from 3 vmbo in the positive spotlight. They get to know themselves and their interests better, they come into contact with a wide variety of local professionals and they participate in a working day. All this helps them give direction to their future dreams. In the coming years we want to introduce a Practical Program (PGP) for the mavo and for havo students who learn by doing (havoP). In this subject, students gain practical knowledge and experience in different areas of the labor market or society with assignments from regional clients.
The Merletle College is part of the regional cooperation Sterk Techniekonderwijs (STO) and Sterk Zorg en Welzijn Onderwijs (SZWO) within the region of Land van Cuijk and North Limburg (Maasduinen). Both networks have as their objective regional cooperation in the broadest sense of the word, with the common thread of improving the connection between primary education, secondary education, further education and ultimately the professional market. Our ambition is to revamp the curriculum for Engineering & Technology and Care & Welfare in the coming years in cooperation with the surrounding area, with the aim of continuing to offer a broad range of courses.
As a member of the Technasium Network Central Netherlands, our school makes a valuable contribution to the realization of Technasium education for havo and vwo in the region. Within the network, quality and development are central and we share knowledge and experiences with each other. In this way we offer our students a varied curriculum for the subject Research and Design (O&O).
Within havo and vwo in Cuijk we profile ourselves with bilingual education (tto) from Nuffic. Nuffic determines the quality standard of tto. In addition to the bilingual subject lessons, we also organize various cross-curricular projects for this group of students. With the Erasmus+ program, we also offer our students opportunities for international development.
Human Resources
A sustainable and development-oriented personnel policy is essential to achieving quality education. Our mission and vision apply not only to students, but also to employees. We want to be an attractive and inclusive employer. Our HRM policy focuses on strategic personnel planning, cooperation in the region, the learning organization and sustainable employability, vitality and workload reduction.
Strategic HRM and cooperation in the region
Our strategic personnel planning aims at a sustainable personnel policy, taking into account regional developments, such as shrinkage and the shortage of teachers in specific subjects. Within the Education Region Brabant East, we are working intensively with other school boards on solutions to the continuing shortage in the labor market.
Together with OMO schools and partners in the region, we conduct an active recruitment strategy, facilitate internships and train teachers. The Merletle College plays an active role in this as an Academic Training School (AOS) and partner in projects such as Trainees in Education (TIO). This connection with the environment makes the school part of an ecosystem.
Within our organization, we learn from each other, using data such as the results of the biannual employee survey and interim measurements, among other things. This collaboration is part of our professional culture that we will further strengthen based on the model of the learning organization. We do this on the basis of our four core values.
We want to strengthen the school as a learning organization.
- This is the second of the three spearheads on which we are strongly focused in the coming planning period. In our annual plans we describe in concrete terms what we will do to realize this.
Learning organization
We are a learning organization, in which growth and development are continuously encouraged. After all, learning does not end after training, but is an ongoing process that helps us develop and adapt to an ever-changing society. In this way, we promote our agility and encourage innovation. This leads to greater motivation, higher engagement and better performance.
The model of the learning organization consists of eight dimensions, in four domains of influence: values, learning, knowledge and organization. With our internal communication, we give charge to our vision and core values (supported vision and ambition). We do this on the study days, among other things. Exemplary behavior - each of us - is important to us. A pleasant working environment and job satisfaction are essential to achieve good education together for our students.
Participation is one of our core values and we provide space for team learning, collaboration and professionalization needs. Every department makes a training plan and every employee a personal development plan (learning from educational professionals). We offer more space for knowledge sharing within and between departments. Initiatives such as peer review, inspiration sessions and joint celebrations contribute to this.
Being addressed and approachable is also important to us. Feedback is systematically requested and given at all levels from the appreciative perspective. Only in this way can we continue to develop and improve. We also learn from each other by doing, in which we are also allowed to make mistakes.
Collaboration with educational partners, stakeholders from the environment and parents is a core part of the organizational culture. It contributes to continuous innovation and professionalization at the school. Together with these external contacts, our mentor coaches and deans play an important role in orienting our students to the job market. We also participate in OMO contexts in projects, dialogue tables, knowledge cafes and incubators, among others.
We strengthen the inquisitive attitude of our staff and work systematically on educational improvement and the creation of a collaborative research culture. We base interventions on knowledge and analysis, and we monitor, evaluate and secure the outcomes. We also conduct research from the Academic Training Schools (AOS).
We strive for distributed leadership, where employees show ownership and utilize each other's talents. We delegate responsibilities and authority wherever possible and create space for joint decision-making. This means that employees not only take responsibility for their own development, but also, for example, contribute in professional learning communities (PLGs) to the further professionalization of colleagues and the organization as a whole. This requires a culture of trust and cooperation, in which professional space is felt.
By realizing the organizational conditions of the learning organization at the different levels in the school (individual, team, school), we promote the efficiency (effectiveness and efficacy), job satisfaction and innovativeness of our employees.
In 2025, we analyze how we are doing as an organization for each dimension and determine what steps are needed to strengthen the various dimensions. We do this in a joint process of designing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and adjusting.
Career, vitality and workload relief
We would like a work environment where everyone feels welcome and valued. Sustainable employability, health and well-being are important to us. We therefore invest in career development, vitality and workload reduction. This enables employees to shape their careers in a healthy and effective way. We offer training opportunities, coaching and guidance, as well as opportunities for mobility within and outside the organization.
We also have policies aimed at different career stages, such as senior policy and the induction program for starting employees. Both collective and individual measures contribute to a healthy and sustainable working environment, for example, by reviewing task policies and strengthening support structures through, among other things, additional deployment of teaching assistants and janitors.
We encourage vitality with initiatives aimed at physical and mental health, such as sports programs, coaching and workshops. Employees are given room to maintain a healthy work-life balance and are positively encouraged to do so. 17
Support
Everyone is allowed to be there and participate. We are an inclusive school, where everyone feels at home. Regardless of background, talents and needs. All of our staff and all of our students contribute to that inclusiveness.
Type of support
Education and support are closely linked at our school. Some students need more support than others. Inclusive education means that students - whether they have a support need or not - attend school together, as close to home as possible. The focus of support is on being able to act independently and the skills needed to do so, for both staff and students.
Basic Support
Our basic support focuses on educational organization, social-emotional functioning, self-efficacy and communication. Consider dyslexia, fear of failure and problems with planning and "learning to learn. Basic support is available to all students who need it.
Extra support
When a student does not have enough basic support we offer extra support. This is customized, and we often work together with chain partners to do so.
Support Structure
Our mentor coaches are the lynchpin of guidance. They are supported and advised by our support team in guiding students with additional support needs. The support team includes (ortho) pedagogues, remedial teachers and support coordinators. The support team - in close cooperation with deputy principals and coordinators - increases the knowledge and skills of our teachers to provide customized services, through coaching and training. The support team forms the connecting link between teacher, student, parents and the various chain partners. Our support team advises our chain partners and our management on making our education more inclusive. In the developmental perspective (OPP) we record how we meet the student's needs.
Insight into student development
We track student development in a systematic way.
- We measure didactic skills, progress by subject area and in the area of social emotional learning. We document this in a digital student tracking system.
- From mentor coaching, students keep a portfolio on their own development (discover yourself, discover the world and design your route).
- During student meetings, report meetings and in so-called triangular conversations (student, parent, mentor coach), the development of the student and any support needs are discussed. In the student meetings, we ensure that our work is action-oriented and planned by returning to set goals. We reflect on our own actions and work together to support the student as efficiently and effectively as possible in his or her development and adjust goals where necessary. We also ask for feedback from students and parents about the support that has been put in place.
Quality and review
In order to achieve good and stable results, the quality of our education must be of a high level. Assessment contributes to the development of that quality, because it says something about the quality of the learning process and helps student and teacher to develop it further.
Quality
Every student has a right to a good education. Quality assurance therefore forms the basis of our educational development and the steps we want to take in the coming years. Our quality assurance focuses on all aspects of quality education. We invest in the quality development of education, in securing the quality cycle and we are accountable at all levels. We use the PDCA cycle for this purpose.
Quality and research culture
The quality of our education is a joint responsibility of school leaders, teachers and support staff. We are in constant dialogue about this. We share our knowledge and experience in order to learn from and with each other how to further improve the quality of our education. We do this by, among other things, observing each other's classes, through professional consultations and at study days. We also use the 'teacher evaluates teacher' system. To increase the sharing of knowledge between our locations, professional learning communities (PLGs) are set up that work on the basis of distributed leadership. From an inquisitive attitude and based on relevant data, we improve our education. This also requires knowledge and skills to interpret data and translate it to one's own teaching practice. Every employee is responsible for the quality of his or her own work.
Quality structure
The quality assurance coordinator oversees the quality of education and supports the deputy directors and management, among others. We structurally evaluate our education and - where necessary - adjust ambitions or activities. Our quality calendar describes which quality aspects are examined when and what the PDCA cycle looks like. Our data team - managed by the quality assurance coordinator - provides and analyzes the data required by our quality calendar, possibly supplemented with data requested by our professionals. In this planning period we are going to further strengthen the PDCA cycle and research-oriented action in the school. The result of our quality analysis is the subject of the section discussions and the Good Conversations that our deputy principals conduct with the staff. In these conversations we determine how we can further improve our education. We secure quality in our subject work plans and policy plans.
Accountability and dialogue
At Merlet College, we make education together. We account for our educational quality to all internal and external stakeholders. We publish relevant data on the Schools on the Map website and discuss it frequently with our Board, the Participation Council (in which parents, students and staff are represented) and the Advisory Board. Quality control is also based on peer reviews, which we secure in our quality assurance system.
Students and parents are important discussion partners in the quality of our education. We value the output of panels, with which we have structural discussions. Our students sit on focus groups that give us feedback several times a year on every conceivable topic and within every section in the school. By actively involving students, we also increase their ownership. We survey all students and parents annually through a satisfaction survey. Students also evaluate teachers annually by completing LED (student-evaluates-teacher) questionnaires. Students have a place in our decision-making processes about renewal and improvement of our education. Moreover, by having students actively participate in the organization, we strengthen their critical thinking skills. Where necessary, the results of all these conversations, surveys and visitations lead to improvement initiatives that we record in our subject work plans and policy plans.
Review
Assessment contributes to the development of teaching and student learning.
Testing to learn from
Testing helps students improve their own learning and helps teachers improve their learning. Learning through rich feedback and feed forward will become an integral part of assessment.
We strive to organize testing uniformly as much as possible. We have a program for testing and conclusion (PTA) and examination regulations. Both meet the requirements of legislation. The school also has programs for testing and transition for the lower grades (PTO). These ensure that sections deal with testing in an unambiguous and - for parents and students - recognizable way.
Test Development
In our education, students have an active role and we are increasingly learning from learning objectives. This has led to a new testing policy. In addition to the familiar summative tests (for which you receive an assessment), there is now formative action. Formative acting shows the student and the teacher whether the student has understood the lesson material, and what is still needed to reach the final learning goal. In formative action, good feedback and feed forward are indispensable. Formative assessment contributes to better learning outcomes, higher motivation and increased student ownership.
Testing experts have been trained within the school to ensure the quality of testing and support the move toward formative evaluation. Staff are trained as subject coaches where they learn how to apply feedback.
More about testing can be read in the Testing Policy.
We want to increase student involvement in shaping our education.
- This is the third of the three spearheads on which we are strongly focused in the coming planning period. In our annual plans we describe in concrete terms what we will do to realize this.
Business
We cooperate on a business level with the other vo-schools within the municipality of Land van Cuijk. There are currently working groups active in the areas of P&O, O-ICT, PR & Communication, and business operations. We are exploring how we can expand this regional cooperation, for example in the areas of business operations, strategic personnel planning, and liaising with regional stakeholders. We set up reliable and secure systems that help our students, staff, and education to develop further. For all business processes, decisions are also made based on data.
Finance
We take into account the financial impact of possible declining student numbers and possible funding cuts in the future. Finding the right balance between income and expenses is therefore challenging. Within the financing of our education we distinguish structural (lump sum) and non-structural income (incidental subsidies, parental contributions, additional resources for student care and sponsorship funds).
In the coming planning period we will maintain our policy on sponsorship, which is based on the covenant signed by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science with fourteen organizations, including the VO Council.
Housing
Merletle College works closely with Mezzo schools on strategic housing issues. In March 2025, the Land van Cuijk City Council approved housing plans for secondary education. Based on the future-proof educational landscape, in the future Merletcollege will have two regular locations, in Cuijk and Grave, and a location for education of newcomers in Velp. Our Mill location is expected to close in mid-2026.
The next few years for our school are dominated by:
- Rebuilding the Velp location
- Renovation of the Grave location
- New building for 500 students in Cuijk
In our accommodation plans, we naturally take into account the sustainability ambitions from Samen Groeien: Koers 2030. This means that wherever possible we try to realize (nearly) energy-neutral buildings.
Sustainable operations
We care about the world we live in, and are therefore committed to sustainable operations. This means, among other things, that we avoid wasting materials and raw materials as much as possible. Sustainability is an important criterion in our central purchasing processes. In the coming years, we will further roll out this idea of sustainability to our decentralized procurement processes.
In conclusion
For the sake of readability, we have chosen not to include all the legally required sections in our school plan. For those sections not included, please refer to the following links:
Contact
Merlet College
P.O. Box 47, 5430 AA Cuijk
Phone 0485-336336
Email: info@merletcollege.nl
Website: www.merletcollege.nl
The Merlet College falls under the authority of the association Ons Middelbaar Onderwijs (OMO)
P.O. Box 574, 5000 AN Tilburg
Phone 013-5955500
Email: info@omo.nl
Website: www.omo.nl
Merletcollege Cuijk
Katwijkseweg 2, 5431 RX Cuijk
Brinnummer: 19RX00
- vmbo basis, kader en theoretisch
- havo
- vwo (atheneum and gymnasium)
Merletcollege Grave
Stoofweg 4, 5361 HZ Grave
Brinnummer: 19RX01
- vmbo basis, kader en theoretisch
- havo
- Onderbouw vwo
Merletcollege Mill
Langenboomseweg 3, 5451 JH Mill
Brinnummer: 19RX02
- vmbo basis, kader en theoretisch
- Onderbouw havo.
Merletcollege Velp
Intendanceplantsoen 1, 5363 VZ Velp
Brinnummer: 19RX05
- First Opvang Anderstaligen (EOA)
- Unaccompanied Minors
- Refugees (AMV)