Amsterdam Liberal Art & Sciences Academy

A small upper-secondary IB Diploma school on Zeeburgereiland, part of the Esprit family alongside AICS and DENISE. Authorised as an IB World School in 2021 with a Liberal Arts and Sciences twist.

Ages 15 to 18 only, so this is a sixth-form, not a through-school. Teaching is interdisciplinary and module-based, mixing subjects into themes such as a first-year unit on the city of Amsterdam that pulls geography, history, philosophy, art and biology together. Languages of instruction are English and Dutch.

The campus is purpose-designed and modern, on a relatively new island in the east of the city. Because ALASCA is publicly funded, parental contribution is modest. The student profile is more academically curious and less corporate-expat than the bigger international schools. Best suited to families looking for a different kind of Diploma experience and willing to commute east.

• Two Nicelocal parent reviews describe a young, project-led secondary school where homework is light but the projects themselves are substantive and have a 21st-century focus. Wifi and digital boards reportedly work well.
• One of those parents flagged creative subjects (woodworking, 3D work) as a weak point.
• The school is small (around 800 students, average class size 26) and sits inside the Esprit Scholen umbrella, offering a Dutch vwo+ track and an IB Diploma programme. Independent parent commentary online is otherwise thin.