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International School Laren
A young IB World School in 't Gooi, part of Alberdingk Thijm Scholen and sharing the Laar & Berg campus, aimed at expat families settled around Hilversum.
In brief
A young IB World School in 't Gooi, part of Alberdingk Thijm Scholen and sharing the Laar & Berg campus, aimed at expat families settled around Hilversum.
ISL opened in 2018 as the secondary partner to IPS Hilversum and IS Hilversum, all under the Alberdingk Thijm group. Fees sit at the Dutch state-subsidised end, roughly EUR 5,400 to EUR 6,200, well below private competitors. The school runs IB MYP and is building toward Diploma, sharing two gyms, science labs, art and music spaces with Laar & Berg next door.
The catchment is the Hilversum media and corporate community rather than Amsterdam centre. Many families pick ISL because it is the only English-medium secondary option in 't Gooi without a long commute to Amstelveen or Utrecht. Teachers are accessible, year groups are small, and the progression up from IPS Hilversum is the usual route. The programme is still maturing and the cohort is smaller than at the established Amsterdam schools.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 11 | €5,354 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | €5,574 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | €5,574 |
| Grade 9 | 14 | €5,574 |
| MYP/DP costs Grade 10 | 15 | €613 |
| Grade 10 | 15 | €5,574 |
| Grade 11 (DP1) | 16 | €6,239 |
| MYP/DP costs Grade 12 | 17 | €850 |
| Grade 12 (DP2) | 17 | €6,239 |
| MacBook costs | €425 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | €150 | |
| Deposit | €500 |
Reviews
Small and young. Around 125 students across MYP and DP, founded 2018, sharing the Laar & Berg campus in Het Gooi. The pitch is a tight-knit community with thirty-plus nationalities and an English-Dutch bilingual DP option. Independent parent commentary in either language is scarce, so most of what is out there is the school's own framing of small classes and individualised attention. The structural facts that do matter, the campus arrangement, the Alberdingk Thijm parent foundation, and the commute from Amsterdam, are easier to weigh than the day-to-day feel.
Positives
- Scale and community. Roughly 125 students across MYP and DP means small classes and a community where staff know every family. Thirty-plus nationalities for a school this size keeps the cohort genuinely mixed.
- Campus and facilities. Sits on the Laar & Berg campus and shares two gyms, sports fields, five science labs, art and music spaces, and a media centre. Punches above its enrolment on infrastructure.
- Bilingual DP option. Bilingual English-Dutch Diploma is a useful fit for families straddling the Dutch system or planning to stay in the Netherlands long term.
Considerations
- Location and commute. Het Gooi setting is leafy and quiet, next to Hilversum. From central Amsterdam the school is roughly thirty minutes by car off-peak; on the A1 at rush hour that stretches. The nearest train station is a bike ride out.
- Track record and signal. Founded 2018, so the DP cohort history is short and published results data is limited. Public parent commentary in Dutch and English is sparse, which makes patterns harder to read than at older Amsterdam schools.
Leadership
Mrs. Gabriëlla Mohrmann
Mrs. Gabriëlla Mohrmann is the Principal of the International School Laren, where she leads a dedicated team in fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment for students. With a focus on empowering students to reach their fullest potential, she emphasizes the importance of holistic education and community engagement.