Our history

WHY HILVERSUM?

Hilversum’s location was deemed ideal, not only because of its proximity to Amsterdam and Utrecht, both important university cities where the headquarters of several international financial and industrial concerns can be found, but also because of its setting within the natural reserves and parks of het Gooi.

Today Hilversum is the broadcast and media capital of the Netherlands, as well as the site of several international information technology and communications companies and the European head office for global companies such as Nike.

  • June 1986

    The decision was made by the City of Hilversum and the Dutch Government to establish an international department at the Violenschool.

  • Violenschool international department officially opened its doors with fewer than ten students.

    September 1986

  • 1991

    The number of international students had more than doubled the capacity of the original building in the Violenstraat. The solution came in the creation of a northern location catering to the families living in the Naarden-Bussum, Huizen, Amsterdam and Almere areas. Several classroom spaces were allotted to accommodate eight full classes and the corresponding staff in the De Meent/Dalton school building in the De Meent neighbourhood in the north of Hilversum.

    As growth continued both in the International Department and the Dutch Department of the Violenschool in the Violenstraat, it became evident that the premises could no longer house both units. The overflow meant that several groups from the International Department in the Violenstraat had to be housed in available classrooms in other schools in the vicinity.

  • Hilversum Council made the decision to renovate the Rembrandtschool, a designated national monument, and make it available to the International Department.

    August 2000 The Internationally Oriented Education (Internationaal Geörienteerd Onderwijs or IGO) acknowledged the internationally named DIS (Dutch International Schools), which comprised DIPS (Dutch International Primary Schools) and DISS (Dutch International Secondary Schools).

    1999

  • 2001

    Restoration of the Rembrandt location was completed in early 2001 and the building officially opened in June 2001. At this time, three institutions catering to primary education and childcare were housed in the building:

    • Violenschool International Department Main Office
    • “Naschoolse opvang” (after-school care), “Het Rembrandtplein” and “BINK Hilversum” (Foundation for Childcare)
    • International Playgroup of “BINK Hilversum”

    The Rembrandt School building was designed by the renowned Dutch architect Willem M. Dudok, a contemporary of the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The structure is an excellent example of early twentieth century architecture. The Hilversum Town Hall or “Gemeentehuis” is another rather famous example.

  • The newly renovated building of the Violenschool International Department at the Frans Halslaan became home to Groups 1 to 4, with Groups 5 to 8 at Rembrandtlaan.

    March 2005

  • June 2006

    To commemorate its 20 years of existence, the MR or governing body of the Violenschool officially renamed the Violenschool International Department to Violenschool International Primary School.

  • After changing the school name to International Primary School (IPS) Hilversum, a new location with six classes on the Minckelersstraat was needed for the growth and expansion of the school. This location, in keeping with the Dutch artist theme of the earlier two buildings, was named the Mondrian location.

    2017

  • June 2022

    The Frans Hals location is sold to a local company and we prepare to move out.

  • We bid a sad farewell to Frans Hals and all the students there relocate to Rembrandt.

    December 2022

  • Today

    With international families joining our school and also departing during the school year, our numbers are constantly fluctuating. These days, we usually have around 400 students on roll across two campuses. With our Early Years to Group 4 taught at the Rembrandt location and Groups 5 to 8 at Mondrian, we are bigger now than the original school in which we started as just an international department. As we continue to grow, we develop and innovate the ways in which we use our spaces for learning. 

Link to: Contact us

IPS Hilversum

One school, two campuses
✆0356216053 ✉info@ipshilversum.nl

This school belongs to the local education board Stip Hilversum
To find more Stip Hilversum schools CLICK HERE