A happy classroom for every child.

At the Theo Thijssenschool, like every primary school in Amsterdam-Centrum, deep budget cuts are hitting hard. Visual arts (bevo), gym for kindergartners and the cultural programme are on the line — exactly the things that make our school what it is: that lovely, small, creative school in the Jordaan. We're a group of parents making sure it stays that way. Will you join us?

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The story

We all chose this school on purpose.

We all chose this school on purpose. For that lovely, small, creative, warm school in the Jordaan. That's why we, as parents, are stepping up. We'd much rather not have had to start this — but the cuts to primary education in Amsterdam leave us no real choice.

In short: deep cuts are coming to the Theo Thijssenschool, like every primary school in Amsterdam-Centrum. As parents, we want to keep the school the school it is. We're doing that by raising money together for the things that would otherwise disappear. And by asking for your help, with a voluntary contribution or your time.

What's going on. Primary education in Amsterdam-Centrum is facing deep, structural budget cuts. The causes: rising staff costs, subsidies that haven't kept up with inflation, the end of one-off Covid funding, and falling pupil numbers in the city centre. At the TTSA that means: groups 6 and 7 (ages 9–11) will be combined next year, additional language tuition has already been cut, one day a week of gym for early years by a specialist teacher can no longer be funded, and the weekly visual arts lesson by a specialist teacher is on the line. The school's leadership is doing everything they can to keep the quality of teaching high. But they need help, and that help is something we as parents can give. This foundation is therefore from all parents, for all children.

Why we're doing this. It's a school where children don't just learn to read and do maths, but also paint, move and make music. We want it to stay that way. A happy classroom for our children.

That's why we, as parents, are stepping up. We've set up a foundation that raises money through voluntary contributions to support the teaching at our school. The first priorities are keeping physical education for early years in small groups, and the weekly visual arts lessons by a specialist teacher. Everything we fund is for the whole school. Our priorities cut across the year groups: gym for kindergartners affects groups 1 and 2 (ages 4–6), visual arts affects groups 3 to 8 (ages 6–12), the cultural programme affects everyone. We work on all three at once and don't allocate them per donor or per group.

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Join us

Our first goal is €40,000 a year.

Enough to keep visual arts and gym for early years exactly as they are now. With €80,000 we can reverse the cuts to visual arts of the past few years, so every child gets art classes all year round. In the longer term we're working towards €100,000 a year. We ask for a voluntary annual contribution.

€100

per child per year

The base amount. A serious contribution that already gets us a long way.

Donate €100

Most chosen

€200

per child per year

The target amount. With this you help keep visual arts and the cultural programme going, for the whole school.

Donate €200

€300

per child per year

The supporter amount. For those who can give more, making room for extra programmes and helping parents who can't contribute.

Donate €300

€?

your own amount

More is welcome, less is welcome, nothing is also fine. Anything goes, all anonymous.

Choose your amount

It's entirely voluntary and entirely anonymous. If you can't or don't want to contribute, neither the foundation nor the school will know. All contributions are processed anonymously, so it can have no consequences whatsoever for your child. That's the Theo Thijssenschool too. As parents we step up for every child at the school, each in our own way.

Good to know: this is separate from the voluntary parent contribution (parent association contribution / OR-bijdrage) you pay via school for things like Sinterklaas and Koek en Boek, and separate from lunch supervision (TSO) and after-school care (BSO). The contribution to the foundation covers additional education that the government no longer funds: visual arts, gym for kindergartners by a specialist teacher, and the cultural programme.

Tax benefit. We've applied for ANBI status (Dutch tax-deductible charity status) at the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax authority) application pending. Once granted, a periodic donation (a 5-year written commitment that's fully tax-deductible under ANBI status) is deductible in full, with no threshold or ceiling. A donation of €200 a year then costs you around €115 net (in the 37% tax bracket); for those who give more, or who have several children at the school, the benefit goes up further. Read more about periodic giving on the Donate page, or email info@gelukkigeklas.nl for help arranging it.

The support is there

In April 2026 we sent a survey to the parent community. More than 200 parents filled it in.

96%

is willing, or possibly willing, to contribute

€183

is the average amount per year parents say they'd give

34%

of parents want to contribute €200 or more per year

From the survey

What parents said.

"It's such a relief and so wonderful that you're taking this on. Knowing this can keep supporting my daughter's happiness at school means a lot."

"Very worrying, this. Happy to think along and help if you can use it."

"Thank you for the initiative. Our family really appreciates it."

This shouldn't really be necessary.

We understand and feel the discomfort that this campaign is needed at all. Parents shouldn't have to step in to keep basic primary education up to standard. We agree.

That's why we see this foundation as an interim solution. Not a new normal. We keep pushing to get this issue onto the political agenda, together with other Amsterdam schools, and addressed to both the city and national government. Because every child in Amsterdam deserves art, music and movement. Not just the children of parents who can afford to contribute.

Our ambition is that this foundation makes itself redundant one day. Until then, we do it together.

Progress

€0 committed

of €40,000 — first annual goal

€40,000 · keep visual arts + early-years gym €80,000 · reverse the cuts to visual arts €100,000 · multi-year goal

Join us

Can't contribute? No problem. Can you give more? You make extra programmes possible.

That's how, together, we make sure there's a happy classroom for every child. Want to help in another way — with your time, your expertise or your network? Email info@gelukkigeklas.nl.

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