At the end of the school year, your final average is calculated. But how exactly does this work? And does your average determine if you advance? In this article, we explain it.
Periods and report grades
Most secondary schools work with periods:
- Two semesters per year (2 report grades)
- Three trimesters per year (3 report grades)
- Four periods per year (4 report grades)
How is the final average calculated?
There are different methods to determine the final grade:
Method 1: Average of period grades
The final grade is the average of all period grades. Example: P1=7, P2=6, P3=8 → Final grade = (7+6+8)/3 = 7.0
Method 2: Continuous average
All individual grades from the year are counted with their weights. This often gives a more precise picture.
Ask your teacher or mentor which method your school uses!
The final report card
The final report card shows your rounded grades per subject. Note:
- Final grades are usually rounded to whole numbers
- Some schools also show your cumulative average
- The final report card determines if you are promoted
Promotion standards
Whether you advance depends on your school's promotion standards. Typical rules are:
- Maximum of 1 or 2 insufficient grades (5) allowed
- No grade lower than 4
- Core subjects (Dutch, English, mathematics) must be sufficient
Calculate your final average
Use our calculator to see what your final average will be and which grades you still need to achieve your goal.