Enriching learning experiences

One of the many advantages of being situated among the wooded dunes on the south side of The Hague, an area of unique natural beauty, is the opportunity our students get to connect with nature every day.

The International School of The Hague (ISH) has its very own lake, populated with diverse flora and fauna, and an eco-area where students and staff can spend breaks, and have lessons outside whenever possible.

Students from both Primary and Secondary make use of the space for a multitude of outdoor activities from testing their first solar-panelled boats to monitoring changing weather conditions. But it is not just the students who benefit from these beautiful surroundings – meet the ISH… chickens.

Kentucky, Blondie, Salmon Ella, and Gertrudis live a life of leisure on campus as the Chickeneers in Years 7 to 12 look after them every day. This co-curricular activity, for which students can earn important experiences that count towards the service component of their curriculum, teaches children all about how to take care of animals including feeding, cleaning out their coop, and carrying out any necessary repairs to keep them safe.

Chickeneers even get to experience growing their own food, using the rich soil next to the chicken coop to grow a variety of vegetables and herbs such as tomatoes, carrots, peppers, rosemary, and more. It turns out the ISH chickens have an appetite for sage, mint, and spinach. It is another example of high-quality learning and the school’s commitment to a wide variety of ways our students can find their passions and personal excellence. Aside from the obvious experiential benefit, students who want to, get to take the eggs home to their families.

A big thank you to Ms. Lira who had the vision for this project in 2019 and has consistently inspired an enthusiastic and compassionate group of students ever since. Always searching for ways to enrich our students’ learning experiences, her next project will be creating a butterfly habitat.

For more information about The International School of The Hague (ISH), please call 070 328 1450.

If you are new to the Netherlands, click here to learn about international education in the Netherlands.