Why BTEC3 at Kronenburgh ?
BTEC3 education at Kronenburgh is completely different from regular secondary education. Read on to find out exactly what makes it so different.
You can draw only one conclusion: students grow tremendously during the course of their studies (and we at Kronenburgh are incredibly proud of that).
Start learning about what actually interests you.
You choose BTEC3 at Kronenburgh because you already have a general idea of the direction you want to take in higher professional education (HBO) and/or your future career. Why spend time acquiring general knowledge in secondary education when you can start studying in your chosen field right now: International Business or Entrepreneurship?
Fast Track
Kronenburgh offers ‘Fast Track’ courses—accelerated training programs. At Kronenburgh, a BTEC3 course takes one year. This is achieved simply by picking up the pace. You certainly won’t get bored at Kronenburgh; the time flies, and before you know it, you’ll be standing outside the college building at your graduation ceremony, diploma and bouquet of flowers in hand.
Think-Act-Grow
As a private school, we value a healthy balance between the transfer of knowledge and its practical application. We employ the THINK – ACT – GROW learning principle. We start the morning by presenting knowledge, interspersed with short exercises during our interactive sessions (THINK). In the afternoon, we put this into practice through hands-on sessions—working on assignments, case studies, and projects—and completing all homework (ACT). This is how you develop into the kind of professional the business world is looking for (GROW). You could also call this ‘Activity Based Learning’ (learning by doing). Learning by doing is, and remains, the best teacher.
Performing within a clear structure
The curriculum is structured around modules. Once a module is completed, a new one begins. This allows you to explore a wide range of interesting business-related topics, meaning you don’t study the same subjects all year long.
During a class day (9:00 AM – 4:20 PM), the focus is on a single module—such as ‘Entrepreneurship’—rather than switching subjects every hour. This approach allows us to delve deep into the material and make significant progress.
We wrap up each class day with an end-of-day test, so you know immediately whether you are meeting the required standard. It also gives the lecturer daily insight into how everyone is keeping up, helping them determine if specific topics need extra attention for the whole group or if an individual student requires additional explanation.
Each module concludes with an exam and usually a practical assignment involving a presentation or defense. If you do not pass a module, you are given a chance to retake it. We never lower the bar; you must pass every subject with a satisfactory grade. This demonstrates your mastery of both theory and practice—another great step forward.
Small-scale
Kronenburgh is not a mass-education factory. For modules shared across multiple study tracks, the average group size is 15 students; for track-specific modules, the average group size is even smaller.
We know one another well and are easily accessible. If you have any questions, you can simply drop in to see the programme director and/or your study advisor. At Kronenburgh, nothing gives us greater satisfaction than guiding you to the finish line and presenting you with the coveted Kronenburgh diploma.
Study support
The lecturer guides you during the tutorials and practical sessions on every day of classes. The lecturer reviews your work alongside you and provides feedback on your assignments and case studies. You also have a meeting with your mentor after each term. During the internship, you are supported by a supervisor from Kronenburgh and one from the internship company.
Lecturers from practice
As a private college, we are able to select instructors who also work in the business world. They teach the very subjects in which they are professionally active; for instance, you are taught marketing by a marketer and bookkeeping by a bookkeeper. It is fascinating to hear about these instructors’ real-world experiences. We do use textbooks, of course, but they inevitably lag behind current events. At Kronenburgh, our instructors bring real-time, up-to-date insights into the classroom every day.
Taking personal responsibility
At Kronenburgh, we prepare you for the professional world by aligning with the standard codes of conduct found in business. Honoring commitments, for instance, is crucial. If you fail to do so, you are the one who suffers the consequences: you won’t receive a positive assessment, and the rest of your class will move on to new challenges (new modules). That is not the outcome you want; this process teaches you to take responsibility simply because you value delivering a strong performance. At Kronenburgh, you learn the impact of your own actions. Nothing happens unless you take the initiative yourself. You also learn that you achieve results when you fully commit to the task at hand.
No mobile phone, laptop for assignments.
Having a mobile phone close at hand makes it hard to stay focused on the lesson, so phones must be kept in your locker. You should take notes while the material is being explained: writing things down is like programming your brain—it helps you remember. You can get your laptop out when we work on the assignments during the practical session.
In breadth and depth
Kronenburgh offers in breadth and depth education. You learn so much.
The range of topics you are introduced to during the programme is impressive. Each new theme is explored in depth, enabling you to truly grasp the subject matter and make a valuable contribution during your company internship.In English
To prepare students for the international business world, Kronenburgh offers a fully English-taught BTEC3 program.
We base our curriculum on the level of English proficiency achieved after four years of secondary education; so, if you did well in English at secondary school, you will do well at Kronenburgh too. Naturally, it takes a little getting used to if you are not a native speaker, but it quickly becomes second nature.
This is how we prepare you for the internship included in the program and for your future job at a great (international) company. It also serves as excellent preparation for Kronenburgh’s Bachelor’s program in International Business Management / Entrepreneurship, which is also taught entirely in English.
If you are a Dutch speaker, you also have the option of taking the Dutch MBO4 exam.
International education from Pearson
The BTEC education programme is international education offered around the world. Kronenburgh holds a license from Pearson to offer this curriculum, specifically the BTEC (Business Technology) program. This is the international equivalent of Dutch MBO (secondary vocational education). Read more about BTEC. (Kronenburgh also offers a bilingual MBO-4 programme in business studies (Dutch-English).)
Internship
An internshipis part of the programme. This is the perfect moment to put everything you have learned at Kronenburgh into practice, and a prime opportunity to show who you are and what you are capable of.
We are proud of the feedback from our internship supervisors, who describe Kronenburgh students as being a cut above the rest: they possess greater knowledge, show initiative, and the internship is viewed as a win-win situation. After a brief onboarding period, the students make a valuable contribution. “As a company, we really benefited from this internship, too.”
Parents are involved.
Parents or guardians are directly involved in Kronenburgh’s educational program. They attend the open day and/or the information evening. There is a parent information evening held during the first term. After each term, they also receive the student’s assessment and have the opportunity to discuss it with the school management. During the internship period, parents also receive email updates, allowing them to help monitor the student’s schedule. Naturally, they attend the graduation ceremony. Should the need for interim contact arise, an appointment can easily be arranged. In short, parents act as supportive partners throughout the course of study.
Parents observe that their son or daughter functions well within Kronenburgh’s educational structure. It is appreciated by everyone that homework is completed under the guidance of the lecturer during practical sessions. Parents also note that their son or daughter finds the course material interesting, which greatly enhances the enjoyment of learning. They see students taking more responsibility and achieving better academic results than they did in secondary school. Conversations at home take a different turn—such as asking, “How do you handle this at the company?” Parents also report positive impressions of the fellow students.
