Educational systems can be differentiated on the basis of vocational/professional and academic tracks. The Netherlands are known as a country with a strong differentiation. In principle pupils at the age of 12 are differentiated into the vocational or academic track (on the basis of a test and the advice of the primary school). 60 Percent go to the vocational track in secondary education (vmbo). International research into tracking systems is contradicting about the (dis)advantages of less or high differentiation (see references). The (pre-)vocational secondary track consists of 4 pathways: basic, middle-management, combined and theoretical. Students of the basic and middle-management continu their career in secondary vocational education (level 1 or 2) or go to work. Most students of the combined and theoretical pathways continu their school career in secondary vocational education (level 3 or 4), a growing percentage (nearly 20) opt for senior general secondary education (havo). Students with a diploma of the combined or theoretical pathway have a right to go to the 4th class of senior general secondary education. In two years they can obtain the general diploma. (In our paper and presentation we will offer a clear overview of the tracks and pathways in the Dutch educational system.) So, the combined and theoretical pathways can function as a bridge between vocational and general education. Especially a bridge for disadvantaged students. In the past this route was counteracted by the Dutch government very much, because of reasons of efficiency. Nowadays this route is stimulated because of reasons of combatting social inequality. In our research we were interested in how schools for senior general secondary education react on students from the vocational tracks. There is little systemic knowledge about the way that schools for general education operate on students with a vocational background. The research questions are: What admission policy do schools for senior general secondary education have regarding the students that come from the secondary vocational schools? Do they require extra demands apart from the diploma? Do they give extra guidance to the vocational students? How do students from the secondary vocational schools do in comparison to the pupils that flow from the 3th class of senior general secondary education?

There are about 500 senior general secondary schools in the Netherlands. From these we took a stratified sample of 140. The stratification criterium was the 12 provincies. From 83 schools (59%) we received a filled in questionnaire. The questionnaire has been filled in by the school leader, the dean and/or the counsellor. We conducted a nonresponse research, the results of which where comparable with the results of the main research. The quantitative information is analyzed by use of SPSS. We mainly used frequencies, crosstabs and correlational techniques. The research was conducted at the end of 2007. At the moment of writing this submission (February 2009) we analyze and report a (adjusted) repetition of the research. At ECER 2009 we will report the newest results and compare them with the former measurement.

Schools for senior general secondary education require all kinds of extra demands besides the diploma, such as a positive advice of the dean or counsellor of the vocational school (about two thirds) or sufficient motivation and learning attitude. They check this at the intake conversation. 4 Out of 10 schools require a sufficient mean mark on the diploma list. We can conclude that most schools for senior general education build in all kinds of guarantees for the admission of students from vocational schools. On the basis of our research there is now a policy discussion if schools are allowed to state extra demands. The schools differ very much concerning the extra guidance they give. Students of vocational tracks do less than students of the general track. 75 Percent vocational students complete the general education track in two or three years in comparison to 85% of the general secondary education students.