As part of her PhD at the Groningen Institute for Educational Research (the University of Groningen), she investigates how performance standards can be used for improving early reading comprehension. A teacher Professional Development programme, targeting second- and thrid-grade teachers, has been developed and will be evaluated for this purpose.

Ms Van Kuijk gave a presentation on school performance feedback systems in Dutch primary schools to MEd and PhD students in the post-graduate laboratory on the 11 October 2012. During the fruitful presentation, co-ordinated by the CEA’s academic support co-ordinator, Ms Cilla Dowse, the postgraduate students were given a glimpse of the structure of the Dutch Education System and its National Monitoring and Assessment System. Ms Van Kuijk also discussed the role of this Monitoring and Assessment System for the teacher Professional Development intervention study she has conducted, and discussed how the Professional Development programme fosters 'data-driven teaching’ amongst primary school teachers.

During her stay, Ms Van Kuijk will focus on writing articles on her PhD-project. In addition to this, Ms Van Kuijk will be visiting a selection of primary schools in Gauteng that participate in the South African Monitoring System for Primary Schools (SAMP) project run by the CEA as well as visiting schools participating in other CEA projects to broaden her exposure to the South African schooling system.