Historic Home
Our school is housed in a building steeped in history, formerly known as The Huis van Bewaring (House of Detention), designed by W.C. Metzelaar and constructed between 1888 and 1891. Originally situated in the rural municipality of Nieuwer-Amstel, the area became part of Amsterdam by 1910. The prison, initially called the Amstelveenseweg Detention Centre, played a key role in the city’s penal system. Renamed House of Detention II in 1940, it was a notable site during World War II, holding resistance fighters and those arrested by the Nazi regime, including Johannes Kleiman, Victor Kugler, and Hannie Schaft.
The prison was decommissioned in 1978, briefly reopened in 1987, and permanently closed in 2013. Despite its closure, the building remains an architectural and historical landmark in Amsterdam Zuid. The transformation of Huis van Bewaring into The British School of Amsterdam is a new chapter in its storied past, preserving its legacy while giving it a vibrant, new purpose.
The school is privileged to be custodians of a building rich with history, offering unique opportunities to experience living history through encounters with individuals like Selma van der Perre and Dickie Groenteman, who were held in the prison during World War II. You can read more about these events here.
Building Project
We are honoured to have transformed a former prison monument, rich in history, into a state-of-the-art educational facility. In February 2017, we were thrilled to purchase this magnificent 19th-century site from the Rijks Vastgoed Bedrijf as our new school location. The building has been meticulously redesigned to high specifications, bringing together all three sections of our school—Early Years, Juniors, and Seniors—under one roof. While preserving the historic façade visible from the Amstelveenseweg roundabout, we have created a space that combines tradition with modernity, reflecting our commitment to innovation and student-centred learning.
Our appreciation of the site’s historic significance is evident in our close collaboration with the Monuments Department of the Municipality of Amsterdam and our choice of architects experienced in renowned projects like the Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank Huis. The school, which officially opened in April 2021, offers exceptional facilities and a capacity to house up to 1,200 students. This project is a testament to how adaptive reuse can revitalise historic buildings, turning them into vibrant, functional spaces that meet contemporary educational needs while honouring their storied past.
