lesuur

Lesuur is a Dutch-language term used in education to denote a block of time allocated for a single instructional period within a school day. The word combines les, meaning lesson, and uur, meaning hour, and it is analogous to the English “class period” or “lesson slot.”

In the Netherlands and in Flemish-speaking Belgium, timetables are structured around lesuren. The length of a lesuur varies by school but is commonly between 45 and 60 minutes. Some schools schedule double lesuren for certain subjects or activities, such as laboratories, art, or physical education, to provide longer uninterrupted teaching time.

Role and planning: The number of lesuren assigned to each subject per week affects curriculum pacing, homework load, and assessment schedules. Attendance, room usage, and teacher planning are typically organized around these blocks.

Variations and scope: While the term is standard in Dutch-speaking education, the exact practice—such as the daily total of lesuren and the average duration—depends on national education policy at the regional level and on individual school timetables. The concept also influences school calendars and timetable design.

See also: timetable, block scheduling.