First Day of School for Princess Amalia: December 10, 2007

[Princess Robijn]

Princess Amalia will be going to school on December 10, 2007.
Het Koninklijk Huis

 

[TLLK]

A day that will stand out in her parents' memories forever. It can be surprising the mix of emotions that you feel when your child enters school. I hope that Princess C-A will enjoy every moment of this exciting day.

 

[Tan]

Sorry, but how old is Amalia? Three maybe Four Years??? Is she not a little bit to young for school?

 

[Maxie]

Amalia turns 4 on december 7th. It's normal to go to school when your 4 years old. Every child in the Netherlands goes to school at the age of 4. First she will have two years of something that's a bit like kindergarten and at the age of 6 she starts learning to read etc. She'll switch to high school around the age of 12.

 

[Tan]

Amalia turns 4 on december 7th. It's normal to go to school when your 4 years old. Every child in the Netherlands goes to school at the age of 4. First she will have two years of something that's a bit like kindergarten and at the age of 6 she starts learning to read etc. She'll switch to high school around the age of 12.

Thanks...

In Germany, you go to kindergarten and with 6/7 you go to school, and with 10 years you go in one of three diffrent schools (a kind of high school).

I didn´t know Europe is so diffrent in the scholl system thing.

 

[Maxie]

You know, it's not really different. Some 20/30 years ago, it was the same in the Netherlands, but now they included the 'Kindergarten' in the rest of the elementary school. So kids from 4-12 are in the same buidling, so to say...

 

[magnik]

Starting school on December 10 it's almost like a Christmas present for Amalia

Another little princess who'll do a big step in her school career.

 

[stephanievl]

Sorry, but how old is Amalia? Three maybe Four Years??? Is she not a little bit to young for school?

Young? In Belgium childern go to school when they are 2,6 years old!
Prince Gabriël ahs the same age as Amalia and he started this year his second year of school!

I find it a verry good that Amalia is going to a public school!

Website of her new school
Welkom op de site van de Openbare Bloemcampschool, Wassenaar

 

[MissSaga]

Oh wow, time sure just flies by .. I still remember the icy december morning I heard Maxima has given birth to a little girl

 

[lucien]

The Bloemcamp elimentary school,Wassenaar.Amalia has been looking forward for months to go to school,as "she will be a big girl then",Btw,there will be a photo shoot at the start of her first day as a "big girl".
PPE Agency

Courtesy PPE/

 

[Marengo]

A photoshoot? Now that is more then I hoped for, they are certainly generous to us. Prive showed some pictures of the school, apparently people were installing security camera´s etc.

 

[Verde Esmeralda]

So we will have another cover like Hola's, when Princess Leonor of Spain started school...(i know, she's younger). Those were cute, I imagine these will be fantastic!

For the record, in Argentina we might start Kindergarten either at 2 (so did I), 3 or 4 years old, depending on your parent's wishes.

 

[principessa]

I hope she will enjoy her time at school.

 

[pollyemma]

does anyone know a bit more about this school? does it have any religious affiliation?

 

[marmi]

In NZ, kidsa start playcentre or kindergarten at 2 or 3, school at 5, intermediate school about 11 and high school would average 13. That is 5 years and then there is the option of university. Just to add that to the comparisons...

 

[lucien]

Thanks...

In Germany, you go to kindergarten and with 6/7 you go to school, and with 10 years you go in one of three diffrent schools (a kind of high school).

I didn´t know Europe is so diffrent in the scholl system thing.

It differs extremely indeed.The eldest children of my brother,12 and 11 respectively,are in 3rd grade and 2nd grade gymnasium in München,the youngest,9,skipped a class and will follow next year.Here in The Netherlands that wouldn't be the case untill the 12th year of age.I think even within germany rules are different,and Bavaria stands out as having a very strict and extraordinary high level of education,would be dubbed "oldfashioned and too strict" here,but it does work wonders for the children and their future chances,imho.

Oh well,stick to the topic,I'm sure Amalia will enjoy school,would be helpfull as she will be in one for the next 20 years or so....OMG,....I hope to still be around by then....

 

[TLLK]

does anyone know a bit more about this school? does it have any religious affiliation?

From what I've read on the Benelux Royals Message board, this school doesn't have any religous affiliation. Now I could have read this incorrectly, but this appears to be the local state school. (Apparently the neighborhood is very nice.)

 

[stephanievl]

It is a public school (with no religious affection) with 360 students. The school is situated in a "villa" neighbourhood and the majority of the childern's parents are high educated. The school results of the childern are above the average in Holland.

 

[TLLK]

It is a public school (with no religious affection) with 360 students. The school is situated in a "villa" neighbourhood and the majority of the childern's parents are high educated. The school results of the childern are above the average in Holland.

Thank you for the information. I can think of some American public schools where one would find a very similar student body.

 

[TLLK]

I think that it is wonderful that she can attend a public/state school. The last child of an American president who attended a public school was Amy Carter. Since then private schools have been the norm. Teenaged Chelsea Clinton attended a private academy, Sidwell Friends. Knowing that the princess will require extra security, will it affect the way parents drop off and pick up their children from school?

 

[christinacg]

So she starts school in December. Here in the USA the school year starts in late August or early September. In the Netherlands, does the school year start in December, or is she herself starting in December because thats when she turns 4 years old?

 

[Vanesa]

Huh...I always tought that the scholar year would beging in SEPTEMBER in Europe... Maybe it's different in some European countries?


Vanesa.

 

[lucien]

Schools start here in august/september too,depending on the part of the country you live in as holidays have been divided in North,Middle and South with a difference of 1 to two weeks,to avoid traffic jams and such if all would go at the same time.

But,like in Amalia's case,as soon as children reach the age of four,regardless the time of year,they start attending in what we call here group 1,a mixture of kindergarten and elimentary education.Hope the explanation is clear enough?

 

[TLLK]

Thank you Lucien. Your explanation is very clear. Do teachers move students up into a higher level class if they feel they have the maturity and ability to do higher level work?

 

[ZandraRae]

Wow! I can't wait to see the little cutie go to school. And a photoshoot on top of it. Willem Alexander and Maxima sure are generous to us!

 

[Verde Esmeralda]

I also find it very interesting that Amalia is going to attend a public school, and not some posh-exclusive school. But I am wondering how the relationship between the little Princess and her schoolmates could develop.

Yes, I know, she's just a 4 year old kid - probably not even close to being conscious about who she is and what her future looks like- and I know she is not supossed to run around in the playground yelling "bow to me, I am going to be your Queen one day". But I do think it might be a little bit odd to the rest after a while...don't you think? "My mom told me you are a Princess"

 

[Aurora810]

My biggest concern would be competition among other parents to make sure their kid is a friend to the little princess. I mean in a way the kids are too young to understand but the parents are not. But I think Fred and Joachim went to a public high school and that seemed to work out okay for them so who knows. I'm sure W-A and Maxima have thought of many different issues that could come up. This has probably been well planned out!

 

[prinsesbeagle]

WA and his brothers went to a public school to just like every other kid here in Holland so I'm sure they don't see a problem with it and esp WA will know what Amalia might encounter along the way.

 

[stephanievl]

My biggest concern would be competition among other parents to make sure their kid is a friend to the little princess. I mean in a way the kids are too young to understand but the parents are not. quote]

I don't think that will be like that! All the Belgian royal kids go to a public school and that never was a problem! If it wouls be, it can also be in private schools!
I find public school better, they don't get a special treatment, they get to know all different kinds of peoles (rich, not-rich, immigrants, ..) I think it is better for the future.

 

[Marengo]

And luckily children will be children, at that age they can not be forced to like anybody.
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I believe either Maxima or WA said that Amalia is looking forward to school, as she considers herself to be truly a big girl then.