Primary School Starts at Four – And Here's Why I Love That | Amsterdam Mamas

Kris Herwig’s daughter recently turned four. Read on to find how entering the Dutch education system works for this age, and how satisfied Kris feels about her daughter’s experience. Turning Four is Special For a child growing up in the Netherlands, turning four is not just another birthday – it’s a mini coming of age, a transition from the daycare days of the little ones into the wider world of the big kids. It’s time to go to basisschool (primary school)! Children in the Netherlands generally start school the day after they turn four.