School System
When you move to Germany, the education system needs to be taken into serious consideration. German school system is very different from many other countries. Each federal state is responsible for its own state education.
Different Schools
There are different types of schools namely
- International schools
- Government schools
- Bilingual schools
| Age | Type Of School |
|---|---|
| 4Months - 6 Years | Kindergarten / Daycare |
| 6 Years - 10 Years | Primary School |
| 10 Years - 18 Years | Secondary Scool |
International schools are the excellent option when you move to a country with a child who has already started the education in the home country. They ease the transition of the child in education from one country to another.
They have small sized classrooms, high standard facilities and lots of extra curricular classes. The fees is comparitively high compared to other educational options.
The classes are taught in English but almost all the schools are bilingual English/German. Most of the qualifications programms are internationally recognised and accepted by all the universities worldwide such as IGCGSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education), the International Baccalaureate IB, the American high school diploma as well as the German Abitur.
Government School :
Government schools provide high standards of education. Its a great opportunity to integrate with the local people and to learn the language easily. The Government school teaches only in German. The education is free but they have fewer extra curricular activities than the private and international schools.
Bilingual School :
The Bilingual schools teach lessons in German and English/French/Spanish/Itallien. Their fees are little high and are determined according to the income of the parents. It is effective for the students who stay in Germany for a short time.
Daycare (Kindertagesstätte)
Daycare, otherwise know as In-Home Childcare is where parents drop off their children at the home of an adult who looks after them in a regular on-going process. All childminders have attended special courses to become qualified childcare providers. They have a permit from the authority responsible for children ( Youth Welfare Office – Jugendamt) and are regularly inspected.
At the Daycare, children can play and learn.It offers a home-like setting, rather than a centre one. Family child programs usually offer a mixed age group with a collection of infants, toddlers and preschoolers which makes it more like a family than a classroom.
The following link help you to find the vacancies in the nearest Daycare centers in your local area www.
Kindergarten
In Germany all children from few months old can join the kindergarten. Some kindergartens also accept children below 3 years in a seperate infants and toddler group.
Q.What are the Types of kindergarten available?
There are international and bilingual kindergartens with the options of half day or full day classes. Kindergartens are run by the state or by private institutions. The state-run Kindergartens tend to be the cheapest while those run by private individuals are the most expensive.
Q.When should I register my child for kindergarten?
It is recommended to register the child for the kindergarten as there is always a long waiting list in most of the kindergartens.You can find the availability of free kindergarten seats in the following links www.kita.de , www.
The local resident office sends a official enrollment letter which should be provided in the kindergarten by the parents as early as possible to ensure a place for the child. There are half day and full day kindergartens.
A Kindergarten offers a wonderful place to develop the little ones. Kids social development, eating,playing and often concentrates on structured play, arts and crafts, music and helping coordination. Children do learning and playing in the kindergarten. The social skills are developed and in a protected environment the children learn independence and learn to handle little difficulties. They learn sharing and making friendship.
Things to carry on the First day of the Kindergarten :
- Extra sets of clothing
- A pair of soft indoor shoes
- Rain Jacket and Rain boots
- Diapers for Infants
- Sunscreen Cream and cap during Summer
Preschool Child ( Vorschulkinder )
The last year in the kindergarten before the child leaves to primary school is the preparatory phase for the child. The Preschool group does writing and reading once a week. They are taken to the streets and taught the road rules and discipline with a traffic police. They are taken to museums and other important places in the city. The kids are given walking pass during the kindergarten farewell . They should be able to deal with setbacks and small disputes all by themselves. The entire life structure of the child changes.
Financial Support
Child Allowance ( Kindergeld ) : All parents living in Germany for atleast six months are given child allowance upto 184Euros for every child under 18 years. The tax assesment also takes place according to the income of the parent and and the child allowance. This helps the parents in bringing up the children with not too much financial burden.
Maternity Allowance ( Mutterschaft geld ) : Every expecting working woman in Germany, regardless of her nationality, goes on maternity leave six weeks before her due date. After giving birth, she stays at home for another eight weeks. If she is not self-employed and has state-funded health insurance, she will keep receiving her average net income during the entire period.
Parental Allowance ( Eltern geld ) : All parents with children who are too early to attend the kindergarten get the parental allowance until the child joins the kindergarten provided
Primary School ( Grundschule )
When children are six years old, they are required to go to school.The attendance is compulsory in Germany. Majority of the German schools are run by the state so there is no charge of fees for your children to attend. There are also private and international schools, which charge fees.Each state is responsible for education policy.
Q.What do we learn at Primary School?
The Primary school provides the Base for the education of children and plays a major role in development of their personality. The main focus is on Reading, Writing and Arithmetic which is developed step by step according to each child. Children between the age group of 5 and 6 are joined here.
Q.When and What are the criteries to Choose the Right Primary School
Parents choose the schools in close proximity for their ease. When the child turns 6 before June 30 or December 30 (the date varies state to state) the child is a 'must child' ( muss kind ) and when the child has completed 5 years then the child is 'can child' ( kann kind ). It is recommended to enroll a child in primary school only when he/she has completed the age of 6 years , however When a kann kind wishes to join the primary school the child is required to take a test(what is the name of this test) to prove the eligibility ( Einschulungs Untersuchung ).
Q.What is the procedure to enroll a child in Primary School
The School enrolment test has to be taken to confirm the learning ability of children. This study is important for the child as mental and physical health is an important prerequisite for successful learning. In addition, social behaviours and psycho-intellectual area are examined during this test. The possible tasks and questions to be asked in the test are : Tell me the names of your kindergarten friends, List down 5 things bought in a bakery, List down 5 things you see on the road, Draw a man ( they expect details like eyes,ears,fingers and neck ), Write down your name.
Q.What is Schultüte
The first school day is very important for the children and parents. It is a tradition in Germany to carry a Schultüte which is a cone shaped cardboard box filled with sweets and small presents.
Q.Changing from Primary School to secondary School
Each year is referred to as Grade. A primary School has 4 grades starting from Grade 1 to Grade 4 where grade 4 being the final year of Primary School. Once the child completes four years in the primary school the teacher recommends which type of secondary school the child can take based on the performance and interest. Depending on the development and the learning ability, or the necessity to do so, it is possible for the child to repeat the first and second grade one to three times.
Q.What to do when children have difficulty in speaking German.
Foreign children who were not born in Germany or who do not speak German at home often have difficulties with the German language. To improve their German, they can go to the remedial classes.
Q.What is Hitzefrei
During summer when the temperature exceeds the room temperature of more than 27 degree celsius, the school authorities either declare holidays or the working hours of the schools are shortened. There is no law as such for heat-free days, but the school authorities decide it after meeting the pupil's head and the teacher's council.
Secondary schools do not get heat-free. If in a particular case the student is risked due to the high temperature then the student has to be released from the school.
Evaluation and Assessment ( Schulnoten ) :
Performance in schools are based on the academics and the social behaviour of the pupil. An assessment sheet recording the achievements and progress of the pupil is given from the first grade.
However across Germany, standards are high and pupils are tested regularly at every level, receiving two reports(Noten) a year with grades from 1–6 (1 being the highest).
| Noten | |
| 1 | Sehr Gut (Very good) |
| 2 | Gut (Good) |
| 3 | Befriedigend (satisfactory) |
| 4 | Genügend (Sufficient) |
| 5 | mangelhaft (Inadequate) |
| 6 | Ungenügend (Insufficient) |
- Pencil Case ( Soft pencils, An eraser, A pencil sharpener, Colored pencils, Markers, A ruler)
- School Book
- Folders
- Gym Bag
- Materials for Art Class ( Glue, Scissors, Sketchpad, Paintbox, Brush, Crayons, Thrush, Cloth)
- Snack Box and Water Bottl
- Note For Homework
- Personal Identification Card of the Parents (Passport)
- Personal Identification Card of the Child (For the proof of name and Address )
- The yellow hospital book of the Child (Gelbebuch)
- The child’s Immunisation Record (Impfausweis)
- Proof of the School entrance Examination.
Exemption/Leave From School :
- Sickness / Doctor Visit
- Serious Illness or death of a close family members.
- Marriage of a close family member
- Baptism or Communion of a close family member
- Active participation of the pupil in sports / scientific competition
- Participation in voluntary activity
Secondary School
The academic year consists of two semesters and normally starts around the middle of August. There are four different types of secondary schools in Germany. Depending upon the performance of the student, the parents choose and the teachers recommend any one of these.
Gymnasium :
This is the most advanced schooling system of all. After the secondary school education the students take up the final exam called “Abitur”. The highest qualification from a school is the “Abitur”.The Gymnasium prepares the students for higher education. Passing the Abitur entitiles a student from entering into the University. In Gymnasium certain subjects are compulsory that includes two foreign languages too. When the student has successful attendance in 10th grade,then they pass on to the advanced level. The advanced level has introductory phase ( class 11 ) and qualification phase ( class 11 and class12 ). By completing the qualification phase successfully eligibility for the University entrance examinantion (Fachhochschulreife) can be obtained
Realschule :
The realschule is for the intermediary students. It starts with the 5th grade. The aim is to develop the practical skills and understand the theoretical connections too. At the end of the 6th grade, a school conference will decide whether the student will be transferred to the seventh grade of the Realschule, or the student has the ability to attend a different school form, such as the Hauptschule or the Gymnasium. In the course of the four to six years the young people are able to set technical, scientific, linguistic, social or economic aspects.
Hauptschule :
The Hauptschule is for those who are less academically gifted. It prepares students for vocational education and ends with a Hauptschulabschluss. It is generally considered the least demanding of the secondary school types but is highly appropriate for those wishing to enter a manual trade ( Lehre ) or an apprenticeship in certain industrial sectors. Academic achievers may also be transfered to a Gymnasium if they want to obtain the necessary level required to enter university.
Gesamtschule :
At the end of the primary school when the parents and teachers are not pretty sure about the further progress of the student they choose a comprehensive school combining all education types. So the three forms of schools ie. Gymnasium,Hauptschule and Realschule is combined as Gesamtschule. Here there are no formation of different classes, and thus also students with different talents under one roof, who learn together there and prepare for the various school degrees.
Berufshule :
Beyond the Hauptschule and Realschule lies the Berufsschule, combining part-time academic study and apprenticeship. The successful completion of an apprenticeship program leads to certification in a particular trade or field of work. These schools differ from the other ones mentioned in that control rests not with the local and regional school authorities, but with the federal government, industry and the trade unions.
No matter what kind of school a student attends, he/she must complete at least nine years of education. A student dropping out of a Gymnasium, for example, must enroll in a Realschule or Hauptschule until nine years have been completed. Students are required to study at minimum one foreign language for at least five years.