Registering for primary school (Grundschule)

Hi,

Can someone tell me if we can change/opt for a grundshule or is it hard fixed by the authorities? We have two in nearby and wanted to get the kid admitted in one (which is adjacent to his kindergarten) but we are told that this is not assigned to our address.

Another question is regarding the anmuldung. My kid is going to be six years this july. He started kindergarten in september last year. So he is learning german as well. He already got a letter for anmuldung. Some body told me that the school people may refuse to take the kid this year because of his poor german. Is it true? Does any one has such experience?

Tayyab

As far as I know, there is a primary school assigned to your address and you have to send your child there, unless you have a specific reason not to (sending a child to an international primary school would be a reason, "we like the other one better" would not).
All children who are due to start school in September have to go to an appointment with their school doctor and perform a series of tests to prove that they are "suitable" to start school. On top of this, the Kindergarten teacher will also give a recommendation regarding social skills, language ability etc. I would suggest that you talk to your child's Kindergarten teacher about his/her opinion on the matter. It's not all that unusual for children to be kept back a year before starting school here in Germany.

Hi,

We have just moved to new place and changed the kindergarten. His previous kindergarten teachers never raised a question about his german, they were quite happy and confident with his quick learning (only few months of kindergarten).

He has already gone with the school doctor and she recomended him without any objections. Do we still have to be concerned? Is there any further test/examinations when you go for anmuldung for the school?

The reason why we want the school changed, is that, my younger kid goes to the same kindergarten which is adjecent to a school. But totally in the other direction of our assigned school. It does not make sense then to drop two kids in different directions. Either I change to school if possible or the kindergarten. I will preffer school if possible. (If possible).

Tayyab

If the doctor has recommended him, then you've only got the recommendation from the Kindergarten teacher to "worry" about. As I said, talk to them about how he is settling into the new kindergarten, and whether they have any concerns about school.
I'm not sure that your convenience is considered an adequate reason to send your child to a different school, but I've nver had the situation myself, so maybe someone will tell you differently. In theory though, the school that your child is allocated to should be the closest one to your address anyway, so they consider that as being the most convenient option.

Edit: Found this on the Muncih website Information about registering for primary school. This quote at the bottom of the first page would appear to be relevant:


So yes, it looks like your son will have to attend the school he is assigned to.

I think you have a strong case as you have to take your younger child in that direction anyway. Play the harrassed mother/ecologically sensible card. Point out the inconvenient public transport connection or the dangers of the route your older child would have to walk. Are you in employment? Tell the authorities that you cannot keep your job if you have to visit two different sites twice a day. Rake up lots of pros and be prepared for their cons, such as:
The school you want is full up with children from its own district - respond that people move all the time, there will certainly be vacancies by the time school starts.
You are a non-working mother, you have time on your hands - respond that traipsing back and forth for two hours every morning for a four to five hour school day severly limits your flexibility regarding things best done without dragging two kids around such as doctor appointments or appointments with the various authorities or even your German classes as you want to integrate in German society.
The other school has a special German program for foreign children - tough one. Hmm. Oh, your kid is coming along fine with German, the school doctor confirmed that his skills are sufficient to join school this autumn, special schooling will not be necessary.

And children pick up languages like chicken pox, they can't help but learn them when they're in contact with German speaking playmates all day. He'll be talking circles around you by September.

EDIT:

That is not always the case. My son was supposed to go to a school 3km away instead of one 1.5km away that I could drop him off at when I took his sister to day-care. The authorities said that there were too many boys in that school already. Luckily, we moved later on that year and automatically ended up in the closer school. Sometimes the authorities' reasons for doing things are even more far-fetched than the parents'.

Which is why I said "In theory" SB

The other thing to consider is his age. He will probably be the youngest in the class. This may be ok in Grundschule but as you progress further age definitely makes a difference. The Germans seem to always make the boys stay longer in Kindergarten to mature. My daughter has always been the youngest in her class (Birthday end August) - but in hindsight it would have been better to leave her in Kindergarten for another year just to mature a little. In her class now - at 16 - she is surrounded by 18 year olds which makes for very different dynamics and attitudes.

Kindergarten teacher recommendation? What if your child doesn't go to kindergarten?

Only applies if you plan to stay here for the long haul. You know - kids at the University until they're 28.

Other places around the world have a different schedule. Holding a child back a year here may impact them later somewhere else. Just something to think about.

You can apply for any publicly financed school you wish, but any school you apply to must be prepared to accept you. If applying out of your own area then the financing council in both your area and that of the school you are applying to must agree to the move (as it has cost implications for both). If you move your child away from the locally recommended school you are not eligible for any travel grants or supplementary financial support for your child. Many schools will take kindly to good reasons to accept your child, which might include "all his Kindergarten friends are coming to this school" or siblings already attend it. They will also take their own class sizes into account, if adding your child brings them close to or tips them over the class-size limit they may justifiably refuse your application because of the additional costs it would imply (setting up an additional class)

A (any) school is not obliged to accept your child if they think he/she is not educationally ready for their first class. They may defer his/her entry for a year or suggest an alternative school which can better support any special needs the child may have, particularly so for a child with educational difficulties which may include language issues. They may also accept him/her on condition that you accept they take further lessons (e.g. in German reinforcement) which they will normally offer free of charge within their curriculum.

Who and when decide for such refusal/defferment?

The school - at the Anmeldung/Schuleinschreibung. There is a limited right of appeal, but if the school doesn't want your child in the first place, it might be an idea to take their advice and look elsewhere, as an unwanted child is going to start school with a bad taste.

If you dont have the right/options to choose then how can you go somewhere else if your designated school refuses to take the kid?

There's nothing to stop another school taking you, and clearly you no longer have an issue with the designated school releasing their grip. If the designated school refused entry on an educational issue, then it's possible (or even likely) that no other (standard) school will take you if their assessment leads to the same conclusions, but you never know.