German School System Overview

First Day of School Tradition

• Schultüte: A cone filled with stationery, sweets, and goodies for young kids on their first school day.

School Day Structure

• Traditional school day: 8 AM to 1 PM.
• Many schools now offer full days including homework and extracurricular activities.
• Lunch options: school canteen meals (reputation not great), packed lunch, or eating at home.

Differences from UK Schools

• No school uniform.
• Homework restrictions on weekends.

Grading System

• Grades range from 1 to 6, with 1 being the best.
• Secondary schools: 15 is the best grade (equivalent to a 1+).
• A grade average can technically be 0.67.
• Failing two or more subjects could lead to repeating the year.

Foreign Language Education

• Common languages: English, French, Latin.

School Hours

• Class 'hours' (Stunde) are typically 45 minutes long.
• "Doppelstunde" means a double lesson.

Competitive Sports

• Not emphasized between schools.
• Sports usually played in external organizations.

The German School System

Primary Education

• Grundschule: Grades 1 to 4.

Secondary Education

• Hauptschule: Ends after grade 9 or 10. Leads to vocational college/apprenticeship.
• Realschule: Ends after grade 10. Leads to technical trades or further education.
• Gymnasium: Academic path leading to Abitur exams after grade 12 or 13.
• Gesamtschulen: Comprehensive schools introduced in the 1960s, combining traditional streams.
• Föderschulen: Schools for pupils with special needs, separate from mainstream.

Flexibility and Criticism

• Recommendations for secondary school from primary teachers; binding in some states.
• Ability to move between streams at certain points.
• Criticism for elitism and early separation.
• Private schools: less than 10% attendance, with numbers growing, especially in eastern states.

Homeschooling

• Illegal due to the right to education and socialization.

International Assessment

• PISA report: Above average in reading, maths, and science.
• Underperforming in equal opportunities and digitalization.
• Digital training for teachers ranked 76th out of 78 countries.

Digitalization Efforts

• €5 billion promised by 2024 for IT administrators and digital devices.
• Unequal school resources: modern vs. poorly maintained facilities.
• Bureaucracy issues hinder funding distribution.

Graduation Traditions

• Abi-streich: Students take over the school with pranks on the last day.
• Abi-ball: Graduation ball akin to prom.
• Abi-motto: A motto or pun for the year.
• Abi-fahrt: A trip taken by school leavers, popular for being cheap and touristy.