School system in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

The primary school consists of 4 years/grades in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Afterwards, all students attend the orientierungsstufe or orientation for two years. The orientierungsstufe aims to provide the children with the opportunity to develop their potential and to choose a professional/educational plan.

After the orientierungsstufe, the parents decide which school their child attends next; the school only provide a suggestion to help them in their decision. There are three options:

• Regionale Schule
• Gesamtschule
• Gymnasium

The Regionale Schule starts with the 5th grade, and student can graduate upon successfully finishing the 9th or 10th grade. The Regionale Schule prepares your child for career orientation at an early stage. Here your child can acquire the Berufsreife (after 9th grade) or the Mittler Reife (after 10th grade). Any of these school-leaving certificates suffice for starting vocational training. Students with Mittler Reife and good scores, can transfer to a Gesamtschule or gymnasium and do their Abitur.

The Gesamtschule starts with the 5th grade and ends with the 10th or 12th grade. Here your child can acquire the Berufsreife, the Mittler Reife or the Abitur. There are two types of berufsreife (after 9th grade) or the Mittler Reife (after 10th grade):

• In Kooperativen Gesamtschule, your child will have to decide about his/her school-leaving certificate at the end of 6th grade.
• In Integrierten Gesamtschule, your child does not have to decide about his/her school-leaving certificate until the 9th or 10th grade.

With a Berufsreife or Mittleren Reife, your child will be able to start vocational training. With an Abitur, he/she can choose between vocational training and university education.

The Gymnasium starts with the 5th grade and ends with an Abitur at the end of the 12th grade. In Gymnasiums, students have to study intensively and be very diligent. Those who leave the Gymnasium after the 9th or 10th grade often automatically obtain the Berufsreife or Mittleren Reife. With an Abitur, he/she can choose between vocational training and university education.

IOnce you leave the initial reception facility, your child must go to school. The school responsible for your child is the school closest to your home or accommodation centre. Children who do not speak German yet start from special German classes.

The staff at your accommodation will assist you in the registration process.

You will be given an appointment for the registration either from the relevant elementary school or your child's kindergarten. The elementary school closest to your home is responsible for admitting your child. During registration, your child will be examined by a doctor and his German language skills will be checked.

The staff at your child's kindergarten can provide you more advise in the process.