School system in Saxony

The primary school lasts four years in Saxony.

After elementary school, parents decide which school their child is attending next. The school helps by offering their recommendation. There are two options:

• Obershule
• Gymnasium

In the 5th and 6th grade, your child can switch to any of these two types of schools without much difficulty.

The Gymnasium starts with the 5th grade and ends with the 9th or 10th grade. The Obershule provides students with an early vocational orientation. Here your child can obtain the einfachen Hauptschulabschloss or qualifizierenden Hauptschulabschloss or the Realschulabschloss after 9th or 10th grade. Students can start vocational training with any of these three school-leaving certificates. With a Realschulabschluss, your child can continue his/her education in a Berufliche Gymnasium (vocational High School) or a Fachhochschule (Applied Science University).

The Gymnasium starts with the 5th grade and ends with the Abitur after the 12th grade. In Gymnasiums, students have to study intensively and be very diligent. Those leaving Gymnasium after the 9th or 10th grade often automatically earn the Hauptschulabschluss, the qualifizierenden Hauptschulabschluss or the Realschulabschluss. With an Abitur, your child can choose between going to university and vocational training.

Once you leave the initial reception facility, your child must go to school.

After leaving the reception centre, you (and your child) will receive an appointment from the State Office for School & Education. Eventually, your child would be referred to a school for registration. Children who do not speak German should initially attend a special German class.

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

You must register your child in August or September of the previous year at the elementary school in your area. Some schools send parents an invitation; others do not. You can directly check this with the primary school designated. During registration, your child will be examined by a doctor, and his German language skills will be checked.

The staff in your child's kindergarten can give you advice on the registration process.