INCA - International Review of Curriculum and Assessment frameworks

Germany : Education Structure (ages 3-19)

Last updated: 15-Jul-2008

3.2 Educational phases (ages 3 - 19)
3.2.1 First phase: Pre-compulsory, age 3 - 6
3.2.1.1 Admissions criteria
3.2.1.2 Length of school year (in days) and day (in hours)
3.2.2 Second phase: Primary, age 6 - 10 or 12 (depending on the Land)
3.2.2.1 Admissions criteria
3.2.2.2 Length of school year (in days) and day (in hours)
3.2.3 Third phase: Lower secondary, age 10 (or 12) 15/16 (dependent on the Land)
3.2.3.1 Admissions criteria
3.2.3.2 Length of school year (in days) and day (in hours)
3.2.4 Fourth phase: (Full or part-time) upper secondary, age 15/16 - 18/19
3.2.4.1 Admissions criteria
3.2.4.2 Length of school year (in days) and day (in hours)

3.2 Educational phases (ages 3 - 19)

An educational phase is a stage in a child's education which is normally defined by legislation or regulation and is characterised by the age of students, school type and curriculum and assessment arrangements. The curriculum and assessment framework in this Archive is related to these phases.

The four educational phases catering for 3- to 19-year-olds in the Federal Republic of Germany are organised as follows:

Phase 1 - pre-compulsory: ages 3 to 5/6 (in Kindergarten or Vorklassen/Vorschulklassen, the latter for ages 5-6).

Compulsory education lasts from ages 6 to 18/19. Full-time attendance is compulsory from age 6 to 15 (nine years) or to age 16 (ten years) (depending on the Land). Attendance, at least on a part-time basis, then remains compulsory for a further three years (ages 15/16 to 18/19.) Should students select part-time education from age 15/16 onwards, they usually start out in an occupation and also attend part-time classes receiving some form of vocational training. This is commonly known as the 'dual system'.³⁵

Phase 2 - primary education, catering for ages 6 to 10 (or 6 to 12 in the Länder of Berlin and Brandenburg), Years 1 to 4 (or 1 to 6) of compulsory schooling.
Phase 3 - lower secondary education (Secondary I), catering for students aged 10 to 15/16 or 12 to 15/16 (Years 5 or 7 to 9 or 10), depending on the Land.
Phase 4 - upper secondary education (Secondary II), providing full- or part-time education for young people aged 15/16+ to 18/19 (Years 10/11 to 13 of compulsory education).⁴⁴

3.2.1 First phase: Pre-compulsory, age 3 - 6

Kindergarten

Kindergarten is the traditional form of institutionalised pre-school education for children between the ages of 3 and 6. Some Länder also provide care facilities for babies and children below that age in crèches, known as "Kinderkrippen", or in mixed-aged groups with children of between 3 and 6 years of age. Kindergärten are provided either by the State, churches, welfare organisations or private bodies and are subject to state supervision. Most receive some form of financial assistance from the State, but parents usually also have to make some contribution to the cost. This is often based on the level of parental income.^35, ¹⁷

Attendance at pre-school institutions is voluntary but, since 1996, every child has had the right to a place in a Kindergarten. ^12, ¹⁷, ³⁵

Children aged 3 to 6 years in Kindergärten in 2002

	Percentage of age group
Children aged 3	58.6
Children aged 4	85.8
Children aged 5	92.5

Vorklassen

In addition to Kindergärten, some Länder provide preparatory classes (Vorklassen or Vorschulklassen) for children aged 5, whose parents wish to provide them with special assistance and preparation for primary school (Grundschule) (which generally commences at age 6). Attendance is voluntary. Like Kindergärten, Vorklassen encourage children to learn through play.¹²

3.2.1.1 Admissions criteria

Attendance in pre-compulsory, pre-school education is voluntary, and parents are generally free to choose a pre-compulsory or day-care centre for their child which provides a type of pre-school education which corresponds with their own beliefs and values.¹⁷

Under the Child and Youth Welfare Act,¹ since 1 January 1996 all children who have reached the age of 3 have had a legal right to a Kindergärten place.¹⁷

3.2.1.2 Length of school year (in days) and day (in hours)

In Germany, pre-school education in the Kindergarten is not part of the state-organised school system, and the Ministries of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder therefore do not adopt regulations governing the timetable in the pre-school sector.¹⁷

Opening hours are arranged by the maintaining bodies after consultation with parents. Consequently, these times vary between different Kindergärten, and depend to some extent on the needs of the families in their catchment areas. As a general rule, supervision is provided in the morning, five days a week.¹⁷

More specifically, most Kindergärten are open for four to six hours a day during term-time, but some are open for at least eight hours, each day.³⁴

3.2.2 Second phase: Primary, age 6 - 10 or 12 (depending on the Land)

Primary education in Germany is usually provided in one of two school types:

Grundschulen - primary schools providing the first four or six years of compulsory education, for children aged 6 to 10 or 6 to 12 years (depending on the Land);

or

Sonderschulen - special schools for children of primary school age with special educational needs.¹²

In mainstream compulsory education, all children (except those in Sonderschulen) attend Grundschule together. They are enrolled in the first year at age 6 and usually transfer to a secondary school after Year 4 (or Year 6 in the Länder of Berlin and Brandenburg). The function and objectives of the Grundschule are determined by its position in the school system. It is meant to

'carry children forward from learning by playing at pre-school level to more systematic forms of school learning and seeks to adapt the subject matter taught and methods employed to the students' requirements and capabilities. The Grundschule lays the foundations for secondary education. It endeavours to provide students with a structured understanding of the impressions they gain from the world around them and to develop their psychomotor abilities and patterns of social behaviour'.¹²

3.2.2.1 Admissions criteria

Generally, children attend their most local primary school (Grundschule). However, parents may choose a school other than that which is responsible for the local area and apply to the school authority to admit their child to that school. The school authority then decides on the merits of each particular case, following consultation with parents and the authority maintaining the school; the well-being of the child concerned being the decisive factor. Parents always have the right to choose which school their child attends; the capacity of the chosen school is the only limiting factor affecting the child's right of admission.¹⁷

Compulsory schooling starts on 1 August for all children who reach their sixth birthday before 30 June of that year. The start of school attendance is, however, conditional on the child having attained an adequate level of development. School entry tests - of a child's speech; senses and skills of perception (sight, hearing, touch, recognition); ability to understand numbers and quantities; thinking ability; motor skills and movement; attitude to work; attention and concentration; memory; physical abilities; and social conduct - are carried out, usually by a school doctor. These aim to establish whether a child has the physical and mental maturity required for school attendance. Based on these test results, the school doctor suggests to parents that their child should either start school at the age of 6, or that entry should be deferred for one year (see below). The final decision is that of the child's parent(s). ¹⁷ , ⁹⁰

Children whose sixth birthday falls between 1 July and 31 December may be permitted to start school early on their parents' application, provided they have reached the requisite level of physical and mental maturity. The decision is taken either by the headteacher or, in some Länder, by the school supervisory authority - based on their own judgement and usually in consultation with the school doctor, the local health authority and the school psychologist (where one exists). Special tests are often employed to determine a child's level of development.¹⁷ In recent years, increasing numbers of parents have begun to take advantage of this facility to apply for their children to start school earlier. (EURYDICE Unit, Germany, Länder).

Special institutions (Schulkindergärten, Vorklassen, Vorschulklassen, Vorbereitungs-klassen, Förderklassen - depending on the Land) (or, in some Länder, special classes in the first Year of the Grundschule) have been established for children who have reached compulsory school age (6 years), but whose level of development does not yet allow them to cope with Grundschule. Legislation in most Länder, enables the school authorities to require 6-year-olds who are not yet ready for the Grundschule to attend such classes. Like the pre-compulsory Vorklassen for 5-year-olds, these institutions have organisational links to the Grundschule and aim to achieve a readiness for school enrolment by channelling the child's natural urge to play and engage in activity without anticipating the subject matter taught at school. The decision on deferment of 6-year-olds to Vorklassen or similar is taken by the relevant Grundschule on the basis of an educational and psychological assessment and the school doctor's report. Where doubts still remain at the end of the period of deferment as to the child's suitability to attend a general school, the school's supervisory authority decides whether he or she should be required to attend a special school (Sonderschule).¹²^,¹⁷

3.2.2.2 Length of school year (in days) and day (in hours)

Primary school pupils attend lessons for 19 to 29 periods a week. In most Länder there are 20 to 22 periods in the first year, rising to 27 in the fourth (final) year of primary education.¹⁶⁷ One lesson comprises 45 minutes and there are usually five or six lesson periods per day. Teaching takes place over five or six days a week, Monday to Friday or Saturday, in the morning. As a rule, in Länder with a six-day school week, there are two Saturdays per month on which no lessons take place. The total number of weekly lessons remains the same with a five or six-day week. With a five-day school week, teaching usually takes place on 188 days a year on average and, in the case of a six-day week, the number of days on which lessons are taught increases to around 208.¹⁰²^,¹⁰³

The half-day school (mornings only) is the traditional form of teaching in Germany. Until recently, all-day schools (Ganztagsschulen) were the exception and most Länder did not plan any extensive expansion of this school form. However, in a bid to raise standards nationwide, government funding has recently been provided to increase the numbers of all-day/full-day schools.⁹²

School opening times (currently from around 7:30 am to 1:00 or 2:00 pm - later in upper secondary education) are agreed by the schools, together with those school or non-school institutions which are responsible for looking after children outside school hours.¹⁷

As primary education (in the Grundschule) in Germany generally only takes place in the mornings, homework is regarded as very important.²² However, homework in Year 1 of the Grundschule is only a matter of 10 minutes or so per week. The amount of homework gradually increases, with students in Year 4 (in most Länder this is the final year of Grundschule, age 10), generally completing about an hour a night.⁵⁴ Homework in Years 5 to 10, ages 10 - 16 (Secondary I in most Länder, although in some Länder Years 5 and 6 are still part of primary education) takes up to two hours each evening.⁵⁴

The school year in primary and secondary education begins on 1 August and ends on 31 July. The actual beginning and end depend on the dates of the summer holidays. Summer holidays have been restricted to the period between mid June and mid September for educational, organisational and climatic reasons. Pursuant to an agreement of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder, the six-week summer holidays are fixed within this period in accordance with a rota system, whereby the Länder take turns to have the summer holidays later or earlier. Under this system of rotation, the Länder are divided into five groups each with about the same size population. In addition to the summer holidays, there are shorter holidays which the Länder decide annually on the basis of certain principles and their own considerations. These holidays fall in October (autumn vacation), at Christmas, in February (winter vacation), at Easter and at Whitsuntide (May). The total duration of school holidays is 75 working days, plus an average of 10 public and religious holidays.¹⁷

3.2.3 Third phase: Lower secondary, age 10 (or 12) - 15/16 (dependent on the Land)

Various types of school exist for compulsory lower secondary education (often known as "Secondary I", "Sekundarstufe I") (Hauptschule, Realschule, Gymnasium, Gesamtschule, Mittelschule, Regelschule, Sekundarschule). The principle underlying these different school types and their courses is to provide students with a basic general compulsory education, along with an element of individual specialisation according to their performance and interests.¹² Most schools are co-educational.

In general, most students progress either to the Gymnasium, the Realschule, or the Hauptschule following Grundschule education.

Gymnasium

The Gymnasium provides full-time, general education for students aged 10 or 12 (dependent on the Land) to 16, (and, in the gymnasiale Oberstufe, prepares students aged 16-18+, who have reached the required standard, for the Abitur (the upper secondary leaving) examination).⁴⁴

Realschule

The Realschule provides general education for students aged 10 or 12 (dependent on the Land) to 16.⁴³ Originally conceived in the nineteenth century as a 'practical' alternative to the Gymnasium, the Realschule is popular because of its curriculum, which stresses maths, science and modern languages, as well as the numerous vocational courses it offers.⁵⁴

Hauptschule

The Hauptschule is a lower secondary school, which provides 'basic general education' for students aged 10 or 12 (dependent on the Land) to 15/16 (Year 9/10 respectively).⁴² In most Länder, students remain in the Hauptschule until the end of Year 9 and can then voluntarily stay on for Year 10. In some, attendance up to and including Year 10 is compulsory. The special characteristic of the Hauptschule is the emphasis given to preparation for entry into the world of work.³⁵

In 1998, only six per cent of Grundschule leavers in Berlin and Hamburg opted for Hauptschulen, leaving almost half the places empty. Several German Länder now no longer guarantee to provide a Hauptschule in every district, with the result that some students have to travel further to more central Hauptschulen, which do, however, try to provide a wider range of subjects for students.⁴⁶

Other Länder have combined the Hauptschule and Realschule. Depending on the Land, such new schools are called either the Mittelschule, the Sekundarschule, the Regelschule, the integrierte Haupt- und Realschule, the verbundene Haupt- und Realschule or the regionale Schule.⁴² These schools combine the educational paths of the Hauptschule and the Realschule and introduce pre-vocational type courses.⁴³ In Länder where the Hauptschule and Realschule have been combined, on completion of the Grundschule, students select either to move on to the Gymnasium or to the form of combined lower secondary schooling available.³⁵

In some Länder, lower secondary education is not selective and students progress from Grundschule to a form of lower secondary comprehensive school, the Gesamtschule.³⁵

Gesamtschule

Gesamtschulen are non-selective (comprehensive) schools for students aged 10 or 12 to 15/16 (dependent on the Land),⁴⁴ many of which are full-day schools. This means that they can offer homework supervision, back-up courses, study groups and school societies, as well as leisure/extra-curricular activities.⁴² (In some Länder, there are very limited numbers of Gesamtschulen.) The Gesamtschule normally brings together a number of different courses of education leading to different qualifications. It either takes the form of a cooperative Gesamtschule or an integrated Gesamtschule. In the former type, students are taught in classes grouped according to the different qualifications available, whilst in the latter type, students are set in classes grouped according to level of proficiency for a number of central subjects, but taught together as a year group for all other subjects.¹⁷

Sonderschulen

These are special schools (similar to the Sonderschulen for primary students), which cater for students aged 10 or 12 to 15/16 (dependent on the Land) with special educational needs.¹²

Erprobungsstufe (orientation phase)

Years 5 and 6 of compulsory education, (the first and second years of lower secondary education in most Länder, except Berlin and Brandenburg, students aged 10/11 - 11/12) can be organised as a phase of orientation (Erprobungsstufe), with the choice of school career being left open until the end of Year 6. In some Länder the orientation stage may be a separate organisational unit, independent of the standard school types. In this case, the lower secondary schools subsequently attended will begin with Year 7 (age 12-13).¹⁷

Distribution of students in lower secondary education (Grade 8, ages 13/14) by type of school, 2005

Type of school	Percentage of students, 2005
Hauptschule	22.5
Realschule	25.8
Schools offering both Hauptschule and Realschule courses	6.3
Gymnasium	30.9
Gesamtschule	8.5
Other	0.7
Sonderschulen	5.3

3.2.3.1 Admissions criteria

Apart from the parent's wishes, the decisive factors for admission to lower secondary level schools are a student's abilities, performance and inclinations. Admission to a secondary school usually occurs on the basis of a recommendation from the Grundschule, which contains general information about the child's development in primary school and concludes with an overall evaluation of his/her suitability for secondary school. The parents register their child at the school of their choice after consultation with the primary school teacher(s). Students the primary school considers suitable for a certain type of school are admitted to that type of school without any special admissions procedure. If the recommendation of the Grundschule conflicts with the parents' wishes, the child's subsequent course of education is decided either by the parents or the school or, in some cases, by the school supervisory authority, depending on the laws of the Land.¹³

Transfer to one of the different types of lower secondary education (where students remain at least until the completion of their full-time compulsory education, aged around 15/16) is dealt with differently depending on Land legislation. In some instances, a binding decision on the student's future career in lower secondary education is taken during Year 4 of primary education (students aged 9-10); in others, with an Erprobungsstufe (period of orientation and decision-making between the two phases), this takes place during Years 5 and 6 (ages 10-12); whilst in Berlin and Brandenburg, where primary education continues until the end of Year 6, the decision is made on completion of that year. No such decision has to be made if the student is entering an integrated comprehensive school (Gesamtschule). Decisions regarding a student's future school career are taken on the basis of the recommendation of the Grundschule which the student is leaving, on the basis of his/her abilities, performance and inclination, and in detailed consultation with the parents. Dependent on the Land, the final decision is taken either by the parents, the (lower secondary) school concerned or the school supervisory authority. Recent education policy has tended to give increasing consideration to parental rights in the choice of the student's future school career.¹²^,¹⁷ If there are difficulties in coming to a decision on the type of lower secondary school a child should attend, it is usually possible for students to spend a probationary period in a specific type of lower secondary school, with the possibility of transfer after a review.³⁰

Generally, children attend the most local lower secondary school of the type they have selected. However, parents may choose a school other than that which is responsible for the local area and apply to the school authority to admit their child to that school. The school authority then decides on the merits of each particular case, following consultation with parents and the authority maintaining the school; the well-being of the child concerned being the decisive factor. If no catchment areas have been fixed for a type of lower secondary school, parents are able to choose which school their child attends. In such cases, the capacity of the chosen school is the only limiting factor affecting the child's right of admission. ¹⁷

3.2.3.2 Length of school year (in days) and day (in hours)

Students in lower secondary education generally have 28 to 30 weekly periods in compulsory and optional subjects in Years 5 and 6 (aged 10 to 12 years) of all types of school, and 30 to 32 periods in Years 7 to 10 (aged 12 to 16 years). Each period usually lasts 45 minutes. ¹⁶⁷ Teaching takes place over five or six days a week, Monday to Friday or Saturday, in the morning. As a rule, in Länder with a six-day school week, there are two Saturdays per month on which no lessons take place. The total number of weekly lessons remains the same with a five- or six-day week. With a five-day school week, teaching usually takes place on 188 days a year on average and, in the case of a six-day week, the number of days on which lessons are taught increases to around 208.¹²^,¹⁷

The half-day school (mornings only) is the traditional form of teaching in Germany. Until recently, all-day schools (Ganztagsschulen) were the exception. However, in a bid to raise standards nationwide, government funding has recently been provided to increase the numbers of all-day/full-day schools. ⁹²

The school year in primary and secondary education begins on 1 August and ends on 31 July. The actual beginning and end depend on the dates of the summer holidays. Summer holidays have been restricted to the period between mid June and mid September for educational, organisational and climatic reasons. Pursuant to an agreement of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder, the six-week summer holidays are fixed within this period in accordance with a rota system, whereby the Länder take turns to have the summer holidays later or earlier. Under this rotation system, the Länder are divided into five groups, each of about the same size population. In addition to the summer holidays, there are shorter holidays which the Länder decide annually on the basis of certain principles and their own considerations. These holidays fall in October (autumn vacation), at Christmas, in February (winter vacation), at Easter and at Whitsuntide (May). The total duration of school holidays is 75 working days, plus an average of 10 public and religious holidays.¹⁷

3.2.4 Fourth phase: (Full or part-time) upper secondary, age 15/16 - 18/19

Young people aged 15/16- to 18/19 are required to attend school at least on a part-time basis. Such compulsory upper secondary education, known as "Secondary II" ("Sekundarstufe II"), includes:

General education in the gymnasiale Oberstufe,¹² the upper secondary part of the Gymnasium. This offers general, full-time education for young people aged 15/16 - 18/19, who have reached the required standards, and prepares them for the Abitur examination, the successful completion of which grants access to higher education. Courses usually last three years. ⁴⁴
Courses of vocational education and training ¹² (in vocational schools e.g. Berufsfachschulen, berufliche Gymnasien (or Fachgymnasien), Berufsschulen, Fachoberschulen or similar).⁴⁴
Mixed general and vocational education courses.¹²

Berufsfachschulen

Berufsfachschulen are, generally, full-time schools which prepare students for employment, or provide them with vocational education at the same time as continuing their general education. They offer a very wide range of courses. There are Berufsfachschulen specialising in business studies, vocational foreign languages, crafts and industry, home economics, social work, health etc. The duration of education at Berufsfachschulen varies, depending on the intended career specialisation. Courses take at least one year (many last up to three) and normally lead to a final examination.¹²

Berufsschulen

Berufsschulen are part-time vocational schools which young people usually attend for three years, whilst also receiving in-company/on-the-job training for the remaining part of their time. They build on the classes provided at lower secondary level and are aimed at young people wishing to start initial vocational training, or who already have a job. Most Berufsschulen specialise in trade and industry, commerce, home economics or farming. Some have more than one specialisation. Berufsschulen aim to provide those starting out in work with both general education and specialised in-company training.³⁵

Fachoberschulen

Fachoberschulen aim to provide those leaving the Realschule with a further two years of vocationally-related training, to enable them to proceed to higher education at a Fachhochschule (vocational higher education institution). The Fachoberschule therefore consists of school Years 11 and 12 (students aged 16-18) and specialises in various areas: engineering, economics, farming, the welfare system, and design. Students in the Fachoberschule are also required to study German, social sciences, mathematics, natural sciences etc.³⁵

Berufliche Gymnasien/Fachgymnasien

Unlike the normal Gymnasium, berufliche Gymnasien/Fachgymnasien have no classes below school Year 11 (students aged 16+). Courses run from Year 11 to Year 13 (students aged 16+ - 19). Fachgymnasien are aimed at young people with a Realschule leaving certificate (Realschulabschluß), who wish to obtain their university entrance qualifications, but prefer vocationally-oriented schooling. Students normally take their examinations after three years, and the course usually leads to the general entrance qualification for higher education (either the Allgemeine Hochschulreife or the Fachgebundene Hochschulreife). In some Länder, however, students who receive the general entrance qualification for higher education from Fachgymnasien or similar, are only permitted to take higher education courses in the field in which they specialised at the Fachgymnasium. Apart from the subjects offered at a 'standard' Gymnasium, these schools offer career-oriented subjects. The most common (vocationally-oriented) courses offered are economics/business, technology, engineering, nutrition, home economics and agronomy, community work, textiles and design technology.³⁵^,¹³

3.2.4.1 Admissions criteria

Admission to the gymnasiale Oberstufe

Admission to the gymnasiale Oberstufe is granted to:

Students at Gymnasien or at Gesamtschulen who have followed a Gymnasium-type course and who have reached the required standard in all subjects at the end of Year 10 (age 15-16) (or, in two Länder, at the end of Year 9, age 14-15) of the Gymnasium.¹² Such students do not normally receive a lower secondary leaving certificate.¹⁹
Students who have obtained a mittlerer Schulabschluß or Realschulabschluß (either on completion of the Realschule or at the end of Year 10 at other lower secondary schools and, given appropriate records and marks, at the Berufsschule) of a certain merit.¹²
Those who have obtained approved qualifications from Berufsfachschulen (full-time vocational schools) or Fachschulen (technical/vocational schools).¹²

The following provides an example of the standard required for admission:

Students at Realschulen in Nordrhein-Westfalen, who receive the mark 'good' ("gut") (grade 2 in the national 6-point marking scale, where 1 is high and 6 is low) in German, mathematics and English or 'satisfactory' (grade 3) in German, mathematics, English and three other subjects may proceed to the gymnasiale Oberstufe.³²

Access to vocational training

The Hauptschule leaving certificate (the Hauptschulabschluß) is primarily used as a basis for entry to full-time vocational training. This leaving certificate is usually granted on completion of Year 9 (age 15) (the end of full-time lower secondary education in many Länder), if the standard of performance at the end of the school year, in all relevant subjects, meets the requirements for the completion of this level. In addition, under certain circumstances, the Hauptschulabschluß is the requirement for admission to Berufsfachschulen and to the Berufsgrundbildungsjahr (basic vocational training year). It is, moreover, the requirement for later admission to certain Fachschulen (technical schools providing advanced vocational training) and to institutions offering secondary education for adults, in day or evening classes, leading to university entrance qualifications.¹²

Admission to Berufsfachschulen

Depending on the training objective, admission to Berufsfachschulen is granted to those who have a Hauptschule or Realschule leaving certificate or a mittlerer Schulabschluß.¹² The two-year Berufsfachschulen requiring a Realschule leaving certificate offer courses in a variety of subject areas leading to a qualification as "Staatlich geprüfter technischer Assistent" (state-certified technical assistant) specialising, for example, in biochemistry, garment making, information technology, mechanical engineering, or "Staatlich geprüfter kaufmännischer Assistent" (state-certified business assistant) specialising in data processing, foreign languages and secretarial skills.¹²

Admission to vocational training in the dual system

The vocational training dual system (of in-company training combined with education in school) is open to all lower secondary school leavers, irrespective of their results.¹⁴

Trainees in the dual training system by sector, 2005

Sector
Industry and commerce	848,217
Crafts	477,183
Agriculture	41,312
Civil service	43,366
Liberal professions	130,420
Home economics	12,299
Shipping	640
Total	1,553,437

3.2.4.2 Length of school year (in days) and day (in hours)

Teaching usually takes place over five or six days a week, Monday to Friday or Saturday, in the morning. As a rule, in Länder with a six-day school week, there are two Saturdays per month on which no lessons take place. The total number of weekly lessons remains the same with a five- or six-day week. With a five-day school week, teaching generally takes place on 188 days a year on average and, in the case of a six-day week, the number of days on which lessons are taught increases to around 208.¹²^,¹⁷

At the eight-year Gymnasium, the number of weekly periods at lower and upper secondary level is generally increased by two to four weekly periods. To guarantee the mutual recognition of the Abitur, all Länder have to ensure teaching of a total of at least 265 weekly periods in the lower secondary level and the gymnasiale Oberstufe. ¹⁶⁷

School opening times (currently from around 7:30 am to 1:00 or 2:00 pm - usually later in upper secondary education) are agreed by the schools.¹⁷

The school year in primary and secondary education begins on 1 August and ends on 31 July. The actual beginning and end depend on the dates of the summer holidays. Summer holidays have been restricted to the period between mid June and mid September for educational, organisational and climatic reasons. Pursuant to an agreement of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder, the six-week summer holidays are fixed within this period in accordance with a rota system, whereby the Länder take turns to have the summer holidays later or earlier. Under this rotation system, the Länder are divided into five groups, each of about the same size population. In addition to the summer holidays, there are shorter holidays which the Länder decide annually on the basis of certain principles and their own considerations. These holidays fall in October (autumn vacation), at Christmas, in February (winter vacation), at Easter and at Whitsuntide (May). The total duration of school holidays is 75 working days, plus an average of 10 public and religious holidays.¹⁷

Gymnasiale Oberstufe

At upper secondary level, there are around 30 weekly periods in the gymnasiale Oberstufe, of which 20 are spent on compulsory subjects and 10 on optional subjects.¹²

Berufsfachschulen (full-time vocational schools)

A student's weekly timetable at the two-year Berufsfachschulen (called Berufskollegs in Baden-Württemberg and Saxony) amounts to at least 30 (x 45 minute) periods.¹²

Berufsschulen (part-time vocational schools)

With respect to vocational training in the dual system, where initial vocational training takes place both in a company and in the Berufsschule, at least 12 weekly periods of teaching must take place in the Berufsschule; teaching may also be received in blocks, provided that the block number of teaching periods provided in the Berufsschule amounts to what would normally have been received each week¹⁷. Normally, Berufsschule students spend three or four days a week in their company and attend their 12 periods of classes at the Berufsschule on one or two days in the week.³⁵