In Kindergärten, education is not usually organised into Grades or Year groups; groups usually consist of children from different age groups.17
Children who, on reaching compulsory school age (6 years) at the end of the pre-school phase, are judged not yet ready, in terms of their level of development, to cope with Grundschule (primary school) may be placed in special institutions or classes (variously known as Vorklassen, Vorschulklassen, Schulkindergärten, Vorbereitungsklassen, or Förderklassen - depending on the Land). 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 (see 3.2.1), these compulsory 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.12
Nationally, it is recommended that Kindergarten groups (for children from age 3-6) should comprise between 15 and 30 children, cared for by at least one person with a qualification in education, plus an assistant/helper.10
In Bavaria, average Kindergarten class/group sizes are between 20 and 25 children.7
Pre-school staff are trained at upper secondary level.14
Children in pre-school education are looked after by trained educational staff and by helpers. The trained staff include state-recognised Sozialpädagogen (graduate youth and community workers) and state-recognised Erzieher (qualified youth or child care workers). The helpers are mainly nursery assistants ("Kinderpflegerinnen"). As a rule each group/class of children in Kindergarten is looked after by at least one trained educational staff member and at least one helper.17
Kindergärten are generally headed by Sozialpädagogen or by Erzieher. The headteacher also plays a part in looking after the children.17