The educational system of The educational system of GermanyGermany

General overviewGeneral overview

Primary education – GrundschulePrimary education – Grundschule

• from the age of 6• first compulsory school• transfer to secondary

schools after 4th grade»Specific requirements

• goals: preparation for secondary schools

»social education»basic knowledge»interests and abilities

Secondary education I – HauptschuleSecondary education I – Hauptschule

• Basic general education• Application for jobs • Focus on practical

experience → blue-collared jobs

• Activity-orientated• Transfer to schools for

further education possible• Bad reputation in society

Secondary education II - RealschuleSecondary education II - Realschule

• Medium general education• Basic knowledge in job oriented

subjects• Basis for a practical career• Transfer to further education

possible → after 6th grade: Gymnasium

→ FOS

→ even university degrees

• Degree: Mittlerer Schulabschluss (~ GCSE)

Secondary education III - GymnasiumSecondary education III - Gymnasium

• High general education• Wide range of subjects /

Courses:– Focus on language and arts

– Focus on science and technolgy

– Focus on social studies

• At least two languages obligatory

Secondary education III - GymnasiumSecondary education III - Gymnasium

• Point system → Marks• 12th year: Final exams → Abitur (~ A-levels)

required for access to university

• Course system→ Bavaria: Abolition

→ other states: Lks/Gks

• No central regulation of Abitur

- comprehensive school- three-tier system NOT throughout Germany

→ comprehensive school system e.g. in NRW

- Gesamtschulen:→ degrees according to level of course

→ pupils choose courses according to their skills

Secondary education IV - GesamtschuleSecondary education IV - Gesamtschule

• Either after or alongside apprenticeship

• Certificate of Intermediate Education possible

Secondary education V – vocational trainingSecondary education V – vocational training

• FOS– advanced technical college

entrance qualification– Courses: engineering, agricultural

economy, business, law, social studies, art

– also „normal“ Abitur

• BOS– almost similar to FOS– completion of an apprenticeship

Secondary education VI Secondary education VI

• Fachakademie– Preparation for a higher career

– State exam (≠ uni)

→ access to university of applied science

→ with honours: access to uni

– Requirements: mittlerer Schulabschluss + Completion of apprenticeship

• Fachschule– Meister ≠ master degree

– advanced technical college entrance qualification

– 2 years

Secondary education VII Secondary education VII

From cradle to secondary education

From cradle to secondary education

nursery school (1-3)

kindergarten (3-6)

elementary/primary school (7-10)

Nursery school

- education and care

- costs: 70-425 € / month, depending on place of residence and income

- political debate - historical background: care centers in GDR (all-day, no costs for

parents, being part of the collective > most children attended care centers)

- changes in society (more women working)

future: care centers for 750.000 small children by 2013

Kindergarten• legal right for each child to get a half-day

service in a kindergarten (children age 3 – when they start school)– some restrictions (e.g. parents not working)– there are also private kindergartens

• pre-school child programs

Primary/elementary school (1)

• compulsory schooling – homeschooling not allowed..

• all children who are 6 years old before Sep 30th start school in Sep > children born in Oct, Nov, Dec CAN start school

• BUT: if children not suitable for school yet, they go to kindergarten for one more year

Primary/elementary school (2)

• Subjects:

– German, maths, local geography and history– music, arts, physical education, handicrafts– religion/ethics – foreign languages (English: years 3 & 4)

Primary/elementary school (3)• Year 4: selection..

– Gymnasium: • 2,33 in maths/German/local geography and history + recommendation

letter OR • entry exam

– Realschule/Wirtschaftsschule: • 2,66 in maths/German/local geography and history + recommendation

letter OR • entry exam

– also possible: probation period

Mittelschule & Realschule

Mittelschule (former Hauptschule)

• school for people who will be trained in blue-collared jobs

• secondary modern school covering years 5 to 9/10 nine-year degree/certificate

• main objective: prepare students for their entry into the world of work

Mittelschule

• In Bavaria: possible transfer to Realschule or Gymnasium after 5th or 6th grade if grades are good enough

• In some states: Mittelschule & Realschule combined in Mittel- or Regelschule

Mittelschule – nine-year-degree/certificate (I)

The successful Mittelschul-degree

> after 9th grade> grade average 4,0 or better> not more than 3 E's (= 5,0; F counts as 2 E's)

Mittelschule – nine-year-degree/certificate (II)

The qualifying Mittelschul-degree

> after 9th grade; voluntary> grade average 3,0 or better> maths, German, English, economics & law...

Mittelschule – nine-year-degree/certificate (III)

GCSE/ten-year-degree via the M-Zug (same degree as intermediate school, but less prestigious/respected)

> M-Zug: starts in 7th grade; voluntary> degree after 10th grade> grade average in federal test 4,0 or better

after Mittelschule

start work → further education in the vocational training

school (Berufsausbildung & Berufsschule)

Intermediate school (Realschule)

• four years (grades 7-10)• six years (grades 5-10)

• Broad general education and vocationally-oriented education → students with vocational skills and interests who also show interest in theory

Intermediate school (Realschule)

• more vocationally-oriented than Gymnasium

• in Bavaria: possible transfer to Gymnasium after 6th or 10th grade

• Ten-year-degree/GCSE

Intermediate school – different directions of study (I)

Compulsory courses / electives group I

• Focus: maths, natural sciences, technical areas • Final exam: German, English, maths, physics

For students who want to work in a technical job

or continue their education at a technical secondary school (FOS – technical sector)

Intermediate school – different directions of study (II)

Compulsory courses / electives group II

Focus: economics Final exam: German, English, maths II, business studies

& accounting

For students who want to work in a in the public service industry, banks or insurance companies

or continue their education at a business secondary school

Intermediate school – different directions of study (IIIa)

Compulsory courses / electives group IIIa

• Focus: 2nd foreign language• Final exam: German, English, maths II, French

(Spanish, Italian...)

For students who want to work in the tourist industry, the public service industry, banks or insurance companies

or continue their education at Gymnasium

Intermediate school – different directions of study (IIIb)

• Compulsory courses / electives group IIIb

• Focus: arts, handicrafts, housekeeping or social studies

• Final exam: German, English, maths II, specialized course (see above)

For students who want to work in a in the social or manual-creative sector

or continue their education at a social/arts secondary school

after intermediate school• work (e.g. in the public service at secretarial and

executive level) → social/technical/economic/arts secondary school (BOS)

• further education at social/technical/economic/arts secondary school (FOS) → if successful: university of applied sciences (= Fachhochschule, FH)

Higher Secondary Vocational Schools/Berufliche

Oberschulen

Post-Secondary Non Tertiary Education

• requirements: acquisition of a general education qualification

• general aim: to prepare the students for their studies alternative to upper classes at Academic High Schools!

• Courses:– two-three-year courses at:

• Fachoberschule– beginning with 11th grade– no previous vocational education required

• Berufsoberschule– beginning with 12th grade– previous vocational education required

• Curricula: – Liberal education– Subject-specific theory– Practical education (in selected businesses)

• Subjects: – General subjects: German, English, math…– Specific faculties: technology, economics, social services,

agricultural economics, design

Strong focus on practical experience!

• Qualifications: – Two-year-courses:

• technical diploma admission to University of Applied Sciences

– Three-year-courses:• subject-linked university entrance qualification admission to university (to certain faculties only!)

• higher education entrance qualification (proof of sufficient competence in a second foreign language necessary!)

admission to university (to all faculties!)

The Gymnasium –The German grammar school

primary school → secondary school→ Mittelschulen (secondary modern school)Realschulen (intermediate school)orGymnasium (grammar school)

G9-system→

G8-system

Abitur aftergrade 13

Abitur aftergrade 12

Lower and upper secondary level

The subjects:

Introductory phase and qualification phase

LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND ARTSSOCIAL SCIENCES

MATHEMATICS, NATURAL SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY

University

Tertiary Education

Admission Requirements

A-level

Abitur/Allgemeine Hochschulreife

Financing

• tuition fees

• Bafög

• scholarships

Certification

• Bachelor

• Master

• Diploma

• Magister

• Staatsexamen

Teachers Training

• Bachelor/Master of Education

• 1. Staatsexamen

• Referendariat

• 2. Staatsexamen

Thank you for

your attention

Sources

• www.wikipedia.org• http://www.km.bayern.de/• http://www.meinbildungsweg.de/• http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/eurybase_de.php• http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/imperia/md/images/jrc/1007/bafoeg_i.jpg• http://www.trendsderzukunft.de/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/hoersaal_rwth_400q.jpg• http://steinbeis-fuer-telekom.de/typo3temp/pics/d608743204.jpg• http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFd9MgSjCF8/TkJIfzeL0ZI/AAAAAAAACx0/h-2fFciIfzU/s1600/

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