Preschool after school: Preschool & Before/After School Programs

Education system in Germany, features and stages of the modern German educational system

Education in Germany, as in many countries, has a classical system consisting of three levels: preschool, secondary and higher.

Each administrative-territorial unit of Germany has its own law on education. Therefore, there are nuances in issuing certificates and diplomas, as well as in the learning process itself. In Berlin and Brandenburg, children study in elementary school for six years, and in the rest of Germany for 4 years.

In the German system, education lasts up to 13 years. There are private and public schools and universities in the country. In the state institutions, education is free, regardless of whether it is a school or a university.

Levels of higher education

Modern Germany has three levels of education: primary, secondary and higher.

There is an interesting fact in the peculiarities of German education: preschool education is not included in the educational system.

Pre-school education

1. Kinderkrippe-Crèche.

The nursery is the first level of the established German education system. At this level, institutions are attended by children from 2 months to 3 years. In such institutions, children are taught to talk and develop fine motor skills, instill a feeding and sleep regimen.

1. Kindergärten-Kindergarten.

Kindergarten is a pre-school education system where children from 3 to 6 years old study. The bulk are private institutions that have their own order and rules. The heads of such establishments have the right to independently establish the working mode and the amount of payment. The difference between Kindergärten in Germany and many modern countries is that such institutions are not subordinate to the Ministry of Education. The main purpose of German kindergartens is to look after children while the parents work or take care of business. In Kindergärten, children are not prepared for school, it is possible for a fee.

1. Vorklassen-Preschool classes.

Preschool classes are engaged with children and prepare them for entering school. Children who have reached the age of 5 study in such classes. During the training, children receive the knowledge and skills that they will need in the entrance exam to the school.

1. Schulkindergärten-Kindergarten at the school.

Kindergarten or school – these institutions are empowered, like Vorklassen, except for one feature. Schulkindergärten work at educational institutions, the main task is to prepare a child for a particular school. Children of 5-6 years old study in such preschool institutions.

Primary education

At the age of 6, the child goes to the Grundschule (elementary school). A system where children study for 4 years, with an average workload of 20–30 hours a week.

The peculiarity of education is the absence of specific dates for the start of the academic year and holidays. For each region of Germany they are individual. After the first half of the school year, children begin to learn a foreign language, mainly English.

The educational system is designed in such a way that children practically do not notice the adaptation period, as it passes easily and smoothly.

The knowledge assessment system is built in such a way that first-graders are not graded, and in some schools, grades start only from the third grade. There are no school uniforms in German schools. Primary school students are motivated to learn, but they are not forced to learn, and therefore learning takes place in the form of a game.

Based on the results of completing 4 classes, the commission on the success of each student determines in which school he will undergo further education.

Secondary school

The German education system provides for the education of children in secondary school (Sekundastufe I) until the age of 19. After graduation, graduates can study for free at German universities.

The educational process in Germany is built depending on the level and volume of knowledge acquired by schoolchildren. In view of this, there are several types of secondary schools in Germany:

• Hauptschule-Basic.

The basic level of education in such a school lasts from 5 to 6 years. Now students receive basic knowledge, upon completion of which a certificate is issued. Thanks to this document, students can continue to work in a specialty where additional qualifications are not required. Having received such a certificate, you can continue your education in a professional secondary institution.

• Realschule-Real.

Education under the program lasts 6 years, after which final exams are held. According to their results, each student receives a certificate of secondary vocational education.

• Gymnasioum-Gymnasium.

Education in such an institution lasts from 8 to 9 years, where students prepare for education in a higher educational institution. Exams are taken at the end. The certificate is issued on the basis of the points that each student gains. The assessment is carried out by adding the points obtained for the semester and the results of the exam.

• Gesamtschule Joint school.

The unified school includes several ways of learning. After graduating from such a school, you can continue to receive a secondary education or enter a university.

Special schools in Germany Sonderschulen

There are cases and reasons when children cannot be trained in ordinary schools. For such students, there are special institutions in which they can receive a secondary education.

The system of such schools was created for children who have hearing and vision impairments, for children who are sick or require long-term treatment, as well as children with mental disabilities.

Thanks to the special teaching methods in the modern world, such children can receive special education and find their calling.

Russian schools

There are many emigrants from Russia in Germany, so there are often Russian-language schools, which are located in almost every major city. Education in such institutions is conducted in German and Russian. Schools in Germany are of two types: full-time and in the form of additional classes, which, as a rule, work only on weekends.

In Berlin there is a Russian-German full-time elementary school and a school where children from grades 1 to 6 study. There is an educational center in Munich where children speak Russian and German for half a day.

Secondary vocational education

In Germany, there is a unique opportunity to get secondary vocational education in a dual system.

Vocational training is the first stage of a career that will give each student the opportunity to work and earn money, gaining new knowledge and invaluable experience.
Students in German schools often prefer work activities due to this system, Germans have a low unemployment rate. On average, such education takes about 3 years, in exceptional cases three and a half years.
During their studies, students receive a large scholarship and master a new profession at a fairly high level.

During such training, they study theory for up to 2 days, and 3-4 days a week are in practice and undergo training at the enterprise. Other proportions of the correlation between theory and practice for a dual system are also possible. The student needs to independently find a school in which he will study and an enterprise where he will have an internship. Such training is aimed at the fact that after its completion, students remain in the enterprise on a permanent basis.

Higher education

As a rule, higher education in Germany is free, but education is also possible on a paid basis. It takes place in private educational institutions of the country.

Anyone can apply for admission to study at a higher educational institution in Germany. After the end of the acceptance of documents, independently determine which university to submit documents from among the institutions that approved your application.

Higher education in Germany is possible in German or English.

Higher education institutions in Germany can be divided into two components: Universität-universities and Fachhochschule – higher schools of applied sciences. A distinctive feature of these institutions is the teaching system.

Education at the university takes place in the form of lectures. Classes are more practical and take place in small groups.

Postgraduate education

Postgraduate education in a simple language is the second higher education. The course of study lasts briefly and consists of 2–3 semesters, where subjects that have already been studied are studied in depth. The teaching program is quite rich, as students know the basics of the programs and the base on these subjects, which allows them to conduct training in a short time.

As a rule, Russian students are more likely to choose such a training program, while Germans are scrupulous about their portfolio, which will be presented to the employer in the future.

Additional education

Students independently determine lectures and seminars that they want to attend, choose professors where they will take the exam.

When receiving higher education, German higher education institutions do not provide a profession, but only basic knowledge for future work.

Thus, everyone can get additional education, thereby increasing their chances in the labor market, which lasts from 1 to 2 years

Upon completion of such training, students are issued a certificate of “additional specialization”.

Most continuing education courses are paid. But there is also a free one, where lectures are read by volunteer teachers.

Dual education

Dual education is a system of levels that allows students to study and work at the same time. Students receive theoretical knowledge, after which they apply it in practice during work.

They will have a clear schedule to follow. This training lasts 7–9 semesters. As a rule, it will alternate with work, on average 3 months of study and 3 months of work come out. After completing the training, exams are taken before the start of the practice.

Advantages:

• knowledge is applied in practice;
• receiving a salary;
• the opportunity to stay for employment;
• second diploma.