Secondary school
After primary education, children normally go to one of three types of secondary schools:
Hauptschule (until 10th grade) - prepares pupils for vocational education and ends with a Hauptschulabschluss. The Hauptschule is designed for those who are less academically gifted. Graduates generally enter an apprenticeship ( Lehre) in a manual trade, sometimes combined with some part-time studies at a Berufsschule.
Realschule (until 10th grade) - offers a broader range of emphasis for intermediary students and ends with a Realschulabschuss. The Realschule is designed for those who will be entering an apprenticeship in a commercial trade or medical profession such as nursing, the emphasis is more on mathematics and language skills than on manual activities.
Gymnasium (until 12th or 13th grade) – prepares students for higher education and ends with the Abitur (a prerequisite for enrolling in university). This is the most demanding type of schooling, with 32 to 40 hours of lessons per week and lots of homework.
In some states of Germany, the system provides comprehensive schooling (GesamtschuleI). All children attend the same school, but are then split up within the school according to the abilities. After 10th grade, students can either leave school for a Lehre, or stay for another 3 years to get an Abitur, depending on his performance up to 10th grade.
For more on children's education in Germany, visit our website on expat children, Expat-Kids.com.