Primary school: How do I find the right one?

Finding the right primary school for your child is not so easy. When the last kindergarten year has begun, it is time to think about a suitable primary school and to inform yourself. We have compiled arguments for you that can help you choose the right primary school.

Free choice of primary school? Attention!

The freedom of choice of primary school depends on the federal state. Basically, every public school has a certain catchment area. Your child is usually assigned a place in an elementary school in his district. You can also choose another school. There are two options:

  • If you choose aprimary school in another district, different rules apply in the federal states. In Bavaria, for example, you have to apply for a guest school, which will be decided depending on the reasons and the available capacities. In other federal states, such as North Rhine-Westphalia, there has been a free choice of school. If you choose a school that enjoys great popularity, however, it may be that the school management does not accept all children.
  • If your decision falls on afree primary school, such as aMontessori school, the specified territorial boundaries are overridden, because these schools are only available at a few locations. As a rule, a notification to the respective free primary school or local school authority that your child should be enrolled there is sufficient. But even here, there may be a risk that your child will be rejected due to lack of space.

Tip: Inform yourself in good time in your place of residence about the usual regulations and laws. Often the school office also offers a list of schools in the area.

Use the information provided by the primary school

In addition to the testimonials of other parents, you will receive further information about the primary schools in your area – for example through the school homepage or brochures that are available at the school itself or in the city office. However, it is best to get an impression of the school for yourself. Many schools offer the opportunity to do so at an “open day”. So you can just get a taste of it with your child, look at the classrooms and talk to the teachers.

Choosing a primary school

Although the decision for the right primary school should be well thought out, don’t forget to listen to your gut feeling as well. So sometimes the first decision can be the best. It is important that you and your child feel comfortable with the choice of primary school. Then nothing stands in the way of a good start to school life.

Registration at the primary school

If you have decided on a specific primary school, you can register your child there. Dates for registration can be found, for example, through public notices and newspaper articles or through invitations that are sent to parents who live in the school district. You can find out which deadlines there are for registration in the respective federal states and how it works in our article “Registration at school”.

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