Enrolment of a child in primary school
The primary school in Lower Saxony comprises grades 1 to 4. In primary schools with an entrance level, children in the 1st and 2nd grades are taught in cross-grade learning groups, which they attend for one to three years.
School attendance is compulsory for your child. In Lower Saxony, it is usually enrolled in school when it has reached the age of six by September 30 of each year. This includes children who have their 6th birthday on October 1.
Children born after 1 October (so-called optional children) can also be registered; there is no special deadline here. The headmaster decides on admission.
About 15 months before enrollment, you will be asked to register
to the primary school responsible for your child. The school authority – i.e. the city or municipality – or the primary school will inform you of the exact registration date in good time in advance. The place of residence decides which school(s) is responsible for you. Information on this can be obtained from the school authority or a primary school in your area.
In Lower Saxony, all children are medically examined before they start school as part of the school entrance examination with regard to their state of development and health. The child's school-relevant strengths and weaknesses will be determined, you will be advised and, if necessary, support measures for your child will be recommended. Participation in the school entrance examination is mandatory for your child. You will receive an invitation.
Your school-age child can be deferred for one year if, due to his or her level of development, it is to be expected that he or she will not be able to successfully participate in the first year of primary school or a special school. It may be obligated to attend a school kindergarten if this institution exists in the area of the school authority. The decision on the enrolment or deferral of your child will be made by the school management after consultation with you as the legal guardian. In primary schools with an entrance level, a deferral should be dispensed with.
If your child has his or her sixth birthday in the period from 2 July to 1 October, you can postpone school attendance by one year by means of a written declaration. This does not have to be justified (flexibilization of the enrollment date).
Process flow
You must register your child in person at the primary school responsible for you about 15 months before starting school. You will often receive an invitation to do so. Check with the school beforehand to find out what other forms they need in addition to the birth certificate and vaccination certificate.
In addition, your child's school entrance examination will be carried out by the paediatric and adolescent medical service of the health department. You will receive an invitation for this.
Who should I contact?
- The responsibility lies with the primary school in whose school catchment district you reside.
Competent authority
- Responsible primary school
- School entrance examination: Paediatric and Adolescent Medical Service of the Health Department
Requirements
- The place of residence is in Lower Saxony
Which documents are required?
- Registration form of the responsible primary school. You can pick up the form at the school beforehand or you can get it directly when you come to register. Sometimes you can also download the form from the school's website.
- Vaccination certificate or medical certificate (measles protection)
- Birth certificate of the child
after consultation with the school:
- If applicable, passport photo of the child for the school file
- If applicable, registration certificate
- If applicable, certificate of custody
If applicable, power of attorney of one legal guardian for the other
What are the fees?
There are no fees.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
- The registration date will be announced by the school authority in the usual local manner, usually in the period from 1 to 8 December. Experience has shown that this will be in May/June of the year before the child becomes required to attend school.
- The informal declaration of postponement of school attendance by one year must be submitted to the school by 1 May before the start of the school year in question.
Processing duration
- no processing time
Legal basis
§ 56 Investigations of the Lower Saxony School Act (NSchG)
§ 64 Commencement of compulsory schooling Lower Saxony School Act (NSchG)
§ 71 Duties of legal guardians and trainers Lower Saxony School Act (NSchG)
Law on Day Care Centres for Children (KiTaG)
Lower Saxony Law on the Public Health Service (NGöGD) § 5 paragraph 2
Applications / forms
- Forms can be obtained from the responsible primary school or school authority
- Online procedure: no
- Written form requirement: no
- Personal appearance required: yes
Appeal
This administrative service does not constitute an administrative act. For this reason, there is no legal remedy.
What else should I know?
Inclusion / need for special educational support: In Lower Saxony, all schools are inclusive schools. They provide all students with equal and barrier-free access. Parents of pupils in need of special educational support can decide whether their child should attend a primary school or a special school. Since the primary level of special schools in the priority area of learning has been phased out, all pupils with a need for special educational support in the priority area of learning go to primary school. In addition to the primary school, the contact persons are the Regional State Offices for Schools and Education (RLSB) and the Regional Counselling and Support Centres for Inclusive Schools (RZI).
Language support: Since the 2018/2019 school year, the language development of all children who attend a daycare center has been observed, documented and promoted by socio-educational specialists. At the latest at the beginning of the kindergarten year, which immediately precedes compulsory schooling, the child's language competence must be recorded, a developmental discussion must be held with the legal guardians and, if necessary, individual and differentiated language support must be initiated. In the case of children who do not attend a day-care centre, the responsible primary school determines their language skills as part of the school registration process and sets up language support measures for children who do not have sufficient knowledge of German in the school year before they start school. This language support is legally enshrined in the Lower Saxony School Act and participation in it is obligatory for the children concerned (early compulsory schooling).
Responsible primary school: If parents wish to attend another primary school for important reasons, an application for exemption must be submitted to the responsible primary school. Regardless of this, the child is first registered at the primary school responsible for the school catchment district.
Technically approved by
Lower Saxony Ministry of Culture
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
