Schooling in Germany

The official school year runs between the 1 August and 31 July, with start and finishing dates as well as half term and Christmas and Easter holidays staggered depending on the individual states.

Some international schools have different holidays or may observe additional national holidays.

The school day

The school day can be quite different from other European educational establishments and can vary not only from state to state, but also within a state. Students normally begin classes at around 08:00 and remain at school until 13:30 when the school day normally ends. Classes are usually held in the same room, with teachers moving from room to room. The lessons last on average for 45 minutes and there is a break of five minutes after each lesson with regular short breaks throughout the day.

Afternoon lessons are becoming more widespread throughout Germany mainly for older students. These classes are of a more relaxed style, for example physical education or art, and vary greatly from state to state.

In the past, German children were expected at school on Saturdays, with Wednesday being the second day of rest. This has changed and all school-goers from 6 to 17 now attend school from Monday to Friday.

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