Kindergarden & School

KINDERGARDEN AND SCHOOL

Especially if both parents work, childcare needs to be organised. Whether in kindergartens, school childcare centres or childminders - on the federal government's information portal you will find all the important information on how to find suitable childcare: Childcare

There is a wide range of childcare options and services for children in the Ruhr region. Children are generally looked after by private facilities and childminders up to the age of three and then in kindergarten. There are kindergartens run by municipal, church or private organisations. Kindergarten places are usually offered for 25, 35 or 45 hours per week (5.7 or 9 hours per day, Monday to Friday) and are subject to a fee. Kindergarten places are allocated by the town in which you live. Your place of residence is therefore a prerequisite for choosing childcare.

SCHOOL

If your children are older than six, they have to go to school, as school attendance is compulsory in Germany. The vast majority of schools in Germany are run by the state. Your children can therefore attend these schools free of charge. Private and international schools are of course also open to you. However, fees are charged for these.

Enrolment of newly arrived schoolchildren and young people

Are your children already of school age when they arrive in Germany? Are you probably wondering how their school enrolment will be organised? This is decided by the respective school management in consultation with the responsible school authorities. As a rule, newly arrived schoolchildren who are not yet able to take part in school lessons on a continuous basis due to their language skills are offered trial lessons. The aim is to integrate them into regular school lessons as quickly as possible.

How to recognise a good school

In general, you can decide for yourself which school your child attends. It is therefore advantageous to look at several schools. A characteristic of a good school is not only a high quality education, but also a range of extracurricular activities such as theatre and sports, as well as language and music courses and excursions. A good school also encourages parents to take an active part in school life. Therefore, you should not be satisfied with just asking for a place for your child at school, but also for extracurricular activities. If your children are not yet fluent in German, make sure that the school offers courses such as German as a second language (DaZ) or German as a foreign language (DaF). Here, the teachers will ensure that your child can always follow the lessons and does not have to fear any disadvantages for the aforementioned reason. 

All information on the school system can be found on the NRW education portal: The school system in the Ruhr region