Good to know for immigrant parents

Afternoon-offers (GTA)

Afternoon-offers are different activities after classes at school. The common abbreviation for this is "GTA". High schools to afternoon-offers are open from the fifth to the tenth grade. Children can attend it after registration.
Afternoon-offers are for example, working groups, theater, languages, sports.

Religious Education and Ethics

Religious education or ethics is a mandatory subject. You can choose between the offers of the school: Catholic or Protestant religion, in exceptional cases other religions. Children who do not participate in religious education attend classes in ethics.
The parents determine whether their children attend religious education or the ethics classes. After completion of the 14th year of life it’s the pupils right to choose themselves.

Family and sex education lessons

Family and sex education lessons are by law responsibilities of the school.
The aim is to introduce appropriate to the pupils’ age biological, ethical, cultural and social facts of human sex and gender. The children are being prepared for human relations in life, partnership and family.

School fees and learning materials

Attending public schools is free of charge. Textbooks and calculators are free to loan. This material is part of the school. Damage and loss shall be replaced by the polluter.
Work equipment, such as pens, notepads, books or gym clothes are arranged and payed by the parents.

Penalties and disciplinary measures

In order to ensure the teaching, people and objects pupils can be punished (disciplinary measures), e.g.:

  • Removal from the classroom or from the class
  • In severe, repeated misconduct Temporary exclusion from school (up to four weeks). The children must independently learn the content of teaching in this period. The results must be delivered daily to school. The child has to leave school and attend to another.
  • The threat or execution of physical violence is prohibited.

Before the execution of the penalties must be spoken to the respective children and parents. Compulsory education persists despite punishment.

Parental involvement

Parents can and must participate in school education. Parents should participate in the "Parents Meeting" of the class. This meeting of all the parents takes place twice a year (mostly September and March).