Living at the MDC and Berlin-Buch

2 Living in Germany Seite 11 von 36
2.5. Kindergarten/School
All children aged 6 to 15 have to attend school in Germany. First they are enrolled at the
Grundschule or elementary school (grades 1 to 4). After the fourth grade or a further two year
transition period (only in some Länder), pupils switch to one of the following secondary
schools: the Hauptschule where they can obtain the basic school-leaving certificate (up to
grade nine or ten), the Realschule with the intermediate school-leaving certificate at the end of
grade 10 and the Gymnasium which leads to the Abitur, the university entrance qualification
at the end of grade 12 or 13. In addition, there is the comprehensive school (Gesamtschule),
which is organised not according to subject preference, but to individual ability and combines
the various types of schools.
At German schools, classes are only held in the morning between, i.e. 8.00 and 01.00 p.m. in
elementary schools and between 8.00 a.m. 2.00 p.m. in the other schools. Only
comprehensive schools offer all day classes. School attendance is free of charge. There are a
few fee-charging private or foreign schools, most of which are very expensive.
Children from 3 to 6 years of age may voluntarily attend kindergarten. In Berlin, mostly there
are sufficient places in kindergartens for all children between the age of 8 weeks and school
age. Usually they are open continuously from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. (sometimes even 6 p.m.). The
fees depend on the income of the parents. BBB-Management GmbH has established a
Campus-Kita in collaboration with SEHstern e.V. in House 61 at the campus. Please contact
Ms. Kabutz, ph 94 06 35 46, or campussterne@sehstern-ev.de to get more information, or
click at http://www.sehstern-ev.de.
Nannies (Tagesmutter), who care for your child individually, can be found through newspaper
ads or the youth welfare office. Baby-sitters, who care for your child for a few hours during
the day or in the evening, can best be found by word of mouth. You should ask both
neighbours and colleagues if they can recommend a trustworthy sitter.
Information about kindergartens and the necessary voucher can be obtained from the youth
welfare office (Jugendamt) at the local administrative authority of the respective city district.
For Berlin-Pankow it is Bezirksamt Pankow:
Youth welfare office
Frau Richter
Fröbelstraße 17, Haus 5
10405 Berlin
: 0 30/9 02 95 5751
while information about schools can be obtained from the general school office Berlin at:
http://www.berlin.de/sen/bildung/ or from the school office of your city district, for Pankow:
Amt für Schule und Sport Pankow
Fröbelstraße 17, Haus 9
10405 Berlin
: 0 30/90295-5295
or at: http://www.berlin.de/ba-pankow/verwaltung/schule/index.html
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