School
Germany has a compulsory school attendance for all children.
In the district of Soest and throughout North Rhine Westphalia, all children have to go to school for a minimum of 10 years. The children normally start primary school at the age of 6. After the fourth school year, all pupils have to change school. All schools that build on the primary school are called secondary schools. Those are Haupt- and Realschulen, Gymnasien and Gesamtschulen (Secondary General Schools, Intermediate Secondary School, Grammar Schools and Comprehensive Schools).
Apart from municipal schools there are church and private schools which are state-recognized. The websites of the education authority of the district of Soest provide you with an overview of all schools.
Newly immigrated children and adolescents who are required to attend school
There are special services for children and adolescents from immigrant families who are required to attend school and who have difficulties with the German language. The Pauli school in Soest has for example established a remedial class. In this class, the children and adolescents are given intensive German lessons in speech and writing. After 18 months at the latest, the students will then transfer to a regular class of the respective school.
