Elementary school covers grades 1 through 4 and is the school for children ages six to ten.
Building on the early childhood education and care provided in daycare centers, children in elementary school acquire fundamental skills in the core academic areas (reading, writing, arithmetic, and digital literacy) as well as social and personal skills, upon which the education and instruction in secondary schools can reliably build. Elementary school fosters a love of learning and discovery, as well as motivation to learn, among children in all their diversity. In line with the competency-based approach underlying the LehrplanPLUS Elementary School curriculum, children acquire knowledge and skills in elementary school that enable them to cope with everyday situations and participate in social and cultural life with increasing responsibility.
Start of Compulsory Education
Anyone who meets the age requirements and has their habitual residence in Bavaria is subject to compulsory education.
At the start of the school year, all children become subject to compulsory education if they
- turn six years old by June 30,
- turn six years old between July 1 and September 30 and whose legal guardians do not defer the start of compulsory schooling to the following school year,
- whose legal guardians have already deferred the start of compulsory schooling once pursuant to Art. 37, para. 1, sentence 1, no. 2 of the Bavarian Education Act (BayEUG), or
- who have already been deferred from enrollment in elementary school once pursuant to Article 37, paragraph 2 or paragraph 4 of the Bavarian Elementary Education Act (BayEUG).
Enrollment Window
Legal guardians of children who turn six years old between July 1 and September 30 may, after participating in the school enrollment process and based on consultation and recommendation from the elementary or special education school, decide whether to enroll their child in school for the upcoming school year or the following one. If the legal guardians wish to postpone enrollment until the following school year, they must notify the school in writing by April 10 at the latest. Otherwise, the child becomes subject to compulsory education for the upcoming school year, unless the school grants a deferral in exceptional cases.
Early Enrollment
Children who turn six after September 30 and whose observable development is sufficiently advanced that they are expected to participate successfully in class may, upon request, be enrolled in school early. For children who turn six after December 31, an additional requirement for early admission to elementary school is that a school psychology assessment confirms their readiness for school.
The decision regarding early enrollment is made by the school administration.
Deferral
A child who is at least six years old as of September 30 may be deferred from enrollment in elementary school for one school year if it is expected that the child will likely be able to successfully participate in elementary school classes only one school year later.
Furthermore, children may be deferred and required to attend a daycare center with an integrated preparatory course during the school year if they have not attended either a daycare center or a preparatory course to improve their German language skills and if, during the school registration process, it is determined that they do not possess the necessary German language skills.
Responsible School
A child who is or will become subject to compulsory education must be enrolled by their legal guardians by the enrollment deadline at the public elementary school in the district where the child has their habitual residence, or at a private elementary school, unless the child is enrolled directly at a support center.
School administrators provide information about school districts and all other school-related matters. If the child is enrolled in a private elementary school, the responsible public elementary school must be notified for the purpose of monitoring compliance with compulsory education.