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There have been several discussions on this forum in recent months about foreign kids in public schools and the special classes ("Förderklasse") which some schools offer for them. You may want to read those threads, which you can find with the forum's search function (on top right of the page).

Thank you. I’ll have a look.

Thanks again for that. It was helpful in answering my questions about the language barrier and what impact it may have on my daughters education. 

I was also hoping to get a bit of advice on good, family orientated neighbourhoods. And maybe even recommended schools?  I understand not all schools offer Förderklasse but I could check that out. My partner will be working in harburg so we’d be looking at areas within a 40 minute commute from there. Again, if there is anyone with a young family who attend school I’m these areas, I’d be grateful for any recommendations.

Many thanks

Mairi

I really don’t want to have to go into all of the details here, especially since there can be local differences. But one is usually required to go to the next closest appropriate school to where they live. A child should be evaluated for placement and say if there is no program to help with learning German then they will try to place the child in the nearest one that does. If there are reasons for parents to want to put children in a school somewhere else then they can make a request but have to have luck that there is place for them. The point is that one doesn’t usually just have a free choice to put them wherever one wants.

But since your child is just starting then it is not as disruptive as having to change schools. Of course many foreign kids arrive that don’t speak German and they will focus on seeing that they learn it well enough to be integrated into normal classes. But at that age most kids are fairly fluent within 6 to 12 months. And one would expect the younger ones to pick up the language like a sponge in Kindergarten so that they will have no problem by the time they start the regular school. And for the kids and/or yourselves, you might consider getting a tutor to help. Official ones through language schools might cost twice as much but many University students will do this for around 15 Euros/hour.

Just don’t freak out if your child gets put together with other kids who not only don’t speak German but not English as a first language either. Just as likely they might be Arabic or Turkish speakers. I mentioned this because on a recent thread a mother was rather outraged that her child could end up with such people who she claimed might not know what paper and a pen look like. Such xenophobic attitudes should be checked at the door.

Thanks for your reply. Tue information you have given in this and previous posts have been helpful and I’m feeling more confident about my daughter starting school. I have enrolled her in German classes (started this evening). Here in Scotland, parents quite often move to a particular area (local authority) to try and get their kids into a good school. I understand the German education system is quite different but I’m presuming there are still more favourable schools and indeed neighbourhoods for families?  If I were giving advice to someone moving to my area there would be certain schools or neighbourhoods which would have more to offer or those best to avoid...

Thanks again
Mairi

Not being from Hamburg, I cannot help you with the choice of neighbourhood - but unlike schools (which are all of very similar standard), there are of course areas better for families (e.g. a green suburb with parks and playgrounds) than others (e.g. the inner city shopping district). Maybe it is best you travel around the city after your arrival to get the "feel" of some areas.
For information about schools with special classes for foreign kids, you could also approach the local "Schulamt" (school authority)!

Thanks for the input. We are planning a child free trip to scout out neighbourhoods/schools in a couple of weeks.   I have never lived outwith the uk, never mind a non English speaking country and although it’s exciting, I’m bricking it!   Just trying to get as much advice and info as possible to make sure we do right by our kids.

I have just re read Tommin s message....wow! Its hard enough to accept that such attitudes exist but also that people are so brazen to admit it?!   Well, we are more than happy for my children to be educated  alongside other non German/non English speaking children.

Mairi

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