Elementary school ends after the 4th grade in Lower Saxony. Starting in the 5th grade, your child will attend a secondary school. This can be a Hauptschule, a Realschule, an Oberschule, a Gesamtschule (Integrated Gesamtschule or Cooperative Gesamtschule), a special education school, or a Gymnasium. Not all types of secondary schools are offered in every region or city. You decide which one to enroll your child in.

To help you with this decision, the elementary school offers you, as the parent or guardian, at least two counseling sessions during the 4th grade regarding the transition to the 5th grade. During these sessions, the teacher will inform you about your child’s individual academic progress and, if you wish, advise you on the choice of secondary school types as well as possible educational pathways. Your child should be involved in the consultation in an appropriate manner. These meetings are based on your child’s academic performance, learning progress during elementary school, work habits and social behavior, and insights gained from discussions with you. If you wish, the teacher may provide a school placement recommendation during the second counseling session. The teacher will document the key findings of the discussions to ensure accountability and transparency. You will receive a copy of this document from the teacher.

At the end of the 3rd grade or at the beginning of the 4th grade, there will be an informational session for you. During this session, you will learn about the educational mission, academic requirements, and teaching methods of secondary schools, as well as the options for changing school types later on.

Once you have made your decision, enroll your child in a secondary school.

For students requiring special education support, a reassessment of their need for such support was conducted when they transitioned to a different school type through the 2019–2020 school year. This requirement was eliminated starting with the 2020–21 school year.