# HOW to find a right school in Germany



## greyfazer (Apr 1, 2014)

Hello

I am going to relocate to Germany (*Frankfurt *am Main) very soon together with my family - wife and son (7 y.o.)
My son does not speak Deutsch at all and speaks English just a little. 
So, I'm trying to arrange his schooling and integration into society.

*I consider my tasks like this:*
1. find an appropriate school in a good district (most probably Westend, Nordend, Bornheim)
2. find an apartment assigned to that school

I don't quiet understand how to achieve my goals in a better way. 

*Therefore, I have these questions:*
1. How to find a right school? Is there any rating officially published? Is there any schools (usual ones) which are more friendly for kids who don't speak German?
2. I'd like my son to attend usual Deutsch class from his 1st day. How to avoid special Integration class with the children of different ages ?
3. Is it a good idea to avoid Integration class?
4. Who and when I should talk with in order to arrange assignment to school? Can it be done in summer holiday?
5. What do you think about Int's school? My empployer are not going to be pay for it; so it's going to be my problem.


thanks


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

Normal German public schools are free of charge, there are no rankings (officially, there are no differences in quality at all) and they work on a regional basis, meaning your child has to attend the school in charge of the area you live in - unless you can convince the authorities that you need an exemption.
Integration classes are for helping new arrivals with different cultural and language background to get along in normal schools. I believe this can only be good for your child!
You can approach the Jugendamt of your town to find out which school your child has to attend and how to apply for exemptions.
I don't know about the quality of international schools, but Frankfurt has several and they are expensive. Schooling in English will not help your child much in daily life in Germany, and attending a school with widely dispersed clientele (as international schools tend to be) will not help him find friends next door.


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

I would be a little wary of the integration classes. At age seven a child should be able to go straight into a normal classroom and be caught up on the language within a year. With the integration class that could actually delay language acquisition. I have a certain skepticism on this question - there are many wonderful things about German schools, but teaching German as a second language is not one of their strengths, at least not compared to Canada. Fortunately your child is young enough that it shouldn't matter.


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

Regarding school rankings, there are none, but of course not all schools are equal. In general, the quality of the school will be roughly equivalent to the quality of the neighbourhood, in socioeconomic terms. With exceptions of course.


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

As your son is only seven years old, he will soon pick up the German language. Also remember that most of your sons new friends from your new neighbourhood, will go the the same school, he will soon integrate.


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