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School Entrance Examination
No need to get excited
Does my child meet all the requirements to attend school?
The first day of school is coming into view. Anticipation and excitement are rising. In preparation, mail flutters into the homes of all parents whose children will be six years old by September 30 of that year at the latest. They are invited to a school entrance examination about six months before they start school. This important check-up is about the age-appropriate development of your child. The aim is to find out whether the child is able to cope with the demands of everyday school life in terms of health, body and mind, and whether there may be a need for support. But don't worry: the examination is not a test. You also do not have to practice with your child for it.
The free examination is carried out by school physicians from the health department. The place of the examination varies from district to district. It often takes place in kindergarten, at school or perhaps at the health office. Plan about an hour for the school entrance examination.
The school entrance examination is carried out according to a uniform and standardized examination procedure. This includes:
Sight and hearing test
.
Measure height and weight
.
Assessing painting and hand dexterity
.
Assess number and quantity comprehension
.
Playful exercises for language, mental, physical, and social development
.
Talking about your child's health development
.
One parent should be present at the examination to clarify possible questions directly.
You should bring the following documents to the appointment:
Preventive care booklet
Vaccination record
Specialist findings, if available
.
Parental questionnaire (please complete) and invitation
.
The results of the examination will be discussed directly with you by the school doctor. You will receive advice on how to support your child for a good start to school. If the school doctor notices anything special that could cause problems for your child at the start of school, you will receive suggestions on how a thorough diagnosis can be made or on support measures. A small report will be prepared for the school. You will receive a copy of the letter
.
There are several reasons for making a separate appointment for an examination. Report to the school medical service of your health department if
.
Your child needs special assistance to attend a regular school.
You want your child to go to a special school.
You want to defer your child from enrollment.
You want your child to start school early.
The school doctor will make a recommendation after the examination, but ultimately you as parents decide. If you would like to enroll your child in school earlier or perhaps defer it for a year, you can submit a corresponding application. The responsible school administration will then decide on a deferral or early enrollment together with the school medical service.
More informationLinks for further reading
Further information about the school medical examination can be found on the portal kindergesundheit-info.de of the BZgA.
In the parents' brochure "Elementary School in North Rhine-Westphalia" you can find out what has changed since your own school days and what has remained the same.
