Any German Mumsnetters?

[Edelweissabc]

I have a DC who is very young in their year and bilingual. They are keeping up with the class, but only just and it feels like the wheels are about to come off as they get more worried about school. It feels like there was school pressure to start in the first year rather than preparation class. Apparently the school has classes with high average ages and is trying to bring this down - don't know if true, told by a friend who is a former teacher.

Marks okay, but coming with a lot of stress and this is only the second year. Slowly slipping downwards. They are bright, fluent in other languages (written as well as spoken). DC is getting anxious around school and we have had absences because of this (really trying hard not to and have had several Dr appointments checking no physical issues).

No social issues to date, but overall the class is much older and friendship groups getting harder to navigate.

Please may I ask if you know if there is any criteria for moving down a year or the school demanding they stay put?

Is this normal state Grundschule and which Bundesland?
They would have been either a Kannkind or a Musskind last year.
I would have held out for Musskind if Summer born and it sounds like others have.
End of Year 1 I have heard of a Musskind being moved up to year 3 as he was far too clever but I haven't heard of Year 2 staying put. You could ask though especially if you are worried for the Ubertritt in two years' time.
You can appeal that and do an exam if they aren't recommended for Gymnasium, in Bayern at least.
In secondary school, it is easier. They have a freiwillige Rucktritt card they can use twice, one for key stage 3 one for key stage 4 so if failing in the first term, they can go back voluntarily a year and it won't count against them (another chance on top of Sitzenbleiben).
When it comes to year 4 they'll be constantly tested for the Ubertritt, year 5 onwards it's about holding their own - grades 1-6 will be awarded for all they do.
It's a bloody tough system.

Thanks, this is really helpful. Grundschule in Hessen, Y2. I really wanted to hold out as he was a Musskind, but the German side of the family pushed for him to go. Indeed, it seems like all the others held out.

The issue is German and trying to catch up from the start while dealing with being young in an older class. No major learning issues, as they are bright and have complete fluency in another language. It just seems they have to work harder with German, which of course impacts everything. In a large class with disruption there is no support.

They will get through the years if they stay in the class, but with a lot of stress which leads to bad learning habits. The Ubertritt is a concern, as it seems ridiculous to be trying to support a younger boy through it.

I don't want to hold them back if it harms them in the future. We always though he may do a year in the UK during high school. But, the current issue is a child who is becoming more and more anxious around school.

Most of their friends are in the year below. Some in the current class are two years older and just at a different level developmentally. Among the older kids are a few who are extremely disruptive and it seems like the younger ones cannot cope well with the situation.

Please may I ask if there are any grounds to move if the grades are okay - 2/3, but we are supporting a lot at home with learning and it seems a slow slide down with what is being grasped in the class. Have missed some school days with anxiety, which to me is unacceptable and not fair on him.

Thank you again.

Thanks again @FailBetter very much appreciated. The school have not been supportive. I think the teacher struggling with a large class with many issues. A few have moved down, but those cases were clearer with children who struggled a lot in class.

Sorry love, have been at work. Just got back.
2/3 is okay - they are doing well but if they were a Kannkind (you said Musskind but that would have meant they were older and had to go) then you could insist they stay put rather than moving to year 3.
You need to speak to the school's Soziale Paedogogin and mention mental health/German as a second language. I am surprised German family said to go early - there's no real benefit - everyone games the system where they can ime. I suppose going earlier means you don't feel as exposed/you don't graduate really late if you do have to repeat a year.
I'm sorry the school haven't been supportive.

Hessen
• Versetzungsrelevante Fächer: Deutsch, Mathematik und Sachunterricht
• maximal eine 5 oder 6
• Versetzungsrelevante Fächer: alle
• maximal eine 5 oder 6

Okay so to get into year 3 comfortably, they look at German, maths and HSU. You can only have one five or six.
To get into year 4 comfortably, they look at all subjects, again you can only have one five or six.

You might get pushback then if your child is 2/3 in all their subjects. However, I'd still push for a freiwillige Wiederholung - repeating year 2 again from September so that your child gains more confidence/is with more peers of the same age.