Grundschuleförterklasse

[ilovespinach]

Hi,

My son will not be starting Klasse 1 this year, instead he will be going to grundschuleförterklasse (sp?).

His kindergartern are saying he is very privaleged (sp sorry my spelling is to pot at the moment) to do this amd that it's seen as a very positive step for chilkdren who need some more time. I have a hard time at the minute with this, of course all of his friends will start the first class and the topic of conversation is very much school.

Would love anyone with a better overview of the German system to make me understand that this isn't seen as a bad thing...

thanks

how old is he?
can he use scissors well? (the schools use the use of scissors of measurement of fine motor skills)

afaik, children in most parts of germany can start school from nearly six to seven years old. when they start is partly decided bei an assessment (schulärztliche untersuchung) and for some younger children it might be reccomended to wait a year for year 1 but to go to "vorschule" (which I suspect this "förderklasse" is) first.

He will be 6 in April. Yes he can use scissors. His colouring in, which I guess is also a measure of fine motor skills, is poor. The kindergarten have told me he is an intelligent boy who needs more time to learn how to learn iykwim.

then maybe the föderklasse is a good idea for him. school is pretty full on from y1 in germany, not as gentle as reception/y1 in the uk. lots of sitting still as well.

I've got 1 ds in the 1 Klasse & 1 starting in the 1 Klasse in September (and an older dd) so know a little bit about the school system.
I presume he's had an assessment from the doctor (his U9) and ? an assesment from the Gesundheitsamt? I find dc here are assessed really well as to whether they are ready to start school so I would trust the decision.
I would tell your dc that they are still going to start the 1 Klasse but just in a different school. There is a boy in my village who goes to the Förderschule & the parents are happy by how much he's developing there.
I would also be telling the Förderschule that you would be keen to get him back into the regular Grundschule - if you think he'd manage it.
I can see it must be difficult to see it as a positive step but if it helps him in the future then it will be worth it. The 1 Klasse is tough with lots of sitting at a desk and learning & the schools have no qualms to make the dc repeat the year if they're not at a certain level so maybe a year in the Förderschule with possibly smaller classes might be better.

thanks for the responses.

Yes, we have had the assesments from the gesundheitsamt etc so it's not a surprise to us. I know the class is taught at the 'normal' grundschule so I will tell him he is going to school just in a different class to his friends. If they see he is ready to move up to the first class then they will.....

It's just difficult at the moment. No one wants to hear that their ds is having difficulties - especially when everything seems to come so easily to his younger brother. Added to that I'm unexpectedly pregnant with a 3rd child and I worry we will have the new baby when ds needs us to help him through. Hopefully we will be able to get through this and ds will benefit.

spinach just see it this way: instead of always being a little behind academically, he will fit right in with his peers. and being at the same school as his friends he will still see them and be able to play with him at break times.

Congratulations on your pregnancy.
I think its great that its taught at the Grundschule - he'll just be in a different class to his friends.
I agree its hard to hear that he's having difficulties - ds1 was kept back a year as he was a kann kind but some other dc his age went to school & it initially felt disheartening that the kiga thought he wouldnt manage.
But it did him the world of good - he's managing so much better this year.
I think your ds will benefit enormously from the extra support he gets there but I can see why you're worried about the next few months.

I think there is a difference though between the Grundschulförderklasse and Förderschule. The class your ds will go into is just for dc who aren't quite ready for normal primary but will go there a year later and a Förderschule is a school for dc with special needs who will probably stay there for most of their schooling.

Friends of ours had a ds in the förderklasse because he was abit behind with German and he's now going on to Gymnasium in Septemebr so did him no harm! His brother didn't go to the Förderklasse (not on offer where they moved to) and he has struggled to keep up, now in year 3 and heading for haupt- or realschule.

Oh I didnt realise that admylin. there isnt provision for it in the Grundschule here so any dc needing extra support have to go to the Förderschule. Didnt mean to give out duff information - sorry!
Still sounds like a good idea if he needs it.

thanks everyone for the kind words :)
You are all right - we are lucky to get the extra support and chance to build ds's confidence.