School in Germany

In Germany school, from the age of 6 through 14 school is mandatory, and in public state-run school's, it's free. The school system in Germany is a little different than it is in America. All children enter in the same program, but at the age of 10, they go to one of four types of schools. The track that they enter determines which type of school they can next enter, and finally, weather they will go to a university or enter a technical field. German secondary education includes five types of school. The Gymnasium is designed to prepare pupils for university education and finishes with the final examination Abitur, after grade 12 or 13. The Realschule has a broader range of emphasis for intermediate pupils and finishes with the final examination Mittlere Reife, after grade 10; the Hauptschule prepares pupils for vocational education and finishes with the final examination Hauptschulabschluss, after grade 9 or 10 and the Realschulabschluss after grade 10. There are two types of grade 10: one is the higher level called type 10b and the lower level is called type 10a; only the higher level type 10b can lead to the Realschule and this finishes with the final examination Mittlere Reife after grade 10b. Most subjects are taught in the pupils' own classroom and the pupils stay in their room while the teachers move from class to class. This is common throughout school up to year 11. Exceptions exist for PE, art, sciences, music and subjects which are taught in courses. Students usually sit two at a table, not desks,sometimes arranged in a semicircle or other shape.