Status: 11.11.2021 11:46 a.m.
In Germany, due to the increase in the number of births, more children went to school this year than in 14 years. Nationwide, 771,700 girls and boys began their school career, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office.
There are more first graders in the current school year than there have been in 14 years. 771,700 children started school, 2.9 percent more than in the previous year, as the Federal Statistical Office announced, citing preliminary figures. Most recently, more children started school in 2007. A trend that has been observed since the 2016/2017 school year continues.
Higher birth rates and immigration
The development is due, among other things, to higher birth rates, said the Federal Office. At the end of 2020 there were around 3.0 percent more children between the ages of five and under seven years across Germany than in the previous year. Immigration also contributes to this: the increase was 1.9 percent among children with German citizenship and 9.7 percent among foreign children. Bremen and Bavaria reported the largest increase in school enrollments with 7.0 and 5.3 percent.
More training at free Waldorf schools
The majority of the children (93.6 percent) started their school career at a primary school, as the Federal Office announced. 3.0 percent went to special schools, 2.4 percent at integrated comprehensive schools and 1.0 percent at free Waldorf schools.
Compared to the previous year, there were 3.4 percent more school enrollments at Waldorf schools and 3.1 percent more at primary schools. The proportion of integrated comprehensive schools remained almost unchanged at plus 1.0 percent and at special schools with minus 0.9 percent.