Kindergarten and Primary School

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Kindergarten and Primary School

 HarmoS

 Kindergarten

 When does compulsory schooling start?

 Adaptation classes (Einführungs- / Einschulungsklassen)

 The school system in Northwestern Switzerland

 Conflicts between family and school

At last, today is the day you have been waiting for: your child’s first day in kindergarten. You have probably been mentally preparing for this day for a while and are looking forward to it. Some kids can barely wait: they finally get to be just like their big brother or sister and go to kindergarten!

In all cantons of Northwestern

Switzerland compulsory schooling begins with kindergarten. The two-year

kindergarten now belongs to the primary level and is considered the first stage of schooling.

HarmoS

HarmoS is an intercantonal agreement on the harmonization of the compulsory school period. With HarmoS, two years of kindergarten become mandatory.

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The minimum age to start Kindergarten (4 years of age), and the date (31st of July) by which the children must have reached that age, are being harmonized in the Cantons that have signed the agreement.

These rules must be put in place by the beginning of the school year 2015/2016.

You can find out whether your canton has signed HarmoS, and how far it has gone with the harmonization, on the website of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK).

Solothurn, Basel-Land and Basel-Stadt have signed the HarmoS agreement.

Aargau has not signed the agreement so far (as of September 2015), but has nevertheless introduced the two-year mandatory kindergarten.

Kindergarten

For all the happy excitement, starting kindergarten also triggers feelings of loss, fear and insecurity – not only for the child, but for parents, too. Many a mum and dad find it difficult to be separated from their child, entrusting their little boy or girl to the care of strangers. There may be tears, though they usually dry quickly as soon as you walk out of view. Try out what feels best for you. Create your own ritual. Some parents like to play with their child for a while before leaving, others give their baby a peck on the cheek. Whatever you do, never leave your child without saying good-bye.

Once your child has settled into

kindergarten, he or she has taken a big step towards independence. This

«growth» will soon become apparent. Your child will proudly demonstrate new skills, sing songs and tell stories you have never

heard before. Let your «grown-up»

kindergarten kid teach you!

To prepare for the process of letting go, why not enroll your child in a playgroup?

This is an ideal environment for children to explore new things and meet children of their own age. In playgroups, up to ten children aged three and older come together, play games and develop their personalities and social skills, such as:

• building a relationship with a new caregiver (letting go)

• experiencing group activities

• learning to fend for oneself

• developing self-confidence

• developing intellectual and motor skills

• discovering new material and games

Many municipalities provide early

language training in kindergarten or even in playgroup – for immigrants in

particular, but by no means not only for them. Children participate in weekly classes where they develop their linguistic abilities in a playful way. The purpose is to help non-German-speaking children make friends with German speakers and pave the way for a smooth transition into primary school.

Contact your local council (Gemeinde) for more information on early intervention programs

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Mandatory Promotion of German one year before Kindergarten in Basel-Stadt The Canton of Basel-Stadt supports the acquisition of German by children in order to ensure a smooth transition into primary school. Children who barely speak

German have to attend a playgroup or other German-speaking institutions one year before entering Kindergarten. There children are taught German in a playful way at least two half days per week.

When does compulsory schooling start?

Compulsory schooling begins in all

cantons of Northwestern Switzerland once children start with kindergarten. The two- year kindergarten now belongs to the primary level and is considered the first stage of schooling. Children who have turned 4 years old by the deadline start Kindergarten after the summer holidays.

The deadlines currently vary from one canton to another. Eventually all cantons in Northwestern Switzerland will have the 31^st of July as deadline.

After two years of Kindergarten your child will transition to primary school.

Adaptation classes (Einführungs- /

Einschulungsklassen)

Some children are unable to keep up in regular classes, despite the best efforts of their teacher. They may lack persistence, concentration or self-confidence and not feel comfortable in a regular class.

Children with such development needs have the opportunity to attend an

adaptation class in the Cantons of Aargau and Baselland, in which the content of the first school year is taught over two years.

The children receive targeted support in small groups. Most children benefit from this «gentle» transition into school and move from the two-year adaptation class into primary two.

Basel-Stadt and Solothurn do not have such adaptation classes. Children with different strengths and talents complete kindergarten, primary school and high school (Sek I) together. Pupils with a disability, learning disability or who are highly gifted receive the needed support in school. The same applies for children who speak only very little German or none at all. If this is not possible, the children can be supported through special programs within the school or in a special school.

The school system in Northwestern Switzerland

Because of HarmoS all four cantons of Northwestern Switzerland will have the same school system by the school year 2015/2016.

The compulsory school period is divided as follows:

• 8 years primary school ( including two years of mandatory

kindergarten)

• 3 years high school (secondary level I)

After compulsory school most adolescents will start secondary level II, while some may decide to start working without getting further education. Secondary level II is subdivided into general education and vocational training courses.

The general training courses include the Matura schools and specialized middle

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schools. They do not lead to

professional qualification. They prepare for training courses at the tertiary level (university, colleges).

In vocational training young people learn a trade. During vocational training the adolescents mostly learn on the job, with complementary teaching in schools once or twice a week. There are also some vocational training courses where the student attends school full-time.

Conflicts between family and school When a child enters kindergarten or primary school, conflicts between the child, school and family can occur. Where lasting conflicts between school and parents exist, it is the child caught in- between that suffers the most. Poor school performance and behavioural problems may result.

As a parent, make every effort to avoid such conflicts. If you or your child is having trouble with a certain teacher, speak to that person directly. If you are not satisfied with the result of the talk or you don’t know how best to approach the teacher, the school board or school social workers are there to help you. They can also act as mediators. Both the school board and social workers approach conflict talks from a neutral position. A child must never receive unfair treatment from a teacher.

The school is committed to making sure this does not happen, which is why a teacher must inform his or her superior of a conflict talk. Furthermore, it is just as important that parents do not form a front against the school or a certain teacher, but try to find collaborative solutions.

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Kindergarten and Primary school: addresses and links

Please note: Most of the described services and links are in German. If a service is explicitly offered in English this is marked by a *

Switzerland Aargau Basel-Landschaft Basel-Stadt Solothurn

Harmos

Information about HarmoS from the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of

Education (EDK).

http://www.edk.ch/dyn/11659.p hp

General information on the school system:

https://www.schulen-

aargau.ch/kanton/organisation _struktur/Pages/default.aspx

Harmonisation in the Canton of Baselland:

https://www.baselland.ch/Bildu ngsharmonisierung.315187.0.h tml

School harmonisation in Basel- Stadt:

http://www.volksschulen.bs.ch/

bildungspolitik/schulharmonisie rung.html

General information on the school system:

https://www.so.ch/verwaltung/d epartement-fuer-bildung-und- kultur/volksschulamt/

Kindergarten

Information by the Swiss authorities online on

Kindergarten and pre-school *:

https://www.ch.ch/en/kindergar ten-preschool/

Kindergarten in Aargau:

https://www.ag.ch/de/bks/kinde rgarten_volksschule/schulstruk tur_organisation/schulstufen/ki ndergarten/kindergarten.jsp

Information about the compulsory 2-year kindergarten:

https://www.baselland.ch/2- Jahre-

Kindergarten.315175.0.html

Kindergarten in Basel-Stadt:

schulsystem/kindergarten- primarschule/kindergarten.html Mandatory German learning 1 year before KG

schulsystem/vor-dem-

kindergarten.html#page_sectio n3_section2

Kindergarten in Solothurn:

http://www.so.ch/verwaltung/d epartement-fuer-bildung-und- kultur/volksschulamt/schulsyst em/schulstufen/primarstufe- mit-kindergarten

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When does compulsory schooling start?

Information by the Swiss authorities online on

Kindergarten and pre-school *:

https://www.ch.ch/en/kindergar ten-preschool/

Kindergarten & compulsory schooling in Aargau:

https://www.ag.ch/de/bks/kinde rgarten_volksschule/schulstruk tur_organisation/schulstufen/ki ndergarten/kindergarten.jsp

Information about the compulsory 2-year kindergarten:

https://www.baselland.ch/2- Jahre-

Kindergarten.315175.0.html

Kindergarten in Basel-Stadt:

schulsystem/kindergarten- primarschule/kindergarten.html

Kindergarten in Solothurn:

http://www.so.ch/verwaltung/d epartement-fuer-bildung-und- kultur/volksschulamt/schulsyst em/schulstufen/primarstufe- mit-kindergarten

Switzerland Aargau Basel-Landschaft Basel-Stadt Solothurn

Adaptation classes (Einführungs-/Einschulungsklassen) Adaptation classes in the

Canton of Aargau :

https://www.ag.ch/de/bks/kinde rgarten_volksschule/sonderpa edagogik_foerderangebote/be sondere_foerderung/einschulu ngsklasse/einschulungsklasse.

jsp

Information by the Department for public schools on

adaptation classes / Einführungsklassen:

http://www.avs.bl.ch/

index.php?id=204

Integrative school:

schulsystem/integrative- schule.html

Special support in the Canton of Solothurn:

https://www.so.ch/verwaltung/d epartement-fuer-bildung-und- kultur/volksschulamt/foerdern/s pezielle-foerderung/

The school system in Northwestern Switzerland The Swiss education system *:

http://www.edk.ch/dyn/16342.p hp

The school system in the Canton of Aargau:

https://www.ag.ch/de/bks/kinde rgarten_volksschule/schulstruk tur_organisation/schulstufen/sc hulstufen.jsp

The school system in the Canton of Baselland:

https://www.baselland.ch/Bildu ngsharmonisierung.315187.0.h tml

Infographic:

http://www.edudoc.ch/static/we b/bildungssystem/BL.pdf

The school system in the Canton of Basel-Stadt:

schulsystem/kurz-erklaert.html

The school system in the Canton of Solothurn:

https://www.so.ch/verwaltung/d epartement-fuer-bildung-und- kultur/volksschulamt/schulsyst em/

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Konflikte zwischen Familie und Schule The parenting association

Schule und Elternhaus Schweiz (S&E) represents concerns of parents regarding school on the national level for the German-speaking part of Switzerland:

http://www.schule-

elternhaus.ch/ch/aktuell.html

Information by the public School Aargau about a framework for good

cooperation between parents and the school: https://

www.ag.ch/de/bks/kinde rgarten_volksschule/schule_elt ern/schule_eltern.jsp

Information by the School Psychology Service Baselland for questions about specific support, solutions regarding bullying and much more:

https://www.baselland.ch/faq- htm.311716.0.html

Information by the public school Basel-Stadt about a framework for good

cooperation between parents and the school:

eltern-schule.html

Informationindifficultsituations and points of contact for parents:

https://www.so.ch/verwaltung/d epartement-fuer-bildung-und- kultur/volksschulamt/beratung/

Book Recommendations

Our book recommendations are generally for books that are available only in German. Where possible we’ve listed the English translation or an equivalent.

On the Topic of kindergarten

There are many great books to help your child prepare for starting kindergarten. Here’s a short selection:

„Mein Kindergarten ( Wieso? Weshalb? Warum? Junior) von Doris Rübel, Ravensburger Buchverlag, 2008.

„Mein erster Tag im Kindergarten“

von Frauke Nahrgang und Marlis Scharff-Kniemeyer, Ravensburger Buchverlag, 2013.

„Endlich im Kindergarten“

von Nina Dullek, Coppenrath Verlag, 2011.

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On the topic of conflicts between family and school

„Hilfe im Schulalltag“

von Walter Moser, Beobachter Verlag, 2011.