Middle schools in the district: Registration numbers remain stable - "That's a nice thing"

Created: 08/09/2022 08:03

By: Jennifer Battaglia, Theresa Kuchler

The registrations for middle schools in the region remain constant for the coming school year or even increase - as here in Fuchstal at the Johann Baptist Baader middle school.

© Hans-Helmut Herold

While in some districts the middle schools are registering fewer applications, the negative trend for the Weilheim-Schongau area cannot be confirmed.

On the contrary.

County – Middle schools are struggling in some places.

In the neighboring district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen, for example, the number of registrations has fallen so far that the number of students is no longer sufficient for their own classes.

In Weilheim-Schongau, on the other hand, the situation looks good for this year.

Eva-Maria Klein heads the secondary school in Fuchstal.

The number of students who transfer to her after primary school fluctuates from year to year.

"Sometimes there are more, sometimes less.

Actually, the registrations are staying relatively the same at the moment,” she says.

There is even a slight increase for the coming school year 2022/23: In autumn there will be three instead of the usual two 5th grades in Fuchstal.

Secondary schools in Weilheim-Schongau: Registration numbers remain stable – unlike in the neighboring district

So Klein doesn't have the negative experiences of other middle school principals.

"I'm happy about that," she says.

The headmistress also knows that many parents prefer to send their child to grammar school or secondary school.

This is a social development: "Often it's not the parents themselves who are exerting the pressure," explains Klein.

Of course, everyone would want the best possible school leaving certificate for their offspring.

"That's understandable." However, there are children who feel they are in the right place in middle school.

And often, families would ignore the many opportunities open to middle school students after they graduate.

"The companies are very happy to accept our students," says Klein.

After all, practical experience is imparted early on in secondary school – for example through internships or project work.

Above all, craft businesses that are desperately looking for good apprentices would want to win over the graduates.

"But we also have students who are now starting an apprenticeship as an optician, in the hotel business or in the technical area."

Apprenticeship, M-train or Abitur: secondary school students are free to do anything after graduation

And even students who want to catch up on their Abitur can do anything after they graduate from high school.

For example, Klein tells of students who, after taking the M course, switch to high school or the FOS to catch up on their university entrance qualification.

There will also be more students at the middle school in Penzberg from September.

"In total, we are planning with over 320 children and young people," says Rector Michael Zwick.

The number of registrations is “in flux”, after all, admission interviews are still taking place.

The school definitely has more students than in the two previous years.

"We had between 280 and 290."

Zwick is happy that he is getting more students again.

According to him, there had been a small slump in registrations in recent years.

Now his school is returning to its old strength.

"It's a beautiful thing," says the principal.

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The newcomers will also include Ukrainian children who will be attending middle school for the first time.

They had previously attended the welcome groups at the grammar school and the junior high school in Penzberg.

However, according to Zwick, the increase in the number of students cannot be explained by the Ukrainians alone.

What it was exactly, he couldn't say.

(By the way: everything from the region is also in our regular Schongau newsletter. And in our Weilheim-Penzberg newsletter.)

The middle school in Penzberg and the middle school in Fuchstal are not the only middle schools to record an increase in pupils.

In fact, the number of registrations in the coming school year at all middle schools in the district (middle school Huglfing, Schongau, Steingaden, Peißenberg, Peiting and Weilheim) will remain constant or increase.

A drastically different picture than in Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen.

Student numbers vary from year to year

"Such developments depend on many factors," explains Simone Fleischmann, President of the Bavarian Teachers' Association (BLLV).

When choosing a school, parents and their children would be influenced by many different aspects.

"For some, it's important to be able to cycle to school," explains Fleischmann.

"For the others, the facilities in the school building count."

Fleischmann cannot give a specific answer as to why the secondary schools in the Weilheim-Schongau district are reporting an increase in the number of students.

"One can only speculate here," she says.

Demographic developments may also play a role.

Fleischmann points out that – even if there is an increase in the number of middle school students in the entire district for the coming school year – it does not necessarily have to remain the same in the following year.

Fluctuations in student numbers can be seen throughout Bavaria.

These cannot be planned.

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