Definition
The school enrollment test, sometimes called the Enrollment Examination (ESU) or School Entrance Examination (SEU, S1), is a mandatory test by the Health Department for all children who are to be enrolled in school next year. It therefore concerns children around the age of 6. The aim is to find out whether a child is already able to go to school, or whether he or she needs specific support or further assistance.
The test is not identical to the last U-examination (U9), which should already have taken place if possible. For this purpose, the test playfully examines the child’s social, cognitive and motor developmental status and hearing and vision (screening). In some cases and depending on the federal state, this may also include a general examination by a school doctor, which may include checking the general physical condition, vaccination status, and clarifying findings from previous examinations.
Procedure of the enrollment test
Since the German education system is regulated by the respective federal states, the cut-off dates, components and exact procedure of the test vary from state to state. Due to different capacities and equipment, details in the procedure can also differ between counties or even cities. In Baden-Württemberg, for example, the test is divided into two parts: the first test to identify the need for support is already carried out in the penultimate year of kindergarten, while a few months before school enrolment, often only the health condition is examined.
In some places, another trial lesson is held at school with the pre-school children afterwards. As a rule, all parents of school-age children are invited in writing. For this purpose, both the communities and the kindergartens provide the health department with the necessary data.
The test is carried out at the kindergartens, in the schools or sometimes directly at the health office either by specially trained educators or medical assistants of the health office. Occasionally parts of the test are also carried out by speech therapists or psychologists. The vaccination certificate and the yellow health booklet should be taken along for the test. Often the parents receive a questionnaire with the invitation, which can usually be filled out by the parents on a voluntary basis. Whether parents may or should be present at the test is handled differently.
