Realschule

Realschule is a type of secondary school in Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Estonia. It has also existed in Croatia (realna gimnazija), Austria, Denmark and Norway (realskole), Sweden (realskola), Hungary (reáliskola), Slovenia (realka) and in the Russian Empire (реальное училище).

Germany

History

For Johann Joachim Becher, education also had a mandate to support the replacement of the Holy Roman Empire with a more republican commonwealth. His school would have had the task of creating education and teaching an organized state structure. His ideal was the artisan, the educated scholar, the universal scientist.

Situation of the school

In the German secondary school system, Realschule is ranked between Hauptschule (lowest) and Gymnasium (highest). After graduating from Realschule, good students are allowed to attend a professional Gymnasium or a general-education Gymnasium. They can also attend a Berufskolleg or do an apprenticeship.

In most states of Germany, pupils start at Realschule at the age of ten or eleven and typically finish school at the age of 16–17. In some states, Realschulen have recently been replaced by Oberschulen or Sekundarschulen. In 2006 1.32 million German students attended a Realschule.