Student and school affairs (BV 2)

School attendance, deferral

Children who turn six in the first half of the year (January 1st to June 30th) are required to start school in the summer (August 1st) of the same year. Upon application, and under certain conditions, they can be deferred from starting school and thus enrolled later.

Detailed description

The first point of contact for deferral requests is the respective primary school.



Children who turn six years old in the first half of the year (January 1st to June 30th) are required to start school in the summer (August 1st) of the same year. Under certain circumstances, these children can be deferred from starting school.



An application can be approved if the child's intellectual, emotional, physical, or linguistic development does not suggest successful school attendance, but it is expected that better starting conditions will exist in a year, thus enabling successful enrollment. Special educational needs are generally not grounds for deferral.



For the year their school entry is held back, children are enrolled in a pre-school class at a school. In justified exceptional cases, it may be permitted for deferred children to attend a daycare center instead. Attendance at the respective educational institution is mandatory.

 

Information

Prerequisites

  • Application by parent/guardian or school
  • The 6th year of life must have been completed between January 1st and June 30th of the year.
  • The child's development must be impaired.
  • A significant improvement can be expected through deferral.
  • Approval from the authorities is required.

Documents required

  • Application by the legal guardian or hearing record
  • Accompanying form for the deferral application G 11
  • Statement from the school administration
  • School doctor's report
  • Possibly further expert opinions, if relevant

You will receive the documents at the primary school.

Please note

  • Children who have not reached their sixth birthday within the specified period cannot be deferred. There is no room for discretion in this matter.
  • Children born on January 1st of a given year reach their 6th birthday on December 31st of the previous year and therefore cannot be deferred.
  • Children born on July 1st of a given year turn 6 on June 30th of the same year and can therefore be deferred.
  • Special educational needs are generally not a reason for deferral.

Deadlines

The application should be submitted together with the registration for first grade. During the four-and-a-half-year medical examination, it can already be suggested that a postponement of school entry is being considered.


Applications must be submitted before July 31st of the year the child starts school. Applications received after this date cannot be considered, as compulsory schooling will have already begun by then.

Procedure

  • Introduction of the child in primary school
  • Appointment with the school doctor
  • Submission of all documents to the desired school
  • Submit an informal request for deferral to your preferred school (it does not have to be a primary school on the waiting list).
  • School administration reviews application
  • The school may forward the application to the regionally responsible case worker.
  • The family will receive notification of the decision.

Processing time

The processing time depends on the individual case.

Fees

No

Legal remedies

You can file an objection to a decision within one month. This objection does not have suspensive effect. However, costs may be incurred if the objection procedure is wholly or partially unsuccessful.

Legal basis


  • Section 38 of the Hamburg School Law

  • Section 37 of the Hamburg School Law

  • § 28a Hamburg School Law

  • Section 187 of the Civil Code

Address and contact information

Student and school affairs (BV 2)

Mon, Tue 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., Thurs 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. During these times, there is an open consultation hour without an appointment being made. Appointments outside of these times can be made bilaterally if necessary. At the moment the first contact is always by telephone, email or post.

In principle, the colleagues can be reached during the stated telephone consultation hours. Due to appointments, holidays, illness and the current high workload, availability by telephone at these times cannot be guaranteed.

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Keywords: Provision Deferment Later enrollment Late school enrollment Delayed school enrollment

Last updated: 08.06.2026