ABSTRACT
There can be few countries in the western world with more unfavourable preconditions for the development of the community education movement than the Federal Republic of Germany. One has only to bear in mind the following facts. There are very few comprehensive schools. Most children are allocated to one of three kinds of school according to their academic record: the Hauptschule, least in the hierarchy, with a normal age range of 11-15; the Realschule, 11-16, slightly higher in the hierarchy and with prospects, for successful graduates, of entry into vocational courses in further education institutions; and the Gymnasium, or grammar school, 11-19. In addition, those children regarded as educationally subnormal are sent to the Sonderschule, or special school. Of children from ethnic minorities, 3-12 per cent attend special schools. Such children have very few chances of ever finding an apprenticeship. In short, the Federal Republic of Germany has a highly selective school system.
