Overview

The state capital of Potsdam offers children and young people a dense network of schools. Every child and adolescent is well provided for: First-year students can choose from 23 primary schools, two secondary schools with primary levels, and one school center. Additionally, ten primary schools and the Waldorf School Potsdam offer school places under independent sponsorship.  

For the transition to lower secondary education (Sekundarstufe I), 16 municipal and seven independent secondary schools are available.  

The Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (MBJS) provides information on the registration and enrollment process. Children who do not attend a daycare center in the year before starting school should participate in a language proficiency assessment at a nearby daycare and, if necessary, receive language support. Daycare centers, in collaboration with primary schools, are responsible for assessing and promoting language skills before school enrollment. Parents whose child is of school age and is cared for in a home-based daycare setting are requested to register their child for a language assessment at a daycare of their choice or a cooperating daycare facility as soon as possible, but no later than before the winter holidays. Participation is confirmed with a certificate, which must be submitted during school enrollment. For further inquiries, please contact the working group for home-based daycare. More details can be found in the Parent Information Flyer on Language Proficiency Assessment in the Enrollment Process from the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the State of Brandenburg.  

Children and young people with disabilities have the option to attend a mainstream school or one of five special education schools. For vocational education, three upper secondary centers, a special needs vocational school, and other vocational institutions are available. The municipal music school "Johann Sebastian Bach" provides musical education.  

Detailed information about schools can be found on the School Portraits of the State of Brandenburg website, managed by the Brandenburg state government.  

The State Institute for School and Media Berlin-Brandenburg (LISUM) is the point of contact for curriculum development, school development, personnel development, and quality assurance.  

Support services, resources, and further information are available on the Berlin-Brandenburg Education Server website.  

Full-Day School Programs  

Since 2003, Brandenburg has been expanding full-day programs in primary and lower secondary schools while continuously enhancing their quality. Full-day education has proven to be a key and future-oriented model in Potsdam.  

In Brandenburg's primary education system, there are two types of full-day programs:  

- Open full-day programs (OF) 
- Reliable half-day primary schools with after-school care (VHG) and additional structured programs.  

These programs are organized in accordance with the Administrative Regulations on Full-Day Programs in General Education Schools (VV-Ganztag).