In Germany schools are so called "Ländersache" what means they're the Job of every "Bundesland" alone. Un my Bundesland Bayern (Bavaria) after Kindergarten children in age of about 6 years visit elementary school for 4 years till they get to a higher school. Depending in how their grades were in elementary school, they go to Hauptschule (til year 9), Mittelschule (-year 10) or Gymnasium (-year 12, achieving the allowance to go to University).