School entrance examinations
School entrance examinations
In Waldeck-Frankenberg, around 1,500 children are examined each school year, with an upward trend since 2015/2016. The school entrance examinations are carried out on the basis of the Hessian School Act, according to which all school-age children must be examined before entering the school system. These examinations take place at the health office in Korbach and in Frankenberg. Hearing test, eye test, height, weight, colour vision, spatial vision, blood pressure, a thorough physical examination with inspection of the ears and the nasal and pharyngeal cavities and dental status are carried out. Furthermore, a pre-school diagnosis of abilities and learning requirements is carried out in order to determine or concretise an existing need for support and to initiate appropriate measures.
For this purpose, the standardised procedure SOPESS (Sozialpädiatrisches Entwicklungsscreening für Schulingangsuntersuchungen - Social Paediatric Development Screening for School Entrance Examinations) is used in Hesse, which enables an orientational examination of the developmental status in the run-up to school enrolment. SOPESS is a screening for the economic examination of all children of a year to be enrolled in school. It is used to determine developmental and behavioural deficits, which means that the children can be referred to further, differentiated diagnostics if necessary. If there is a need, the children can then benefit from appropriate support measures or therapies and/or so-called preparatory courses (language courses) before they start school.
During the school entrance examination, skills are assessed that are considered specific or non-specific predictors for the acquisition of reading, writing and arithmetic. The early detection of developmental risks is an important prerequisite for preventing negative school experiences due to learning and behavioural disorders.
Dates for school entrance examinations
Anyone who would like to make or reschedule an appointment for a school entrance examination can write an e-mail to the Health Department in Korbach or Frankenberg.
How does the school entrance examination work?
All children who are six years old by 30 June of any given year will be required to attend school this summer. These children must be examined by a school doctor before starting school. Here you can find information about the procedure.