Independent schools (public schools)

Independent schools is the official name for public schools. They extend the offer of free school choice and can promote the school system through special contents and forms of education and teaching. They are divided into supplementary schools and substitute schools.

Supplementary schools are characterised by a range of teaching that does not exist in the public school system. Accordingly, their fields of work are mostly in vocational education: they offer training in the fields of cosmetics, health or communication, for example. Other supplementary schools, such as international schools, prepare their students for foreign educational qualifications.

Substitute schools offer education like public schools (e.g. private primary schools, private grammar schools run by churches) and thus replace public education with private education. They require approval before they can receive financial support from the state of Hesse and benefit from the freedom of learning materials.