School enrolment examination
School enrolment examination
In Waldeck-Frankenberg, around 1,500 children are examined each school year, and the trend has been rising since 2015/2016. The school enrolment 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 authorities in Korbach and Frankenberg. A hearing test, eye test, height, weight, colour vision, spatial vision, blood pressure, a detailed physical examination with an inspection of the ears, nose and throat and dental status are carried out. Furthermore, a pre-school diagnosis of skills and learning requirements is carried out in order to determine or concretise any existing need for support and to initiate appropriate measures.
In Hesse, the standardised procedure SOPESS (Sozialpädiatrisches Entwicklungsscreening für Einschulungsuntersuchung) is used for this purpose, which enables an indicative examination of the level of development in the run-up to school enrolment. SOPESS is a screening for the economic examination of all children in a year group starting school. It is used to determine developmental and behavioural deficits, allowing children to undergo further, differentiated diagnostics if necessary. If there is a need, they can then benefit from suitable support measures or therapies and/or so-called preparatory courses (language courses) before starting school.
Skills that are considered specific or non-specific predictors for the acquisition of reading, writing and arithmetic are assessed during the school enrolment examination. The early detection of developmental risks is an important prerequisite for preventing negative school experiences due to learning and behavioural disorders.
Dates for school enrolment examinations
Anyone wishing to make or postpone an appointment for a school enrolment examination can send an e-mail to the health department in Korbach or Frankenberg.
How does the school enrolment 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.