Overview
- The statutory right, which takes effect on 1 August 2026, initially applies to first graders and will be extended by one grade each year until it covers grades 1–4 in the 2029/30 school year.
- The entitlement requires eight hours of education and care on five weekdays with instructional time counting toward that total.
- Schools can meet the right through bound or open Ganztagsschulen, nearby horte, shorter midday schemes or, for school holidays, recognised public youth‑work providers from 1 August 2026.
- States and municipalities set concrete schedules, fee rules and may allow up to four weeks of school closure; fees vary by region but bound full‑day schools typically charge no parental fees and social‑benefit recipients are exempt.
- Local planning already shows gaps between demand and places—for example one district recorded 1,033 eligible first graders but only 677 full‑day places—highlighting regional capacity and organisation challenges as rollout proceeds.