Overview
- Official data show North Rhine–Westphalia accounts for about 22,894 repeaters in 2024/25, roughly six percent of children in the entry phase, with some municipalities exceeding ten percent.
- Local hotspots illustrate the scale of need, including Dortmund’s Nordmarkt primary school where 97 percent of first graders remain longer in the entry phase, according to CORRECTIV.
- State comparisons highlight sharp disparities, with Schleswig-Holstein rising to about seven percent while Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Bremen report roughly one to two percent.
- Authorities have introduced or planned measures such as compulsory language screening for young children, preschool transition classes in Hamburg and Bavaria, and NRW’s proposed ABC classes before enrollment.
- Persistent staffing shortages constrain these efforts, as a 2024 study found only about 13.7 percent of Kitas operate with the recommended full personnel levels.