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Space Shortage Forces Pankow Seventh Graders to Relocate to Weißensee for Two Years

Parents argue they were kept in the dark about the relocation despite citywide figures showing strong assignment rates for rising seventh graders.

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Vor allem in Berlin-Pankow platzen die Schulen aus allen Nähten.

Overview

  • Two new seventh-grade classes at Wilhelm-Humboldt-Gemeinschaftsschule in Pankow will start the year in a converted primary school building in Weißensee due to a lack of classroom space at the Erich-Weinert-Straße campus.
  • The move is planned to last at least two years as the main site cannot accommodate the extra classes without compromising the school’s pedagogical approach.
  • Many parents say they were not informed about the off-site plan during the official placement process and feel their concerns were ignored.
  • Senatsbildungsverwaltung data show that of 27,309 applicants, over 90 percent of sixth graders received one of their three preferred public secondary schools, bringing the total entering seventh grade to nearly 31,000.
  • Competition for seats remains concentrated at a handful of institutions, with Heinz-Brandt-Schule and Max-Beckmann-Schule topping demand among integrated secondary schools and Hildegard-Wegschneider-Gymnasium leading among Gymnasien.