Luxembourg’s basic primary school system

In Luxembourg, school attendance is compulsory from age 4 to 16. From the age of 3, the child can join the Spillschoul.

What are the different cycles of the Luxembourg elementary school or basic school? How to register your child? What are the out-of-school supports? What are the different organizations that can support you throughout your child’s education? You will find all the answers on this page.

The school rhythm

As a general rule, children attend school 3 full days, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm with a 2 hour lunch break and 2 half days in the morning on Tuesday and Thursday.

The school year starts on September 15 and ends on July 15. Vacation weeks are scheduled for :

• one week in November for the All Saints’ vacation
• two weeks in December/January for the Christmas period
• one week in February for the carnival vacations
• two weeks of vacation in March/April for the Easter period
• one week in May/June for Pentecost.

The Luxembourg basic school

Luxembourg basic education is provided to children for the first 9 years of their schooling. School is compulsory for all children over the age of 4, as of September 1st of the current year.

Any child registered in a commune is automatically enrolled in the public school of the commune of residence. Schooling is a right in Luxembourg, regardless of gender, race, religion or language.

Primary school education is divided into 4 basic cycles of school learning. From the age of 4, children must attend school until they are 12 years old. He then joined the public basic education system in Luxembourg. Parents can also choose to send their child to a private school of their choice, either international or Luxembourgish .

Cycle 1 Early Education and Preschool “Spillschoul

Cycle 1 is designed for children ages 3 to 5. The schooling in “Precoce” is optional from 3 to 4 years old, then compulsory for the 2 preschool years “Spillschoul” from 4 to 5 years old.

A child can optionally enterearly education as early as age 3. Up to the age of 4, you can choose to have your child cared for or home-schooled. All children who have reached the age of 4 by September 1st must start school in the current year.

Cycle 1 of early education corresponds to a socialization of the child. It aims to develop his intellectual curiosity and cognitive knowledge. Exchanges are made in the Luxembourg language, regardless of the child’s mother tongue. Lëtzebuergësch is the lingua franca of all children who have attended the Luxembourg public school system. Children are introduced to the French language at this stage.

Cycles 2, 3 and 4 of the basic school

From the age of 6, children join cycle 2 of the basic school for a period of 2 years. Cycle 2.1 and 2.2 correspond to the beginning of the basic school. It is for children from 6 to 7 years old.

In the continuity, cycles 3 and 4 are also declined over 2 years: cycle 3.1 and 3.2 for children aged 8 to 9 years old and cycle 4.1 and 4.2 for children aged 10 and 11 years old.

During the 6 years of elementary school, children will learn to read and write in German, which is the language of literacy and learning from cycle 2 onwards. They will also learn French.

The subjects taught are German, mathematics, science, drawing, singing and music, … History-geography is taught from cycle 4. Each target aims to help children acquire different learning and skills that will allow them to continue in the next cycle.

At the end of the 6 years of basic elementary school, the children joinsecondary school or high school.

Enrolment in the basic school

When you register with your commune of residence, your child is automatically enrolled in the public school of the commune. As soon as your child reaches the mandatory school age, you will receive automatically receive an invitation for the next school year, in the primary cycle corresponding to your child’s age. Your child will then join the basic school where you live.

You may choose to send your child to a school outside your municipality of residence. To do so, you must send a request to the municipal administration of the school in question before May 1 preceding the new school year.

If you registered in your commune after March 1 or if you do not receive any mail by April 15 before the start of the school year, please contact the education department of your communedirectly.

The school year generally begins on September 15 and ends on July 15, except on weekends.

Language teaching in Luxembourg schools

In the Luxembourg system, the teaching is based on the 3 official languages of the country: Lëtzebuergesch, German and French. Spillschoul” is traditionally based on spoken Lëtzebuergesch only. Very recently, it was decided to integrate French at this stage.

As soon as they enter cycle 2 of basic education, children begin to learn toread and write in German. They continue to learn the different subjects in German and reinforce their knowledge of the French language .

Lëtzebuergësch remains the main lingua franca for exchanges between students and teachers.

Orientation after basic school

Secondary education in Luxembourg starts at the age of 12 with entry into high school. There are two streams: classical and general. Enrollment in high schools depends on the availability of space based on a geographic school map. Find out about therange of secondary schools in Luxembourg from cycle 4.1 onwards to determine your child’s orientation. However, it is possible to enroll your child in a lycée outside the school map. Admission will be based on the student’s file.

Starting in Cycle 4.1, regular quarterly parent-teacher conferences help prepare the child’s orientation.

A total of six interviews are used to determine the orientation towards “classical” or “general” secondary education.

A first opinion on this orientation is formulated at the end of cycle 4.1 by the teachers. The The end-of-cycle report and the intermediate report are given to the parents during the second exchange at the beginning of the 3rd term of cycle 4.2. The orientation interview is conducted during the 3rd and final interview of cycle 4.2.

French, German and Mathematics are the 3 main subjects that are decisive for entry into high school. The classical track is reserved for the best students.

The decision of orientation is based on the child’s academic performance during the 2 years of cycle 4 (4.1 and 4.2), specific assessments. A psychologist can also be consulted if the parents wish.

Do you want your child to follow the school curriculum and programs of your home country, or a private school? See our page on international schools.

The Maison Relais, an after-school care structure

Also remember when you register with the commune to ask about the the reception structure of the Maison Relais or the Foyer scolaire. The children are welcomed there outside of school hours. Some Maisons Relais also provide lunch.

Children attending local schools are welcomed in the mornings before school, at lunchtime and in the evenings after school, as well as during school vacations.
For other childcare solutions, click here.

Schooling of newly arrived foreign pupils – School support

Reception classes and language support courses are offered to students who have recently arrived in Luxembourg to help them integrate. For any information concerning these students under 12 years of age, please contact the education department of your commune.

Multilingual intercultural mediators (Albanian, Cape Verdean, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, etc.) are available to facilitate communication between foreign parents newly arrived in Luxembourg and the school and/or teachers. This service is free.

CASNA (Cellule d’accueil scolaire pour élèves nouveaux arrivants) helps foreign pupils over 12 years old, eligible for secondary education, to orient themselves in the Luxembourg school system. This allows them to integrate more easily into the Luxembourg secondary school system . The office is located in the Maison de l’Orientation in Luxembourg.