How six children from Würzburg start a new phase of life

Out of kindergarten, into school. This Tuesday is the first day of school for a total of 2,534 children from the city and district of Würzburg. They will enter the classroom for the first time, full of curiosity, with their school bags and school cones, meet their classmates and greet their teachers. Many hundreds of girls and boys will also have their first day at a secondary school this Tuesday – middle school, secondary school or high school. We asked three first-graders and three children who are now in fifth grade how they are doing and what their wishes are for the coming school year.

Ella (11 years): “I’m looking forward to meeting new friends.”

Ella from Würzburg is excited about the new phase in her life, but also a little nervous. “I’m particularly looking forward to making new friends,” she says. She will be attending the secondary school branch of St. Ursula, a girls’ school. There, the eleven-year-old will attend one of the sports support classes that have been running for about two years in collaboration with the Würzburg Kickers women. In addition to her basic sports lessons, Ella will have two more hours of sports a week. “That’s cool. Sports is my favorite subject, then comes HSU (local and general studies) because it’s so easy for me,” explains Ella. She is excited to see how the lunchtime supervision will work. She thinks the location of the school is good, “so I can visit my grandma on foot after school.”

Levi (6 years): “We all celebrate together and Grandma brings a biscuit roll.”

Starting Tuesday, Levi will be attending the first grade at the Mönchberg School. Even though none of his kindergarten friends are in the same class, Levi is relaxed – the six-year-old already knows his teacher through his older brother. He is particularly looking forward to math and to being able to ride his scooter to school in the future. On the first day of school, Levi will be accompanied by his dad – his mom, in turn, will be there when his brother starts 5th grade. In the afternoon, everyone will celebrate the special day together. “Grandma is bringing a biscuit roll with raspberries,” says Levi. The six-year-old is proud of his colorful school cone: it is from his dad and his first day at school. He has known that Levi is ready for school since his first tooth fell out a few days ago, just in time for the start of school.

Henni (9 years old): “Now I can take the bus to school, that’s something different.”

Henni is a little nervous about her first day at Deutschhaus-Gymnasium. At the same time, the nine-year-old is looking forward to her journey to school across town. “I can take the bus, that’s something different.” Henni is also excited about the food in the cafeteria and the lunchtime supervision. The fifth-grader thinks it’s “cool” that her new school is so big. Henni, who loves swimming and trains five times a week, has known since second grade that she wanted to go to this school. After all, world-class swimmer Leonie Beck has already attended the sports class at Deutschhaus-Gymnasium. Henni is also in the sports class, together with some of her friends from the Würzburg 05 swimming club. She goes straight to training with them after school.

Johann (6 years old): “I think it will be a bit difficult for me not to chat so much.”

Johann from Würzburg is looking forward to his first day of school at the Elisabethenheim. He has already had a trial day in his new class, which is why he was able to get to know his future teacher. Some friends from kindergarten are also coming to the class with him. He is still a little nervous: “I think it will be a bit difficult for me not to chat so much.” Since Johann likes math, he is particularly looking forward to math – “and writing and gymnastics.” His school cone with astronauts and planets is ready for the first day of school, as is his school bag: “There’s so much in there, folders, files, pencil cases – it confuses me, I hope I don’t forget something sometimes,” says Johann. When the first day of school is over, “we’ll celebrate in the restaurant and grandma and grandpa will come too.”

Leopold (10 years): “I’m looking forward to the technical room where you can build machines.”

“Nice teachers, nice trips and a few class trips” is what Leopold from Würzburg wants for his time at his new school. The ten-year-old will be attending the fifth grade at the David Schuster Secondary School from this Tuesday. At the information day there, he was particularly impressed by the cycling club and the robotics club: “In the technology room, you can program and build machines,” he says happily. He is also excited about the subject of chemistry. Although he will miss his teachers, educators and class from elementary school, “it will be just as nice at school,” he is convinced. Since many of his friends are coming to the new school with him and will travel on the bus with him, Leopold is looking forward to it too – “even if the bus leaves shortly after seven o’clock.”

Mathilda (6 years): “It will be cool when I can finally write letters.”

Six-year-old Mathilda is excited about her first day of school at a primary school in Würzburg and which class teacher she will get. She can already read and write a little and hopes that this will soon improve, “so that I can finally write letters.” Because she likes to be active, Mathilda is particularly looking forward to physical education classes. The first day of school is celebrated with mom, dad and little sister. Grandma and grandpa are also coming especially for the big day. “There will be delicious chocolate cake.” Of course, she is also curious to see what will be in the purple school cone with the big dots that her mom made herself. “I’m hoping for sweets, an ice cream voucher and maybe a few other little things,” explains the first-grader mischievously.

The school director also sends greetings to the school children!

For the special day, school director Claudia Vollmar also sends greetings from the Würzburg state school authority: “I wish all students, especially those who are starting school and those who are starting the school year at a new school, that they begin this new phase of their lives with an open mind, curiosity and a desire to learn.” She hopes that parents “succeed in trusting their children to master this new phase of life well – with the appropriate amount of support.” The start of a new school year is always exciting for teachers too: “A positive attitude and calmness for everyone is the best way to accompany the students on their journey in cooperation between parents and school,” says Vollmar.