School in Luxembourg

The school system begins with cycle 1. Éducation précoce is optional for children aged three to four. Éducation préscolaire is compulsory for children who turn four before 1 September. Cycles 2 to 4 normally cover ages six to 11 and provide nine years of elementary education. A cycle normally lasts two years, although a pupil may complete it in one or three years according to skill development. The State and communes share responsibility for elementary schools. The commune normally assigns a child to the school serving the home address, and a change of residence should be reported to the new commune immediately. The Ministry of Education, Children and Youth, known as MENJE, directly oversees secondary education. Public secondary enrolment generally takes place in June after the family receives a placement decision and submits the required form. Admission rules for private, international, European, British/Cambridge and German-Luxembourgish schools vary by institution. Public European schools are open to all pupils and charge no enrolment fee. Luxembourgish is used for communication in cycle 1, while French activities and family languages also have a place. In the traditional cycles 2 to 4, German is the main language for literacy and teaching, French is introduced orally from cycle 2 and in writing from cycle 3.1. A reform called ALPHA allows parents to choose German or French as the literacy language in cycle 1.2 during the second term of 2026/27. From the 2027/28 school year, literacy in the chosen language begins in cycle 2.1, with the change introduced progressively through 2032/33. Luxembourgish remains a language of social cohesion and oral communication. Classical secondary education, called enseignement secondaire classique or ESC, normally lasts seven years and leads to the diplôme de fin d’études secondaires classiques, which gives access to higher education. General secondary education, called enseignement secondaire général or ESG, usually lasts about six to eight years depending on the pupil’s placement and qualification. ESC uses mainly German in lower grades except for French and mathematics, introduces English from 6e or Latin from 5e, and uses mainly French from 4e. Italian or Spanish may be added as a fourth living language from 3e. ESG uses German in lower grades except for mathematics in French, introduces English from 6e and uses mainly German in upper grades, with specific French-language arrangements. A Luxembourgish course is included in 4e in both ESC and ESG. Other options include French-, English- and German-language sections in European schools, the European Baccalaureate, public international education, the International School Michel Lucius with an English Cambridge pathway, public International Baccalaureate education in French or English, and the Schengen-Lyzeum with German-Luxembourgish education leading to the Abitur and a Luxembourg secondary diploma. Luxembourg has about 40 public and five private secondary schools teaching the official MENJE curriculum. Elementary assessment uses a skills-based system. Teachers provide an interim progress report each term and an end-of-cycle report, with grades from A+ to D. ÉpStan provides national monitoring at selected elementary and secondary levels. In cycle 4.2, common national assessments cover French, German and mathematics. From cycle 4.1 onward, parents and the class teacher jointly decide the recommended secondary pathway using skills, reports, interests and the assessment results; a psychologist may also provide input. If they disagree, an inclusion and placement commission can review the case. Children entering school with limited knowledge of the school languages remain subject to compulsory enrolment regardless of their parents’ status. In cycles 2 to 4, the school can use a classe d’attache based on previous schooling, age, mathematics and mother-tongue tests, with counselling from the SIA. Pupils aged 12 to 15 may enter CLI1 or CLI2 classes with intensive French and an introduction to Luxembourgish. A classe d’insertion in ESG can follow an admission test when prior attainment is strong but school-language skills are limited. ALLET, Français Plus, LVF and RLS provide additional German, French or vehicular-language support in relevant settings. Compulsory schooling also applies to pupils with specific educational needs. A regular class is preferred where possible and appropriate. Regional elementary services, secondary inclusion commissions, support teachers, specialist teams, eight competence centres, ATVA, CNI and SNEI can provide assessment, teaching support and care. Secondary schools can arrange reasonable accommodations through CAR. Public elementary attendance, textbooks and transport are free. Non-formal childcare for compulsory-school-age elementary pupils is free during school periods from Monday to Friday between 07:00 and 19:00; meals are free or partly free under the CSA system, while holiday arrangements differ. Public secondary schools provide psychosocial support through SePAS, including help with wellbeing, bullying, discrimination, dropout risks and family subsidy procedures.