In the individual subjects, class works are written. They serve to check whether the pupils have reached the learning objective and the assessment of the performance of the pupils. An oral review of the performance is also possible. All performance assessments are included in an overall assessment at the end of the school year. The assessment of the achievements in the individual subjects appears at the end of the school year as a grade in the certificate or so-called learning development reports on the achievements of the pupils are created. The assessment of the achievements at the end of the school year decides whether the child can attend the next higher grade or, for outstanding achievements, whether the child can also skip a class.
In schools in Hamburg is up to the class 9 a class repetition is no longer provided, even if the performances of the child are not sufficient. Voluntary repetition of the class is possible but not compulsory.
The certificate or the learning development report at the end of the first semester of the 4th grade of primary school provides information about the child's achievements and which secondary school seems the most suitable. Independent of this performance assessment, the child is free to choose any secondary education.