The federal states are responsible for education policy in Germany. They have the so-called cultural sovereignty, so that the state governments can largely independently decide how they organize their education systems. Therefore, the terms for the types of schools in general education are very different. Further information is also available on the website of the Conference of Ministers of Education: https://www.kmk.org/themen/allgemeinbildende-schulen/bildungsweun-und-abschluesse.html
State of Nordrhein-Westfalen
Information about the school system in Nordrhein-Westfalen, also in different languages can be found here: https://www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/Schulsystem/index.html
Inclusion
The common learning of pupils with and without need for support is the rule. Pupils who are dependent on special educational support are specially promoted according to their individual needs, in order to enable them the highest possible level of school and professional integration, social participation and independent living arrangements. Parents have the choice between the general education school and a suitable special school.
https://www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/Schulsystem/Inklusion/index.html
Primary school
The primary school in Niedersachsen covers grades 1 to 4, provides a basic education. Children attend primary school usually at the age of 6 - 10 years.
https://www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/Schulsystem/Schulformen/Grundschule/index.html
After primary school, there are five secondary school types:
Hauptschule
The Hauptschule comprises the grades 5 to 10. The Hauptschule gives its pupils a basic general education and an individual vocational orientation. The following qualifications may be obtained: lower secondary school certificate (Vocational Education Maturity) after class 9 or class 10 and Middle Maturity after class 10. Pupils with particularly good achievements in the Middle Maturity qualify for the attendance of the upper secondary school
https://www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/Schulsystem/Schulformen/Hauptschule/index.html.
Realschule
Realschule comprises the grades 5 to 10. It provides their pupils with an extended general education and a general vocational orientation. The following qualifications can be obtained: lower secondary school certificate (Vocational Education Maturity) after class 9 or class 10 and Middle Maturity after class 10. Pupils with particularly good achievements in the Middle Maturity qualify for the attendance of the upper secondary school
https://www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/Schulsystem/Schulformen/Realschule/index.html
Secondary School
The secondary school covers grades 5 to 10. Here, the pupils are prepared for both a vocational training and the university entrance qualification. An early and practical career orientation is one of the educational priorities of every secondary school. In secondary school pupils can obtain the vocational maturity after class 9 or the middle school graduation after class 10. A middle school graduation with particularly good achievements entitles pupils to attend the upper secondary level https://www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/Schulsystem/Schulformen/Sekundarschule/index.html.
Comprehensive School
The comprehensive school works with children and young people of all abilities and keeps career decisions open for as long as possible. Comprehensive school includes grades 5 to 10 in lower secondary and upper grades 11 to 13 in upper secondary level. All lower secondary and upper secondary degrees may be obtained at the Comprehensive School: lower secondary school certificate (Vocational Education Maturity) after class 9 or class 10, Middle Maturity after class 10 and the general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur) according to class 13 (https://www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/Schulsystem/Schulformen/Gesamtschule/index.html).
Gymnasium
Gymnasium covers the grades 5 to 12 and provides students with a broad and in-depth general education, which usually leads to general university entrance qualification after 12 school years. From school year 2019/2020, grammar schools again will have the option to offer a high school graduation after 13 school years (G9).
At Gymnasium, all lower secondary and upper secondary qualifications can be obtained: lower secondary school certificate (Vocational Education Maturity) after grade 9 or 10, Middle Maturity after class 10 and the general university entrance qualification after class 12. Https://www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/Schulsystem/Schulformen/Gymnasium/index. html
Special Schools
Pupils with identified special educational needs can be taught at special schools, if their parents so wish. Special needs schools may include grades 1 to 10. There are schools for the following special educational needs: seeing, hearing, physical and motor development, mental development, language, learning as well as emotional and social development (https://www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/Schulsystem/Schulformen/Foerderschule/index.html).
Full-time care in schools in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen:
There are all-day primary schools and all-day schools in secondary schools (https://www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/Schulsystem/Ganztag/index.html).
In addition to state schools in Nordrhein-Westfalen, there are also private schools: https://www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/Schulsystem/Schulformen/Privatschulen/index.html