Information about the school system in Rheinland-Pfalz, also in different languages can be found here: https://bm.rlp.de/de/service/publikationen/?tx_rlppublications_list%5Btopic%5D=54&tx_rlppublications_list%5Baction%5D=list&tx_rlppublications_list%5Bcontroller%5D=Publication
There are state schools in the majority. Some schools are in ecclesiastical sponsorship, but awarded the state-recognized degrees. There are some private schools that charge different levels of school fees (https://www.bildung.de/schule/privatschulen/rheinland-pfalz/#suche).
After primary school, there are three secondary school types:
Realschule Plus
Realschule Plus comprises the grades 5 to 10. It provides their pupils with an extended general education and a general vocational orientation. In order to facilitate the permeability between the types of school, in the orientation level in class 5 and 6, lessons are given according to the same curriculum as at the Gymnasium. Pupils with good grades can switch to a high school after the orientation class on the recommendation of the class conference. The Realschule Plus is organized cooperatively or integrative.
The following qualifications can be obtained: Vocational maturity (graduation from lower secondary level) after grade 9 and the qualified graduation from lower secondary level (middle maturity) after grade 10. Pupils with good achievements can switch to the upper secondary school.
https://bm.rlp.de/de/bildung/schule/bildungswege/realschule-plus/
Integrated Comprehensive School
In the Integrated Comprehensive School children of different backgrounds, talents and inclinations learn together until the 9th or 10th grade. Integrated comprehensive school includes grades 5 to 10 in lower secondary and grades 11 to 13 in upper secondary level. All lower secondary and upper secondary degrees may be obtained at the Comprehensive School: Vocational maturity (graduation from lower secondary level) after grade 9, the qualified graduation from lower secondary level (middle maturity) after grade 10 and the general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur) after class 13 (https://bm.rlp.de/de/bildung/schule/bildungswege/integrierte-gesamtschule/).
Gymnasium
Gymnasium provides pupils with a broad and in-depth general education, which usually leads to general university entrance qualification (Abitur). The grammar schools in Rheinland-Pfalz include grades 5 to 12 (G8) or 5 to 13 (G9). Abitur after eight years (G8) can only be taken at grammar schools who have applied for it. G8 is associated with a compulsory all-day school. A change between G9 and G8 is still possible. Abitur after class 13 (G9) is usual. At Gymnasium, all lower secondary and upper secondary qualifications can be obtained: Vocational maturity (graduation from lower secondary level) after grade 9, the qualified graduation from lower secondary level (middle maturity) after grade 10 and the general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur) after class 12 or 13 (https://bm.rlp.de/de/bildung/schule/bildungswege/gymnasium/).
Vocational schools
At VET schools, young people have diverse opportunities for vocational training and the opportunity to obtain various educational degrees. This can be done before, during or after vocational training as well as in other specialized educational programs.
An overview of the vocational schools in Rheinland-Pfalz can be found on the website: https://berufsbildendeschule.bildung-rp.de/schulformen-und-bildungsgaenge.html and in the broshure https://berufsbildendeschule.bildung-rp.de/fileadmin/user_upload/bbs/berufsbildendeschule.bildung-rp.de/Bildungswege_der_BBS/Dokumente/2017-04-18_Berufsbildungskompass_RLP.pdf
Vocational high school
The vocational high school in the fields of economics, technology, health and social issues provides in addition to an in-depth general education also occupational competencies in the chosen subject area and leads in a three-year course at the end of grade 13 to the Abitur, the general university entrance qualification (https://berufsbildendeschule.bildung-rp.de/schulformen-und-bildungsgaenge/berufliches-gymnasium-bgy.html).
Vocational School (Berufsschule)
Young people attend vocational school during their vocational training and learn vocational and general skills (Dual education). The vocational school usually takes three years (Part-time vocational school). With completion of the training and the vocational school, the pupils receive a degree in the respective vocational training and a vocational school degree.
Under certain conditions the acquisition of the middle school degree, the acquisition of the permission to attend the upper secondary school and the acquisition of the university of applied science entrance qualification are possible (https://berufsbildendeschule.bildung-rp.de/schulformen-und-bildungsgaenge/teilzeitberufsschule-bs-tz.html).
Young people who, for various reasons, can neither enter into an apprenticeship relationship nor enter into an employment relationship and do not participate in a support measure of the Employment Agency can do a vocational preparation year (BVJ) at the vocational school. The BVJ is usually conducted in full-time education, is structured according to occupational fields and lasts one school year. The BVJ concludes with the diploma of the vocational school, that includes the vocational maturity (https://berufsbildendeschule.bildung-rp.de/schulformen-und-bildungsgaenge/berufsvorbereitungsjahr-bvj.html).
Specialist vocational school (Berufsfachschule)
A profession can be partially or completely learned in a full-time vocational school, the vocational school. In full-time vocational training in recognized training occupations, pupils with a school leaving certificate of simple vocational maturity or a qualified secondary school diploma (middle school diploma) have the opportunity to acquire a basic education in the chosen subject area or a qualified vocational qualification in craft.
Depending on the chosen course of vocational training, the tuition lasts from one year to three years.
In the three-year course, pupils can acquire the qualifying secondary school certificate I (middle school diploma). In addition, pupils with a qualified secondary qualification can simultaneously obtain the university of applied science entrance qualification (Fachhochschulreife) by attending the lessons for the university of applied science entrance qualification and successful completion of the exam for the university of applied science entrance qualification.
Berufsfachschule I: https://berufsbildendeschule.bildung-rp.de/schulformen-und-bildungsgaenge/berufsfachschule-i-bf-1.html
Berufsfachschule II: https://berufsbildendeschule.bildung-rp.de/schulformen-und-bildungsgaenge/berufsfachschule-ii-bf-2.html
Three-year Berufsfachschule: https://berufsbildendeschule.bildung-rp.de/schulformen-und-bildungsgaenge/dreijaehrige-berufsfachschule-3jbf.html
Higher specialist vocational school (Höhere Berufsfachschule)
The Higher specialist vocational school (HBF) leads pupils with a middle school diploma to a vocational qualification as a state-certified assistant / state-certified assistant for the chosen field of profession. The Higher specialist vocational school is a full-time education school and lasts 2 years. The school part of the university of applied science entrance qualification can be acquired through additional lessons and additional examination (https://berufsbildendeschule.bildung-rp.de/schulformen-und-bildungsgaenge/hoehere-berufsfachschule-hbf.html).
Fachoberschule
The Fachoberschule is a two-year course of education and is organisationally linked with the Realschule plus in Rheinland-Pfalz. In the eleventh grade, the pupils of the Fachoberschule complete an internship in the chosen subject area on three days a week. On the other two days and throughout the twelfth grade, they attend class at school. The pupils can achieve the university of applied science entrance qualification after passing the final examination in class 12 (https://realschuleplus.bildung-rp.de/fachoberschule.html).
Berufsoberschule
The Berufsoberschule (Vocational Secondary School) allows young people with a secondary school diploma or an university of applied science entrance qualification and a completed vocational training or several years of professional activity to expand their professional skills in specific subject areas. At Berufsoberschule, there can be acquired the university of applied science entrance qualification, the subject-related university of applied science entrance qualification, or with proof of the necessary knowledge in a second foreign language, the general university entrance qualification after one-year full-time school.
The dual Berufsfachschule (DBOS) leads in part-time schooling in addition to vocational training or professional activity to the university of applied science entrance qualification (https://berufsbildendeschule.bildung-rp.de/schulformen-und-bildungsgaenge/duale-berufsoberschule-dbos.html).