The orientation procedure from elementary to secondary education starts as of the first year of cycle 4. Parents are involved in the decision-making process. The class teacher submits them a first prognosis as well as exhaustive information on the available classical and general secondary education options. At the end of cycle 4, parents and the class teacher express a joint decision concerning the orientation.
The role of the individual exchanges
As of the first year of cycle 4, individual exchanges (entretiens individuels) are held between the class teacher and the pupil’s parents – there are three exchanges in total at the end of each term – giving them the possibility to share their point of view on the future orientation of the pupil. A first prognosis is prepared by the class teacher during the third term. At the same time, the teacher provides information on the available classical secondary education and general secondary education options, including specific options : European curricula in Luxembourg public schools, ALLET classes (German as a foreign language) as well as French-speaking, English-speaking and German-speaking classes, international baccalaureate in English or in French...
For the purpose of this orientation, two individual meetings are scheduled between the teacher and the parents. The first meeting takes place at the beginning of the third term of the second year of cycle 4 in the presence of the psychologist if the parents have opted for the latter’s intervention. Parents are informed about the results of the épreuves communes (tests at national level in cycle 4.2), the school results (intermediate report) and if applicable, the results of the tests conducted by the psychologist. For further information, please visit skil.lu.
The next individual exchange is called orientation exchange (entretien d’orientation). Parents and the class teacher, who acts as the representative of the teaching team have an orientation meeting during which they will take a joint orientation decision. In case of disagreement, the class teacher and the parents jointly submit a form acknowledging their disagreement to the president of the relevant committee.
The joint decision
At the end of cycle 4, the final orientation decision is taken jointly during the orientation meeting between the pupils’ parents and the class teacher. The orientation decision is based on:
- the work of the pupil during cycle 4 showing his/her skills, fields of interests and aspirations;
- the results of the assessment of the skills acquired by the pupil ;
- the results obtained at the épreuves communes organised at the national level by the ministry. They provide information about the pupil’s performance compared to the national average and about the development of the pupil’s skills against the expected competence levels at the end of this cycle ;
- the information collected by the psychologist, if the parents have opted for the latter’s intervention (for further information, please visit skil.lu).
In case of disagreement
In case of disagreement between the parents and the class teacher an orientation commission meets in order to find a solution. It is chaired by the primary education director and comprises a teacher of cycle 4, a teacher of the classical secondary education; a teacher of the general secondary education and a psychologist of the Centre psycho-social et d'accompagnement scolaires (CePAS). The pupil’s parents participate as invited members as well as the class teacher and the psychologist, if the parents have opted for the latter’s intervention.
High school enrolment
The documents required to enrol in high school (lycée) are:
- a duly filled out enrolment form (handed by the class teacher);
- a copy of the final report of cycle 4 (bilan de fin de cycle);
- a copy of the orientation decision (décision d’orientation);
- an expanded residence certificate in the name of the student (to be requested from the communal administration).
The enrolment period extends from end of June until beginning of July.
Registration forms:
- Application for registration in a 7e class (PDF, in French)
- School offer: the different 7e classes in secondary education (PDF, in French)
- Enrolment in a 7e class of secondary education (PDF)
Useful links
Information for teachers:
- Calendrier de la procédure d’orientation 2024/2025 au cycle 4.1 (PDF)
- Calendrier de la procédure d’orientation 2024/2025 au cycle 4.2 (PDF)
- La procédure d'orientation au cycle 4 (PDF)
- Livret d'accompagnement pour l'évaluation (PDF)
- Offres scolaires à l'enseignement secondaire – présentation destinée aux enseignants du cycle 4 (PDF)
- www.skil.lu: Detailed information on psychological interventions (for parents and teachers)
Further information:
- Secondary education: school offer
- What to do after cycle 4 of elementary education? (PDF, in French and German)
- Common tests at the end of cycle 4 of elementary education (PDF, in French and German)
- Common tests: priority content in mathematics (PDF, in French)