School start in Bremen: record number of students and new challenges!

School start in Bremen: record number of students and new challenges!

After a long, relaxing summer, the holiday season is coming to an end and the schools in Bremen are facing a new school year. Today, August 13, 2025, the school system opens its doors to 81,202 students - an increase of 1,701 compared to the previous year. This development makes Bremen one of the federal states with the strongest growth in student numbers, as butenunbinnen reports.

Education Senator Sascha Aulepp (SPD) described the situation in the Bremen school system as “challenging”. 276 new first grade classes were created in primary schools, which is 36 more than the number of students moving up to fifth grade. In secondary schools, 222 new fifth-year classes were set up, 38 more than the number of tenth-graders. But the challenges are not just in numbers: 99 percent of teaching positions are filled, according to the Education Department, indicating successful recruitment of 256 new teachers - including 60 in elementary schools and 196 in high schools and high schools.

Changes and new premises

As part of these developments, nine new schools have also been opened in the last two years. The new additions include the Gartenstadt Werdersee elementary school and the Überseestadt high school. The city of Bremen also plans to create 30 additional classrooms by the end of the year. For example, the elementary school in Burglesum is being set up as a mobile building for this school year. Another elementary school on Lessingstrasse is moving to a former clinic site.

As the need for educational institutions increases, interest in all-day care also increases. Around two thirds of primary school children will take advantage of such an offer in the coming school year. From summer 2026, all primary school children will have a legal right to full-day care - a step that will significantly increase expectations in this area. According to Zeit, around 80 percent of parents want to take advantage of corresponding offers, which makes the situation even more challenging.

A look at the challenges

The start of the new school year brings with it several challenges: on the one hand, the increasing number of students, and on the other hand, the need for additional teachers and space. Nationwide, people are also looking at Bremen, as this federal state records an increase in the number of students every year, as documented in destatis. Despite these hurdles, there is also positive news, as part-time teachers are currently reaching their highest quota and the need for new educators is being actively addressed.

On Thursday, further information on the school situation in Bremerhaven will also be provided, which will expand the local educational landscape somewhat. It remains exciting to see how Bremen masters the new challenges and what innovative approaches the schools will develop to respond to the increasing number of students and the associated requirements.