At the end of primary school: educational decisions and parental self-perceptions in migrant families threatened or affected by poverty in Munich

Abstract

Children from socio-economically disadvantaged families face a variety of difficulties in the German school system for their educational development. This is accompanied by a double disadvantage for children from migrant families, as on the one hand they are more often affected by poverty and on the other hand, their families often have fewer resources for parental support.
What challenges and support needs arise from this for migrant families affected by poverty at the transition to secondary school?
On the basis of twelve interviews with professionals and nine family interviews at primary schools in different social areas, the genesis of educational decisions with a focus on migrant families is presented. It is shown that families face a variety of obstacles in the implementation of their educational aspirations. For municipal actors, this results in important impulses for action, such as opening up schools to the social space.