“We guarantee that all first-graders in Mainz will receive a spot in the full-day support program, and this guarantee will gradually extend to all elementary school students over the next three years. This is the result of intensive preparation. For families, this means above all that they can be confident their children will be cared for and supported by a strong, reliable provider,” says Jana Schmöller, Head of the Department of Children and Youth.

The full-day program at Pestalozzi School takes place on school days immediately after classes until 4 p.m. The program includes, among other things, a group lunch, homework assistance, and creative and physical activities. Registration is handled through Kinder-Kompass Mainz. For half-day schools, parents can choose between care from Monday through Thursday or Monday through Friday until 4 p.m. The fees for the school program are socially tiered and based on the parents’ income. A 33 percent discount applies to all programs when siblings are enrolled at the same time. The cost of lunch is not included in the participation fee and is billed directly by the caterer.

At the Pestalozzi School, lunch will initially be served in rooms provided by the Protestant parish and delivered hot by Apetito. This also serves as a temporary solution that was already planned as part of the preparations for the all-day program.

“The All-Day Education Act is bringing a lot of change to school campuses: Students are spending more time there, buildings and rooms are being used in more versatile ways, and the requirements for collaboration are also changing. This can only succeed if the school, the school operator, the administration, and many other stakeholders work closely together,” explains Ata Delbasteh, head of the school department.

The Pestalozzi School serves as a prime example of the process of change brought about by the expansion of all-day education. Until the end of the 2025–2026 school year, the school, with its “Caring Elementary School” program, served as a model site for the city of Mainz. The experience gained there contributed, among other things, to the development of the city’s implementation of the All-Day Support Act. With the end of the pilot project, the supplementary care program offered by KIBS e.V. at Haus Haifa (opens in a new tab) also came to an end.

For the 2026–2027 school year, the city’s all-day support program will therefore take over care for first-graders. The “Betreuende Grundschule” will continue its program for grades 2 through 4. The Pestalozzi School will thus bring together different care structures at a single location this school year.

“The Pestalozzi School illustrates this transition particularly well: Here, the existing ‘Betreuende Grundschule,’ the new all-day program, and the prospect of further development into an all-day school in the form of additional services all come together,” said Schmöller.

New partnerships and forms of collaboration will also be necessary for the all-day support program beyond the school’s immediate location. For example, three students from the neighboring Am Lemmchen Elementary School—who were previously enrolled there only for Friday after-school care—will now be cared for at the Pestalozzi School on Fridays. The Am Lemmchen Elementary School is already an all-day school offering optional programs.

“A process of change like this requires flexibility and a willingness to explore new approaches from everyone involved. Despite all the organizational challenges, however, the most important thing remains the same: the focus is on the children and providing them with the best possible support and care,” emphasized Delbasteh.

All-Day Support Even During School Breaks

The legal entitlement to all-day support generally extends to school breaks as well. Exceptions are school closures lasting up to four weeks. In Mainz, this is utilized in particular during the Christmas break as well as on individual days when classes are not held, such as long weekends, professional development days, or make-up days.

Holiday care is organized at various locations throughout the city. For the upcoming fall break, for example, programs are available at the Goethe School, the Gleisberg School, the Peter Jordan School, the Theodor Heuss School, and the Alte Ziegelei. Registration is on a weekly basis and is separate from registration for after-school care.

The new “Mainzer Ferien” (opens in a new tab) platform is available for booking vacation programs. In addition to the city’s GaFöG programs, it also bundles other vacation care options from various providers. Municipal programs and those that meet legal eligibility requirements are marked with a star on the platform. They include eight hours of care per day, typically from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., a lunch program for all children, and supervision by a recognized youth welfare organization staffed by trained educators.

Until August 31, 2026, these legally mandated vacation programs can initially be booked exclusively by first-graders. Registration will then be opened to older elementary school students as well. Initially, only programs for the upcoming fall break are listed on the platform; additional vacation programs will be added gradually.

A standard fee of 195 euros per week of care, including lunch, applies to the vacation care program. Families who provide proof of eligibility for free school supplies pay a reduced fee of 95 euros per week, including lunch. This proof is valid for an entire school year and allows for a straightforward, standardized review of eligibility requirements.

Prospects for an All-Day School Program

The transition has already been politically prepared: In 2025, the City Council resolved to support the establishment of an all-day school program at the Pestalozzi School and to grant the necessary approval under school law. The transition will begin in the 2027–2028 school year, starting with the first two grade levels. This means that the Heilpädagogium Schillerhain, as the provider of all-day support, will operate at the Pestalozzi School only during the 2026–2027 school year.

The City of Mainz has thus set the course early on for the long-term development of the school site. With the transition to an optional all-day program, student care will be even more closely integrated into the school’s daily routine in the future. Further expansion of all-day programs at several elementary school sites in Mainz is planned for the coming years.

“With the all-day program, we are now creating a reliable option in the short term while simultaneously preparing for the long-term development of the school sites. The Pestalozzi School demonstrates how these two levels can work together,” says Schmöller.

The legal right to all-day support will be implemented in Mainz starting with first-graders for the 2026–2027 school year (opens in a new tab). In principle, school-based programs such as all-day schools or elementafor the 2026–2027 school year (opens in a new tab). In principle, school-based programs such as all-day schools or elementafor the 2026–2027 school year (opens in a new tab). In principle, school-based programs such as all-day schools or elementafor the 2026–2027 school year (opens in a new tab). In principle, school-based programs such as all-day schools or elementary schools with after-school care take priority. Where such a school-based program does not exist, the city will establish one at the respective school and commission an independent youth welfare organization to provide the service.