The intersection of education and immigration presents a multifaceted and dynamic landscape that significantly influences both individuals and societies. Schools serve as essential platforms, equipping immigrant students with the necessary linguistic, cultural, and academic skills. They play a crucial role in shaping a sense of belonging and civic engagement among immigrant youth. Despite these benefits, challenges such as language barriers and socio-economic disparities persist. Recognizing these challenges, inclusive educational policies are imperative to address the diverse needs of immigrant populations. Research into the impact of immigration on school systems is crucial for developing effective strategies and ensuring equitable educational opportunities for all. As global migration trends persist, understanding the interplay between schools and immigration is essential for building inclusive and culturally rich societies.

Within the framework of this research project, the school organizational practices related to the establishment of preparatory measures for newly immigrated students and their transition into regular classes in secondary education are examined. Concerning the development of schools and school culture, the study delves into questions regarding the extent to which the establishment of preparatory classes for newly immigrated children and adolescents entails structural changes towards intercultural openness in the school. It also investigates whether a school with already implemented measures for intercultural school development shows different ways of organizing the education of newly immigrated students. Factors such as the criteria underlying past decisions on organizing the education of newly immigrated students are considered, and the possible explanations for differing processes and routines in the school are explored (Herrmann 2017). This includes examining the orientation patterns and positionalities of school management and teachers regarding migration-related heterogeneity and diversity in general.

This research project also aims to investigate how teachers perceive dealing with diversity as a professional task. Secondly, it explores how appropriate conditions for this task can be achieved (Tillmann 2017). Understanding diversity as a pedagogical opportunity and enrichment as advocated by Trautmann and Wischer (2011) is a pedagogical attitude that has not yet been embraced by a majority of teachers (Solzbacher 2008).

The research adopts a qualitative exploratory approach, as the literature review revealed a lack of studies connecting the question of schooling models to fundamental issues of (intercultural) school development. Additionally, insights into the developed practices and routines at schools from the perspective of the stakeholders are lacking. Addressing this gap allows for mapping the characteristic features of pedagogical practice in this field and distinguishing specific questions related to the establishment and teaching in preparatory classes from those concerning school development and school culture more generally. Six schools, differing in their experience with classes for newly immigrated students and in terms of school type (Gymnasium and Stadtteilschule in Hamburg), were selected for interviews. Each school was represented by one person at the school leadership level such as the principal, one responsible teacher for the coordination of preparatory classes, and one teacher mainly involved in teaching preparatory classes.

The interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis following Kuckartz (2018). Of particular interest was how schools addressed organizational challenges, the significance of school climate/school culture in this context, and in which areas there was room for improvement. Different typologies are expected to emerge, serving as a framework for further work in this area and for practical guidance in schools. The results are embedded within the framework of the trilemmatic inclusion theory (Boger 2017). The findings of this study contribute valuable insights to understanding how the trilemmatic inclusion theory operates in the context of education and immigration. By examining the interplay between these factors, I aim to provide a theoretical foundation for designing inclusive policies and practices that cater to the diverse needs of immigrant students, fostering a more comprehensive and effective approach to their educational journey.

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