The individual case cannot be generalized, however. In the end, it still comes down to social background determining educational success, and which other school than the primary school are the children supposed to go to? At the secondary school, the deal is basically already done. The differences in learning levels at the end of primary school are somewhere around 1-2 school years, and this effect remains.
The causes are diverse and largely have to do with education policy (and to a not so small extent with the fact that people who have themselves gone to school, have children, or have been teaching for 38.5 years believe they are experts in the field of educational research ;))
: Please do not take this as an attack or criticism. My sentences are definitely not meant that way!
You brought up the 7th grade of secondary school.
It will be a long way before anything changes. None of our children will still be at school by then. There will also be a lot of trial and error.
Flexible classes, team teachers, integrated teaching instead of strict subject division, writing by ear. Just to name a few approaches from recent years.
Then you have relatively unbureaucratic support, like the tutoring budget for the OGS. Those who do not attend (for whatever reason) fall through the cracks again.
I have to distribute the children now and then attend a staff meeting for daycare and OGS. Not because I work there, but because I have taken on personnel responsibility as a "hobby." My opportunity to change something in that area, even if on a small scale.