In 2001, the ministry of education of the federal state Saarland decided to reduce the duration of compulsory schooling until passing the Abitur at the Gymnasium by one year. For the duration of compulsory schooling has been limited to eight years, there will be students of two grades (G8 and G9) at the same time that will graduate in North-Rhine Westphalia in 2013. Consequently, the G8 students have one year less to establish the same level of knowledge as the G9 students. The author examines in how far the new G8 system has been implemented successfully. This thesis is developed on a case study that is based on a comparison between G8 and G9 students in the English language classroom. The author examines in how far the G8 students manage to catch up with the G9 students in terms of language accuracy. Further, the author discusses the effects of the reduction on English lessons in general.