Bavarian International School is more than just a school. It is the place where students aged three to 19 are prepared for the new world of tomorrow. This is where global citizens and changemakers grow and flourish. For many international students, BIS is a home away from home, a family network for life.

At the two campuses around. 1,250 students from 70 nations learn under the motto ‘Believe. Inspire. Succeed.‘ The 180 extraordinary international teachers see themselves as inspirers and mentors who teach values and future skills alongside academic knowledge. They take a very individual approach to the strengths and difficulties of their students. “At BIS, we prepare our students for the new world of tomorrow, in which 85% of future jobs are not even known today,” says BIS Head of School Dr Chrissie Sorenson. In a globalised world, this includes outstanding language and communication skills, an intercultural mindset, digital-technological excellence, critical and analytical thinking, teamwork and an innovative spirit.

Academic excellence

The private and non-profit all-day school is one of the best international schools in Europe. Every year, the average score of all IB Diploma graduates is four to five points above the global average. BIS is also the only international school in Germany offering all four International Baccalaureate programmes (PYP, MYP, DP, CP) and scholarships.

The holistic education of the students goes far beyond the curriculum. There are around 80 different after-school activities on offer each week – sports, music, art, drama, debating, robotics & coding, design technology, chess or special programs such as the European Eco-School, Model United Nations (MUN), The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award and much more. At the BIS City Campus, families can also take advantage of after-school care until 6pm. The joy, happiness and fun of learning and the international, diverse community can be felt on both campuses every day. “The children and young people are simply happy at BIS. This positive spirit immediately inspires new families and every visitor,” says Dr Chrissie Sorenson.

Smart kids vs. smartphones

BIS is a pioneer in modern, international education and provides innovative impulses every year. After the focus on “Artificial Intelligence” in 2024, the spotlight will now be on digital balance and smartphone use. “Empowering digital citizens – smart kids vs. smartphones” is the title of the next open public expert forum called BIS City Talk on 26 February 2025 (18:00) in Munich. BIS will be welcoming digital expert Philipp Depiereux, well-known neuroscientist Prof Dr Christian Montag (“Homo Digitalis – Smartphones, social networks and the brain”), Magdalena Balica from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB), Dr Chrissie Sorenson (BIS Head of School) as panellists and Funda Vanroy (TV host “Galileo”) as moderator. The entry is free, but registration is mandatory (on the website under “community” and “events”).

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Germany, Austria and Switzerland: All three countries of the DACH region take part in the triennial PISA studies, and over the past two years, there has been a prolonged nationwide debate about the bad results in Germany for the 2022 study*, which showed the worst outcome ever at position 24. Austria forms the mellow middle at position 18, while Switzerland at position 8 is hands down the current winner of the three DACH countries. Former allover winner Estonia is still better than Switzerland, and has only recently been surpassed by a small group of Asian OECD countries, led by Singapore which currently occupies first place in the PISA table.

Photo: Markus Spiske, Unsplash

Why German pupils are performing worse in international comparison of late, even when it comes to basic skills, has given much reason for discussion, especially because until 2018, Germany used to be above the OECD average. Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (Free Democratic Party) wants the federal government to have a greater say in digitisation and other important issues, as she stated in an interview with Rheinische Post: “Together with the federal states, I have just launched the ‘Startchancen’ Program for around 4,000 schools in challenging situations. Ten billion euros from the federal government and another ten billion from the federal states will flow into these schools over the next ten years.” The program is the largest and most long-term education program in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany and is especially aimed at struggling elementary schools.

Photo: Tim Mossholder, Unsplash

Into the Future: Language and Digitisation

Education starts at the earliest possible age, and the most pivotal factor for any individual career path is language competency, says Stark-Watzinger: “We therefore also need mandatory language support for children who do not have a sufficient command of the German language before they start school. At the same time, more daycare places need to be created, especially for children under the age of three. And access must be as simple and non-bureaucratic as possible.” Another challenge currently tackled is the social media phenomena which bears risks through polarizing, distraction and misinformation: “Young people need to learn how to deal with it”, says Stark-Watzinger, “that’s why media literacy is so important and why it needs to be taught more. Democracy education also needs to be taught more in schools. This is one reason why we support the Federal Student Conference: This is where pupils learn to represent their interests by getting together, discussing, electing someone.”

Photo: Kenny Eliason, Unsplash

And what about digitisation? The heads of German state governments are calling for the € 7.15 billion worth of the first digital pact for schools to be extended. With the current agreement, considerable progress has been made in the digitisation of the educational landscape between 2019 and 2024. In its coalition agreement, the coalition government had announced that it would launch a follow-up program with the federal states, a ‘Digital Pact 2.0’, which would run until 2030. This has been the subject of tough negotiations for a long time – even tougher now that it has become clear how cash-strapped the federal government is. In principle, schools are a matter for the federal states and not the federal government. Berlin now wants to finance a maximum of 50 percent.

Photo: element5 digital, Unsplash

Austria: A Master Plan for Digitisation in Education

Possibly with a glance at the persistently good PISA results for Estonia, the wonderland of digitisation in education, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research has implemented an 8-point master plan*, financed with a total of € 281.3 million distributed between 2021 and 2025. With its objectives, the master plan addresses all school educational institutions, starting with the elementary level through to the upper secondary level. Apart from digital devices for both students and teachers and an expansion of the school IT infrastructure, the master plan also aims at introducing standardized communication processes, distance learning MOOC, an alignment of the Eduthek (a collection of quality-assured links to external materials) with curricula, as well as a seal of approval for learning apps. (source: www.bmbwf.gv.at)

Photo: Martin Adams, Unsplash

Regarding language-based integration as the pivotal tool for success in education, Austria has introduced a standardized nationwide instrument in two versions (“BESK KOMPAKT” for children with German as a first language and “BESK-DaZ Kompakt” for children with German as a second language), used on a mandatory basis throughout Austria to determine children’s language skills in the last year before they start school. Based on the results of the language assessment tool, a mandatory handover sheet is sent from the elementary educational institution to the elementary school, which provides information on a child’s strengths and areas for support in the area of language and offers a concrete starting point for further support planning.

Germany’s new opportunity program for hotspot schools

Back to Germany and the new ‘Startchancen’ program: The primary goal is to decouple educational success from social background and ensure greater equality of opportunity. To this end, schools in difficult social situations have been receiving around 20 billion euros in funding since 2024. The extra money is to be invested in places of learning, or used for additional staff such as social workers.

Photo: Santi Vedri, Unsplash

According to the authors of the Education Monitor, however, this will not be enough. Nationwide support must be expanded from 10 to 40 percent of schools, they argue. Otherwise, only too small a proportion of children will be reached and the problems will be carried further into the future. Education researcher Olaf Köller also says that five to ten times as much is needed to support pupils effectively. (source: Deutschlandfunk)

Fingers crossed, Germany will do better again in the future. Below, are a few other reasons why Switzerland may currently feature much stronger results than Germany.

Photo: Nathan Dumlao, Unsplash

Switzerland: Early Learning, Language Training and Evaluation

What makes Switzerland the current winner when it comes to DACH education?

In Switzerland, preschool education is mandatory, and connected with a language skill evaluation at the brink of entering elementary school. Expats even recommend using the mandatory preschool years for an unofficial language education – as many regions have their own dialects such as Swiss German, which the kids need to learn in addition to the official language(s) of the respective canton. Thus there is a strong focus on languages early on, which is also monitored and evaluated before the start of elementary school. This also gives migrant children a much better chance to catch up at an early level. Integration counsellor Matthias Estermann explains: “In Germany, attendance at KITA is voluntary, whereas, in Switzerland, children must have attended preschool for one or two years, depending on the canton. Switzerland is also making efforts to ensure a more flexible start to school life by setting up mixed-age classes.” (source: https://www.deutsch-schweiz.ch/familie/schulen)

Photo: Brooke Cagle, Unsplash

Secondly, at the end of elementary school, teachers’ recommendations with regard to the next school level are binding and can only be declined on the basis of an additional test, while German parents are free to choose if their children should move on to high school or not – which most of them do to avoid the perceived stigma of sending their kid to middle school.

Photo: element5 digital, Unsplash

In Switzerland, it is primarily children with good and stable performance who go to grammar school, which means that classes are smaller and students can be nourished more individually. Matthias Estermann points out: “In Switzerland, 20 children sit in a classroom on average. This remains similar at the secondary level I. In Germany, on the other hand, the numbers increase to around 30 children per class, mainly at grammar schools.” As a result, in Germany, the proportion of pupils aiming for the Abitur (High School Certificate) is twice as high, but the performance is not always up to par. This means, that Swiss students entering university are simply better prepared for higher education as well.

Photo: Arthur Lambilotte, Unsplash

It will be therefore be of no surprise that apart from PISA, also the WEF’s World Competitiveness Report rates the Swiss education system among the best in the world. Apart from the level of the workforce and general qualification, the report also evaluates the quantity and quality of educational measures, including the development of digital literacy, interpersonal skills and the ability to think both critically and creatively.

Photo: Jeswin Thomas, Unsplash

Teachers Matter

All three DACH regions put immense efforts into schooling not only students, but also the teaching personnel. Online schooling, AI inclusion, social media management as well as integration through early language acquisition currently prove to be the most pivotal themes in teacher training. However, especially in Germany, teachers also need to receive appropriate support, motivation and appreciation for their often challenging work.

While – with a look at Switzerland and Austria – reduced class sizes and mandatory early language programs might lead to better long-term results, relief and motivational efforts for the teaching personnel matter just as much.

Teacher motivation as the key to better education is therefore also high on Stark-Watzinger’s agenda: “The teaching profession must become more attractive and be more highly regarded. Just putting up posters at the airport will not solve the problem. Schools must be a place where teachers can help shape things. They need freedom and less bureaucracy.”

Photo: Aaron Burden, Unsplash

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“Everything falls into place,” laughs Anna Bott, Head of Marketing & Communication at the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz. A former student of the boarding school in the Swiss canton of Graubünden near St. Moritz herself, Bott has returned to Switzerland after several years abroad. How did this happen? Aren’t students usually happy if they never have to see their school again? “That may be the case elsewhere,” replies Bott. “But the Lyceum Alpinum is different.” Just how different, she describes in the following.

“The most important element is the Spirit of Zuoz, which for me translates as the ‘power of community’. This spirit is about working together in teams with people from different backgrounds – something I didn’t learn in management seminars, but at the Lyceum. Recognising, developing and contributing skills and strengths in teams is something that needs to be learned and practised. Ideally at an early age, e.g. in drama class or on the sports field.

The aim of the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz is not only to provide children with a ticket to Swiss, European or international Universities of Excellence and a priceless network for later life, but also to support them in one of the most important developmental phases of their lives, so that they are equipped for all the challenges of the future”.

“The Lyceum Alpinum offers the opportunity to become part of an international community and to contribute one’s own personality,” stresses Bott. “The challenges of life that are faced here together not only shape and enrich the students’ time at the Lyceum Alpinum, but also their future careers. The friendships made here are often the most important friendships for life,” adds the communications expert.

The elite Swiss boarding school is set in a spectacular Alpine setting, 1750 m.s.l. and offers a wide range of sporting activities in both summer and winter. Teaching and learning at the Lyceum Alpinum is characterised by a multilingual environment (the four official Swiss languages as well as English are taught and Spanish or Mandarin are spoken in our corridors) and a holistic approach to obtaining the Matura or IB, which focuses on the individual development of students, motivation, critical thinking, and creativity. Next to the Zuoz Globe, the school’s own theatre with two ensembles, the boarding school offers an extensive extra-curricular programme which enables all students to optimally develop their intellectual, personal, and physical abilities.

The Lyceum Alpinum and the Spirit of Zuoz – a community that shapes students for life.

 
Web: www.lyceum-alpinum.ch/en

The Spirit of Zuoz

Gerade, wenn es um die Ausbildung der eigenen Kinder geht, sollten Eltern genau hinsehen. Welches Konzept verfolgt die Schule? Wer sind die Lehr- und Bezugspersonen? Das sind nur einige der wichtigen Fragen. Das Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz gibt überzeugende Antworten.

Globe Zuoz. Foto: Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz, Fotograf: Benjamin Hofer

„Alles fügt sich”, lacht Anna Bott, Head of Marketing & Communication am Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz. Bott war selbst Schülerin des Internats im schweizerischen Graubünden bei St. Moritz und ist nach mehreren Stationen im Ausland zurückgekehrt. Wie kam es dazu? Sind Schülerinnen und Schüler normalerweise nicht froh, wenn sie ihre Schule nie wieder sehen müssen? „Das mag anderswo so sein”, antwortet Bott. „Aber das Lyceum Alpinum ist anders.” Wie anders, das beschreibt sie:

„Allem voran steht der der Spirit of Zuoz. Dieser lässt sich für mich mit der ‚Kraft der Gemeinschaft’ übersetzen. Es geht darum, wie man in Teams mit den unterschiedlichsten Personen zusammenarbeitet und das habe ich nicht erst im Managementseminar gelernt, sondern am Lyceum. Das Erkennen, Entwickeln und Einbringen von Kompetenzen und Stärken in Teams, das will gelernt und geübt sein. Am besten bereits früh, beim Theaterspielen oder auf dem Sportplatz. Das Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, Kinder nicht nur mit einem direkten Zugang für Schweizer, europäische oder internationale Exzellenzunis und dem unbezahlbaren Netzwerk für den späteren Lebensweg auszustatten, sondern sie gleichzeitig in einer der wichtigsten Entwicklungsphasen ihres Lebens zu begleiten, damit sie für alle Herausforderungen der Zukunft gerüstet sind.”

„Das Lyceum Alpinum bietet die Chance, Teil einer internationalen Gemeinschaft zu werden und die eigene Persönlichkeit einzubringen”, betont Bott. „Die Lebenssituationen, die hier gemeinsam gemeistert werden, prägen und bereichern nicht nur die Zeit an der Schule, sondern auch die spätere Laufbahn. Die Freundschaften, die hier geschlossen werden, sind oft die wichtigsten Freundschaften fürs Leben”, weiß die Kommunikationswissenschaftlerin.

Das Schweizer Eliteinternat liegt eingebettet in spektakulärer Alpenkulisse auf 1750 m.ü.M. und bietet sommers wie winters ein breites Angebot an sportlichen Aktivitäten. Das multilinguale Umfeld (hier werden nicht nur die vier Schweizer Amtssprachen und Englisch unterrichtet, man hört auch Chinesisch oder Spanisch auf den Fluren), ein ganzheitliches Konzept für die Erlangung der Matura oder IB, das die individuelle Förderung der Schülerinnen und Schüler fokussiert, Leistungsbereitschaft, kritisches Denken und Kreativität prägen das Lehren und Lernen. Neben dem Zuoz Globe, dem eigenen Theater mit zwei Ensembles, bietet das Internat ein umfangreiches außerschulisches Programm, das alle Schülerinnen und Schüler in ihren intellektuellen, persönlichen und körperlichen Fähigkeiten optimal fördert.

Das Lyceum Alpinum und der Spirit of Zuoz – eine Gemeinschaft, die Schüler fürs Leben prägt.

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The Berlin British School caters to age groups from two to 18 years of age. It has children from 80 countries and the highly qualified staff come from more than 20 nations. The maximum class size throughout the school is 20 students. The school currently has about 500 students in total.

Break time at Primary School.

Fully accredited by the Council of International Schools, and implementing programmes from both the globally recognised International Baccalaureate and Cambridge International Examinations, BBS has been at the forefront of educating students from Berlin’s international community since its foundation in 1994.

Secondary School Campus.

The British foundation of the school explains the enduring presence at BBS of certain traditions and approaches to school life. There is a house system, in which students both cooperate with and compete against each other across a range of diverse pursuits. Wearing a school uniform encourages students to view themselves as proud members of a community of equals. The pastoral system is dependent on a strong, meaningful bond between teacher and student, with excellent communication and early intervention as ways of supporting students. A wide-ranging co-curricular educational programme enables students to develop holistically and appreciate the importance of evolving important skills and dispositions that go beyond the walls of the classroom.

Early Years Campus at the Havelchaussee.

The Berlin British School is a friendly, welcoming school lucky enough to enjoy an idyllic woodland setting in which their students can grow. It is small enough for all students and teachers to know each other, and large enough to offer opportunities for all students to flourish in a challenging yet caring environment.

BBS Library at Secondary School.

BBS is unique in the Berlin education scene as the only international school to offer the choice between a curriculum delivered through the medium of English, ideal for students from an international business or diplomatic background, and a bilingual option that enables native German speakers to enjoy the benefit of studying selected subjects in German.

BBS is proud of how it fulfills its mission to create confident learners and creative thinkers through providing a caring and supportive community. If you are interested in finding out more about the school, it is possible to arrange a tour.

P.E. lesson at the Primary gym.

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At the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz, 220 international boarding students and 110 local day students benefit from an education that fosters their intellectual, personal, athletic and creative growth as much as their well-being. The Swiss Matura ensures a broad education with subject specialisation in various focus areas, allowing exam-free admission to all Swiss universities. The IGCSE prepares for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, a challenging two-year course leading to the best international universities.

Sports, art, music and theatre are key here. Football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, cricket, golf and ice hockey are all on offer, as well as skiing and snowboarding in winter. Students also develop their talents in theatre groups, art projects, in the choir, the orchestra, the school band or during private instrumental lessons.

The International Summer Camps are a great way to get to know the school. In the mornings, language courses or digital skills are on offer, while in the afternoons, it is either a great sports programme, film and drama, golf or football training. Evenings and weekends are filled with exciting outdoor experiences such as river rafting, climbing and other enjoyable activities. Fun, adventure and new friends from all over the world are guaranteed.

 
Web: www.lyceum-alpinum.ch

GLOBAL AUSGERICHTET, LOKAL VERANKERT

Das Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz ist eine internationale Schweizer Internatsschule in der alpinen Umgebung des Engadins.

Am Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz erhalten 220 internationale InternatsschülerInnen und 110 einheimische TagesschülerInnen eine Ausbildung, die ihre intellektuelle, persönliche, körperliche und kreative Entwicklung ebenso fördert wie ihr Wohlbefinden. Die Schweizer Matura mit breitem Fächerangebot und verschiedenen thematischen Schwerpunkten ermöglicht den prüfungsfreien Zugang zu allen Schweizer Universitäten. Das IGCSE bereitet auf das International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme vor, ein anspruchsvoller zweijährigen Lehrgang, der an die besten internationalen Universitäten führt.

Sport, Kunst, Musik und Theater werden großgeschrieben. Fußball, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Cricket, Golf und im Winter Eishockey, Skifahren und Snowboarden stehen auf dem Programm. Die SchülerInnen entfalten sich auch in Theatergruppen, Kunstprojekten, im Chor, im Orchester, in der Schulband oder im privaten Instrumentalunterricht.

Die International Summer Camps sind ideal, um die Schule kennenzulernen. Vormittags werden Sprachkurse oder Digital Skills angeboten, nachmittags entweder ein abwechslungsreiches Sportprogramm, Film und Theater, Golf- oder Fußballtraining. Die Abende und Wochenenden sind gefüllt mit spannenden Outdoor-Erlebnissen wie River Rafting, Klettern und anderen Aktivitäten. Spaß, Abenteuer und neue Freunde aus der ganzen Welt sind garantiert.

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BIS is a community of more than 1,200 learners and 180 education leaders, working together to bring out the best in young people from over 60 nations, all within a caring and international environment. BIS students are supported to become global citizens with outstanding language and communication skills, an intercultural mindset and a deep understanding of digital technology and modern collaboration.

Teamwork and kindness characterise the spirit at BIS from a very young age.

BIS is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, where talented, globally-focused educators care for students aged three to 19. It is a private, non-profit, all-day school which ranks among the best international schools in Germany and in Europe. In addition, BIS is the only international school in Germany offering all four IB programmes from Kindergarten to Secondary School (PYP, MYP, DP, CP).

At both campuses in Munich and Haimhausen, BIS offers a kindergarten (Early Childhood), pre-school and primary school.

A caring, international community

About 75 per cent of BIS students come from international families, with the other 25 per cent of students coming from local Munich families. One of the school’s strengths is its connected, intercultural community, which is continuously developing through a spirit of care and inclusion.

“The children and young people are just happy at BIS. This positive spirit immediately inspires new families and every visitor that comes here,” says Dr. Chrissie Sorenson, head of school at BIS.

The caring culture at BIS is further defined by additional guidance for students at every turn: language and learning support, mentors, school counsellors, and university and career counsellors. Students are encouraged to develop themselves outside of the classroom as well, by taking part in one of 80 after-school activities. These include drama, music, engineering, multimedia, athletics, as well as some signature programmes, such as the Model United Nations, the Duke of Edinburgh International Award and the Eco School project.

Values and future skills are important goals in the international curriculum at BIS. At this school, the young minds are prepared for the new tomorrow in the best possible way.

Digital pioneers

Educational technology has been an integral component of the learning philosophy at BIS for nearly 20 years. From Early Childhood to Grade 3, they work with iPads as class sets; in Grades 4 and 5, each student receives an iPad from BIS; in the Secondary School from Grade 6, the ‘Bring your own device’ (BYOD) programme applies. The combination of digitally-savvy teachers, IT team and helpdesk team underlines BIS as a digital pioneer.

The Bavarian International School (BIS) is a pioneer in the meaningful integration of digital tools in the classroom.

The school of the future – today

In 2021, BIS celebrated its 30th anniversary. The next chapter will include the funding and building of the new Creativity & Innovation Centre (CIC). Building on the foundation of its 30-year tradition, BIS is actively shaping the future of learning with plans for this new heart of the Haimhausen campus. This building will offer open, flexible and interdisciplinary learning spaces for around 750 students. The pedagogical design focus of the space will be ‘STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths). The new 25-million-euro innovation centre underscores BIS’s claim to be the school of the future – today.

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The school caters to all age groups from 2 to 18 years of age. It has children from 80 countries and the highly qualified staff come from more than 20 nations. The maximum class size throughout the school is 20 students. The school currently has about 500 students.

Fully accredited by the Council of International Schools, and implementing programmes from both the globally recognised International Baccalaureate and Cambridge International Examinations, BBS has been at the forefront of educating students from Berlin’s international community since its foundation in 1994.

The British foundation of the school explains the enduring presence at BBS of certain traditions and approaches to school life. There is a house system, in which students both cooperate with and compete against each other across a range of diverse pursuits; a school uniform encourages students to view themselves as proud members of a community of equals; the pastoral system is dependent on a strong, meaningful bond between teacher and student, with excellent communication and early intervention as ways of supporting students. A wide-ranging co-curricular educational programme enables students to develop holistically and appreciate the importance of evolving important skills and dispositions that go beyond the walls of the classroom.

The Berlin British School is a friendly, welcoming school lucky enough to enjoy an idyllic woodland setting in which students can grow. It is small enough for all students and teachers to know each other, and large enough to offer opportunities for all students to flourish in a challenging yet caring environment. BBS is unique in the Berlin education scene as the only international school to offer the choice between a curriculum delivered through the medium of English, ideal for our students from an international business or diplomatic background, and a bi-lingual option that enables native German speakers to enjoy the benefit of studying selected subjects in German.

BBS is proud of how it fulfils its mission to create confident learners and creative thinkers through providing a caring and supportive community. If you are interested in finding out more about the school, it is possible to arrange a tour.

EARLY YEARS/ KITA

The Early Years curriculum is based on a blend of the Foundation Stage Curriculum of England and Wales, the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme and the Berliner Bildungsprogramm. Every group is supported by an English-speaking teacher and a native German-speaking Erzieher/in. This combination provides the best of all systems, enabling the school to provide a British-based bilingual IB education.

PRIMARY SCHOOL

The Primary school implements the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme known as the PYP and also the Berliner Rahmenlehrplan. The programme offers an international curriculum, which addresses the whole child, catering for children’s academic, social and emotional growth through an inquiry-based approach. The PYP encourages students to develop independence and to take responsibility for their own learning.

SECONDARY SCHOOL

In Grades 6 to 10, all students work towards their International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations. Students in the bilingual stream also take the German MSA (Mittlerer Schulabschluss; i.e. German intermediate school-leaving qualification). Grades 11 and 12 pursue the IB Diploma. Competition for places at IB level is intense, with an entry policy in place for those wishing to study the Diploma.

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The school caters to all age groups from two to 18 years of age. In its classrooms it has children from almost 80 countries, and the highly qualified staff are made up of more than 20 nationalities. The maximum class size throughout the school is 20 students. The school currently has about 500 students.

Fully accredited by the Council of International Schools, and implementing programmes from both the globally recognised International Baccalaureate and Cambridge International Examinations, BBS has been at the forefront of educating students from Berlin’s international community since its foundation in 1994.

The British foundation of the school explains the enduring presence at BBS of certain traditions and approaches to school life. There is a house system, in which students both cooperate with and compete against each other across a range of diverse pursuits; a school uniform encourages students to view themselves as proud members of a community of equals; the pastoral system is dependent on a strong, meaningful bond between teacher and student, with excellent communication and early intervention as ways of supporting students. A wide-ranging co-curricular educational programme enables students to develop holistically and appreciate the importance of evolving important skills and dispositions that go beyond the walls of the classroom.

The Berlin British School is a friendly, welcoming school lucky enough to enjoy an idyllic woodland setting in which students can grow. It is small enough for all students and teachers to know each other, and large enough to offer opportunities for all students to flourish in a challenging yet caring environment. BBS is unique in the Berlin education scene as the only international school to offer the choice between a curriculum delivered through the medium of English, ideal for students from an international business or diplomatic background, and a bi-lingual option that enables native German speakers to enjoy the benefit of studying selected subjects in German.

BBS is proud of how it fulfils its mission to create confident learners and creative thinkers through providing a caring and supportive community. If you are interested in finding out more about the school, it is possible to arrange a tour.

The post BERLIN BRITISH SCHOOL – A VIBRANT, CHALLENGING, ALL-ROUND INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION appeared first on Discover Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

The Berlin Brandenburg International Boarding School focuses its core mission on bringing students from all over the world together. The innovative non-profit school offers young people an opportunity to grow and learn in a culturally diverse and respectful environment. Here, the students are not only encouraged to discover their own individual identity, but their journey is also shaped by the wealth and beauty of the different cultures and traditions our world has to offer.

If you are looking for an uplifting outlook into the future, BBIS may be just right for you. The boarding school of the Berlin Brandenburg International School (BBIS, for short) does not just promote a culturally diverse philosophy, but truly lives it every single day.

Currently, over 60 students live at the boarding school, and they come from over 25 different countries. Iceland, Egypt, Israel, Mexico, Australia, China, Russia, Ukraine, Peru, Japan and Canada, to name but a few, as well as various European countries too. The list of different nationalities that live and study together under the roof of the boarding school is an impressive one.

The Head of BBIS Boarding, Mr. Whitney Sterling, is originally from the US, but made Germany his chosen home a long time ago. Mr. Sterling is very passionate about his work and highly values the opportunity to bring teenagers from all over the world together and teach them to appreciate each other’s different cultures. “This is not your typical German boarding school, it is something very different and truly special,” he points out. “It is more like an international boarding school in the UK, the US or Canada – except you are in the heart of Europe, which is very exciting.”

The boarding school, open to students from 9th to 12th grade, is the first English language boarding school in Germany. It is located just outside Berlin, conveniently close to the airports yet far enough from the distracting hustle and bustle of the city. Due to the generous size of the campus, many outdoor activities can be enjoyed right on site. Various after-school clubs and weekend excursions ensure that there is always an exciting activity to join in on.

The boarding facility has been recently refurbished and is now close to hotel standard. Each room has its own modern bathroom and students can either share a room or apply to have a room to themselves.

As Mr. Sterling explains, the boarding school places great importance on three main areas: firstly, embracing a healthy lifestyle; secondly, achieving one’s academic potential; and thirdly, fostering intercultural understanding.

Helping the students to adopt a healthy lifestyle includes good nutrition, overall well-being and exercise. The kitchens on each of the five levels are open to use for students wanting to explore their own cooking skills and the boarding school has its own modern fitness room as well.

Of course, another key aspect for the boarding school staff is to help the students develop their full academic potential. “The International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes are truly challenging, especially the IB Diploma programme in years 11 and 12,” Sterling says. “So we support our students to become well prepared and take advantage of all the help they need in order to achieve their goals. For students who wish to focus on a more career-related ‘hands-on’ education, instead of a fully academic one, the International Baccalaureate Career-Related Program (IBCP) is highly recommended. It incorporates three two-week internships at different companies and allows students who are more practically orientated to explore their individual potential as well.”

Six experienced live-in mentors with international backgrounds ensure that every student is personally looked after 24/7. Whenever there is a problem, a question or anything else to share, the students have someone to turn to.

“Four to six times a year, we hold a ‘Culture Night’, and celebrate the culture of a specific country of one of our students,” Sterling adds. “The last event was dedicated to Russian culture and, next week, Latin America takes centre stage. Preparations are already in full swing. During those nights we enjoy authentic food, listen to music from that particular culture and learn about local traditions. With around 80 to 90 people attending, these are big events and we genuinely look forward to each and every one of them. They are a lot of fun!”

A home away from home, where every culture is welcomed with open arms, where students are prepared for international careers and where intercultural friendships are formed to last for a lifetime: all of that and more is promised at the Berlin Brandenburg International Boarding School.

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