Visiting German schools. Schloss-Schule Kirchberg

Internationalism swept over Europe and today, along with a large group of international recruiters, I  have visited Schloss-Schule Kirchberg, which was the first to market German private schools for international agencies, trusting us to enroll students to the school.

International Department at Kirchberg school

Schloss-Schule Kirchberg is located in the small town of Kirchberg. The name of the school carries from 1916, when it was founded. Until 1956 the school was located on the grounds of the castle. 60 years ago the school moved into its modern campus, which is constantly being expanded and improved. Today the school has 330 students from 5th to 12th grades and one-third of them live in school residences. The school started to accept international students for preparation  to German Abitur since 2010.

From the first meeting with management team  we could feel their openness to international students. If in German schools, which I  visited before Schloss-Schule Kirchberg, representatives barely knew English and flatly showed the territory, in Kirchberg the whole group was impressed by the enthusiasm of the Director of the international Department, as well as teachers and students, with whom we communicated. So enthusiastically can speak about the school only people who are comfortable here, and they love their work.

Schloss-Schule Kirchberg offers three programs for international students. The most complex and popular program is Abitur. In the Schloss-Schule Kirchberg Abitur is in grades 11 and 12, but like other German school, Kirchberg does not accept foreign students directly into grade 11. While foreigners from other EU countries can start to study in Germany from the age of 12, students from the countries outside of European Union can get visa minimum at the age of 14, entering grade 9 or 10. For admission to the school foreign students must have German language on the level B2-C1, confirmed by the official exam, high grades from the previous school and motivation to study at German school. At the same time, at that age students also need to have advanced English, because German students who are studying in grade 9 must have B2 English as it is one of subjects of the Abitur. In grade 9 all students of the German gymnasium start learning another European language or Latin, which foreign students would need to take as well. This is one reason why Abitur is considered to be more complicated then other programs in English: students study not only a greater number of subjects than on A-level or IB, but also deeply learn English, while learning a third European language.

How to enter Abitur in a German private school

For successful preparation for the Abitur, Schloss-Schule Kirchberg has developed a special training for foreign students, which they named 10+, as the main part of foreign students comes to school in the 10th grade. In addition to learning all subjects together with German students, foreign students continue to study German for at least another year. If in the 10th grade of the German school students have 4 hours of German and mathematics, 3 hours natural Sciences and 2 hours of other subjects, foreigners, who are studying at 10+, have extra German classes and tutoring in other subjects. Each week students receive an extra 4 hours of German as a foreign language by Goethe Institute and 4 academic hours of academic German, which provide the terminology for other subjects. In addition, 2 times a year in October and April, when German students go on a half-semester vacation, international students must take intensive German course from Saturday to Tuesday studying for 20 hours and only then go on short vacation.

The school operates from September until the end of July, but though summer vacation is only 6 weeks school closes for the holidays every 6 weeks (for a week in October and March, for a few weeks at Christmas and Easter). The residence is closed only for Christmas and Summer, holidays, all the other vacations international students can live in school.

Short stay at the German school

The second program, which Schloss-Schule Kirchberg offers for foreign students, is a short-term stay in school: from one week up to one year. At the same time, staying in school for 2-3 trimester, international students need to apply to school on a General basis (German B2, high academic achievement) and only to grade 9 or 10, but they may start in the middle of the year. For shorter programs (1 to 12 weeks) that do not require a student visa, the school accepts students in grades 7-10 and  with German not lower than A2. These short programs provide an excellent opportunity for the foreign students to feel like a student of the German school, participating in classes, visiting all the sports sections and clubs, rapidly improving German. Most often, for the short programs of a few weeks foreigners come in September or June-July, but the school can accept during any time of academic year. But if to come for 4 weeks from the beginning of September or at the end of June, the students do not necessary get in class with their peers - at this time the school organizes intensive language courses of different levels, as there are many foreigners come to study German to the school. The student also attend the lessons, depending on language level, all sports activities, clubs, live in boarding house with German students and participate at extensive excursion and activities program.

Preparation for German universities of applied  science Fachschule

The third program opened in the Schloss-Schule Kirchberg for foreigners, is a preparation for German universities of applied Sciences. In grade 11 students study more practical or creative subjects, and after the 11th grade they are not preparing for another year to pass the Abitur but go on training for their future profession, which is part of the school curriculum and last year. After one year of internship graduates enter German universities of applied Sciences, Fachschule.

Despite its small size, the school offers a wide range of sports clubs and studios. Here you can practice drawing, music, theater, art, dance, pottery, horseback riding, tennis, football, basketball, yoga, tennis and many others.

The school has very good food for it's students: 4 hot meals plus a small second Breakfast and afternoon tea, and for students who follow certain diets, the kitchen prepare food separately.

School dormitories separated by age, the middle-school children live in a separate building, next to playgrounds, rope Park and a climbing wall. Dorm for high school boys is like a dorm of any other school, though the lower floor has a sauna and a gym.

The residence of older girls impressed with it's cosines and comfort. Each room is divided into 2 floors and girls choose if they want to make a common bedroom on the first floor and living room on the second or each of them occupies and decorates own floor. Both, the common room and bedrooms of the girls struck with homey feel, and I much regretted that we were asked not to take pictures inside the rooms.

We left school very enthusiastic. There are still many schools for me to visit and describe but not every I want to recommend as much, as I want to recommend Schloss-Schule Kirchberg for intelligent and motivated students.