School Profile of the German School Nairobi
0 Preamble
The German School Nairobi is a German Speaking School Abroad, which proactively encourages cultural exchanges, and leads to Advanced level Certified Examinations.
1 School Organisation
The school follows the education system of schools in Germany. Pupils are obliged to pay a school fee.
2. Students
The students are active partners in the education and development process.
3. Parents
The parents work together with the school, and are actively involved in the school community.
4. Staff
The members of staff present the values and goals of the school as role models themselves, and always work in the best interest of the children and pupils in their responsibility.
5. Lessons
The lessons at all levels follow the syllabi of the German Province Thuringia. The medium of instruction is German.
6. School life and extra-curricular activities
All members of the school community are actively involved in all aspects of school life. They foster a good relationship with their host country. Extra-curricular activities promote individual interest and capabilities in a social environment and all members make excellent use of the cultural opportunities available in the host country.
7. Boarding
On the school compound there is a Boarding House for students whose parents do not live in the vicinity of Nairobi.
8. School Buildings and Grounds
Buildings and Grounds offer ideal pre-requisites for living and learning, and must be well looked-after and maintained.
9. School Development
The German School Nairobi is a school that is constantly under development.
0 Preamble
The German School Nairobi is a German Speaking School Abroad, which is supported by public funds from the Federal Republic of Germany. The school leads to Advanced Level Certified Examinations, and proactively encourages an intensive cultural exchange with its host country Kenya.
The school is a lively site of German culture. It allows its students access to both the German language and to an educational system from German speaking countries.
Students, whose parents live in East and Central Africa on a long or short term basis, are offered an education which will later allow them to attend schools in Germany, to attend another German School Abroad, and to continue their tertiary education in a German or International University.
The basic framework, including the syllabi, the regulations on admittance to the next Class, and final certification follow the German school system, and guarantee a sound, all-round education.
In lessons, as well as in extra-curricular activities, students develop their general, social and learning abilities through a process designed to promote autonomous learning. Thus the students can mature into responsible and self confident personalities.
Through the varied cultural and social activities, the German School Nairobi is suited to, and therefore acts as, the cultural centre of the German community. Furthermore, the school acts as a mediator between the German and Kenyan cultures, and thus fulfils its function as an international meeting place.
Working together of all members of the school – students, parents, as well as teaching and non-teaching staff, is characterised by readiness in communication, tolerance and mutual respect.
The commitment of the school, as laid out in its Mission and Vision Statement, will be made concrete in the School Programme, which will be evaluated regularly for its quality.
1 Organisation of the school
The German School Nairobi is a recognised German School Abroad by the Conference of the Culture Ministry, and it is supported by the Federal Republic of Germany to provide education up to Advanced Level. (Abitur)
The School, which was founded in 1969, belongs to the German School Society, and all parents of the students, as well as friends and patrons of the school are members of the society.
The German School is open to all German, as well as German speaking children of all nationalities. Non-German speaking children may join the relevant Class depending on their aptitude and after an interview with the Head of the school. These students will be offered additional German lessons.
The school is split into the Bilingual Kindergarten, which includes the Play Group and the Pre-School Class, the Primary School, the Lower Secondary School and the Upper Secondary School. The school, in terms of structure and certification is based on the educational system within Germany. It comprises of Classes 1 – 12. The “Abitur” is done at the end of Class 12, the “Realschule” certification at the end of Class 10, and the “Hauptschule” certification at the end of Class 9. With a successful completion of the Realschule certificate, students have the opportunity, after repeating Class 10, to enter Classes 11 and 12. The syllabus followed in the school is from the German province of Thuringia.
2 Students
Some 180 students, from Classes 1 to 12 study at the German School Nairobi. Most of them are of German origin. Besides these, numerous students of Swiss and Austrian origin also attend the school. In total, over 30 nationalities are represented in the school.
As is the norm for any German School Abroad, there is a high turnover of students each year, but there are nonetheless many students who started in the Kindergarten and have completed their Advanced Level studies at the school.
The student has the opportunity to help in the structuring of lessons and in school life in general. In order to make the students’ opinions effective, communication between students, teachers and parents is of great importance.
To ensure good communication, a Students’ Council is elected at the beginning of each academic year. This council, with the assistance of parents and teachers, tries to make the school life as pleasant as possible.
The relevant body of the Students’ Council works together with the school in its organisational tasks. Of particular relevance here is the planning and execution of school events, such as sporting events and school excursions.
The Students’ Council is supported by “Class Spokespersons”, chosen from each Year Group.
The interests of the students are represented by the Students’ Council in Teachers’ meetings. The students also work together in specialist groups, in order to help structure various aspects of school life.
3 Parents
At the German School Nairobi, parents, teachers and students co-operate and interact on many different levels. The interests of all parents about school issues are represented by a Parents’ Council, whereby the representatives are chosen from each Class at the beginning of each academic year. Furthermore, a representative from each sub-section of the school is chosen from within these representatives, to form a Parents’ Sub-Committee, which discusses the Parents’ Council issues in more detail during their monthly meetings. It is thus possible to work intensively on any issue within this smaller subcommittee. The Head of the school regularly participates in the Parents’ Council Meetings, which take place quarterly.
One of the representatives of the Parents’ Council participates (with no voting rights) in the Board Meetings of the Society and in the Teachers’ Conferences, and thus carries forward any matters of concern and of interest of the parents to the relevant bodies. Furthermore working together provides a means of constructive communication between the parents and the school, and thus helps to make all decisions transparent.
Parents participate in the Project Week and in other such school events, including sporting and cultural events, as well as theatre and music productions. They take charge of sports groups and offer extra-curricular activities.
A special role of the parents throughout the year is also to take charge of families which have just arrived in the country. They offer support in school, as well as in every day matters.
Apart from daily school life, the German School is a place where integration and communication for the German speaking Community of Nairobi is made possible, and takes place regularly.
4 Staff
The Staff at the German School Nairobi includes the educational experts (teachers in all sections of the school including the Boarding House), administrative personnel (administrator, accountant, secretary and librarian), as well as grounds staff (transport staff, cafeteria staff, swimming pool attendants, Boarding House caretakers as well as grounds staff.)
The entire Staff has taken on a duty at the school, and therefore has the responsibility of carrying it out well. The staff carries out the rules laid out in the preamble as role models to the children, and look after the children under their responsibility as best as possible. The efforts of the entire staff are directed towards developing the German School Nairobi into a future orientated school, to keep up with educational trends and to implement them after evaluation, and to give the students emotional security through an above average commitment. Teachers ensure the pupils gain a sound education and acquire a stable personality, to allow them to adapt well to their professional lives later on, comparable to international standards.
According to the Mission and Vision Statements of the School, the teachers are responsible for the quality of lessons in the school. They promote and expect high intellectual, social and emotional abilities and skills from the children. They are willing to work together with everyone who is part of the upbringing and education of the children. They advise parents on subject and educational matters.
Through participation in In-School and Regional Training Programmes, as well as through independent studies, the teachers are continuously upgrading their teaching skills. The teacher training programmes are co-ordinated by an in-school teacher training co-coordinator, in conjunction with the Head of the school.
Teachers are particularly aware of the cultural duties of a German School Abroad. They initiate and organise, lead and accompany curricular and extra-curricular activities. The Teachers’ Council lobbies the interests of the teaching staff to the relevant school committees. Their tasks and duties are outlined in their contracts. Discretion in school matters, professional conduct when dealing with colleagues, constructive conflict management, following and heeding instructions, showing loyalty to the School Management and to the Board, and selfless and responsible service towards the good of the school are obligations of all staff.
The following statutes and rules apply in addition to the Service Contract to all teachers: Statute of Teaching, School Rules and Conference Rules.
5 Lessons
Actual lessons, lesson content and goals at all school levels are based on the syllabus of the German province Thuringia. In addition, they are based on the requirements of the Cultural Ministry Conference (Kultusministerkonferenz KMK) and the relevant federal governing body in charge of schools abroad. (Bund-Länderausschusses für die schulische Arbeit im Ausland BLAschA).
The Subjects Table (number of lessons taught per subject per class) gives information on subjects and content. The syllabus in our school is then completed with topics dealing with Kenyan politics, Literature, History and Civics. This is covered both in lessons, as well as in cross-curricular projects. Lessons take place according to the Mission and Vision Statements of the German School Nairobi. With the Advanced Level Examination in mind, a science based preparatory education is imperative as a prerequisite for general learning skills.
The medium of instruction is German. English is given particular importance right from the Kindergarten. English becomes a compulsory subject as first Foreign Language in Class 1. In Class 6, in the Lower Secondary, French is added as the compulsory second Foreign Language. Geography is taught bilingually (English – German) from Class 8 upwards and Biology from Class 9 upwards.
5.1 Kindergarten and Pre-School
The Kindergarten takes children aged 2 – 6 in its Play Group, Kindergarten and Pre-School groups. Each group is led by qualified Kindergarten Teachers, with assistants. The Kindergarten premises, toys and other learning materials are all in accordance with the latest educational developments.
The curriculum in the Kindergarten is derived from the Bavarian Educational Plan. The Kindergarten strives to provide an all-round, individual fostering of the child, in several areas of the child’s development.
The most striking feature of the Kindergarten is the bilingual education in English and German. German-speaking children are thus ensured a problem-free integration into an English speaking environment. English-speaking children gain sufficient knowledge of the German language during their time at the Kindergarten, to be able to be registered in Class 1.
Through a varied choice of topics, the lessons are interesting and open to children of all nationalities, whose cultural differences are seen indeed as a completion and enrichment of the German heritage. A detailed timetable gives the structure required for daily routine of the child, in terms of playing and learning.
Working together with parents is not only encouraged, but wished for. The relationship with parents is characterised by a harmonious and goal-oriented co-operation, always in favour of the child. The Kindergarten puts a lot of importance on a close collaboration with the Primary School. It sets the basis for learning in school, and allows the children a seamless transfer to Class 1.
The Kindergarten takes its role as the foundation stone of the school seriously, and therefore works closely together with all relevant bodies.
5.2 Primary School
The four classes of the primary school are situated in a new, purpose-built building, with big, well – lit classrooms, which are equipped both with learning corners for individual children, as well as space for group learning. In order to deal with the learning needs of each individual child, two additional are classrooms available at any time, which allow teaching in separate groups as necessary.
Small, easily manageable classes are a feature of the German School. Our Primary School offers several programmes to promote the German Language (German as a Foreign Language, Reading, and Spelling Training) for the non-native German speakers. Social education is given a lot of importance at this level, to facilitate the entry of new children, and to bring up children such that they are able to deal with each other tolerantly and peacefully.
Regular Swimming lessons in the school’s pool, Sports lessons in the hall, and regular breaks on the large playgrounds allow the children the physical movement they need.
At lunch time, all children have the possibility of having a meal together in the school cafeteria. After that, homework supervision is available to all children. Morning lessons are complemented with an extensive range of extra-curricular activities in the afternoon. The annual highlights of the school life in the Primary School are Class trips and the Project Week (which take place in alternate years), the Reading Competition, in which children present their own stories, the Swimming Gala, the Lantern Festival and the Christmas celebrations.