Bilingual Secondary School - 'Hauptschule' or middle school?

This is a question that is frequently asked. Our school is run as a 'Hauptschule', but has been a recognized middle school trial school since 1996, meaning that all pupils are taught according to the grammar school curriculum and may attend any type of school after successful completion of the fourth year. There is no splitting of classes into different ability groups The aim of this trial is to enable pupils to gain a confident and natural approach to foreign languages, in particular English.

The 2011/12 school year marks the beginning of change towards becoming a "Neue Mittelschule". We intend to become a pilot school and have developed a location concept (German!). Not much will have to change, as we have been fulfilling most of the requirements for years already.

English is used as the working language in all subjects. During the first year only for parts of each lesson, while towards the fourth year entire lessons are conducted in English. This leads to a considerable improvement in competence in the target language. French is offered as an optional second foreign language from the first year onwards.

In order to enhance the value of our English language teaching and to render it more interesting, we have five native speakers who team teach with the 'normal' teachers in all subjects (with the obvious exception of German, Religion and French). This enables the pupils to become accustomed to hearing and understanding various different accents and to experience how the language is really spoken in everyday life, as opposed to how it sounds on a specially-prepared CD. The children also work with foreign language programs on the computer and they participate in project weeks in Great Britain and/or Ireland. Furthermore, pupils visit English performances on stage and watch English films at the cinema. They are pen pals to children from our partner schools and exchange programmes are organized.

The end-of-year presentations motivate the pupils and give them the chance to demonstrate the foreign language skills they have acquired and improved over the school year.

Cross-curricula projects play an important role in each form and at times all subjects (where possible) might be working together on a particular theme, meaning that occasionally some topics may not be taught in the year normally dictated by the curriculum.

At the beginning of each school year and at the end of the first semester there is a Dr Klippert Project Week, designed to develop the pupils' key skills. The training of learning and communication techniques as well as an emphasis on teamwork help the pupils to become more independent and to take more responsibility for themselves. These skills in turn help them to meet the demands of further schools and the marketplace.

Our computer room contains twenty modern PCs with Internet access. Every one of our ten classes has one hour-a-week of Information Technology. Our pupils learn typing, basic skills and how to use programmes for almost all subjects.

Evaluation plays a very important part in our school programme. It is necessary to obtain an overall view and to examine the implementation and the effectiveness of the measures taken at appropriate intervals, both individually and by means of practicable methods. Personal data remains confidential and is not published. Both the level of achievement and the need to catch up are made apparent. This provides a basis for further development.

The quality development programme is divided into five separate areas:

• Teaching and learning

• Working area class and school

• School partnerships and other connections

• School management

• Professionalism and personal development

We are proud to be part of a school that stands for openness and values cultural diversity. Teachers, pupils and parents are partners with differing responsibilities and we support each other at all times. Our policy of open dialogue allows us to voice our opinion without fear in every situation.

The school is our workplace and we spend a large amount of time together here. Therefore we treat the building and all its contents with respect, keep it clean and avoid wasting materials that are provided for us to use. We wear slippers in the building when told to do so. Chewing gum is neither necessary nor desirable during the school day.

We treat others and their belongings with respect and we are friendly and fair to one another.

We reject every form of violence, both physical and psychological, and we do not make ourselves complicit by turning a blind eye.

Electronic devices such as mp3 players and game consoles do not belong in school. Mobile phones may not be used during the lessons. The school accepts no responsibility for damage to or loss of any such devices. Dangerous objects are expressly forbidden.

Both teachers and pupils are entitled to an undisturbed break, but also to punctuality in the classroom.

As responsible members of the school community we are aware that misconduct has negative consequences.