Middle School - German Curriculum

Our Middle School is aimed at students in grades 6-9 and is based on the curricula of the German states of Thuringia and Baden-Württemberg.

The curriculum is characterised by a range of shared learning experiences and instruction in lessons and courses. Lessons are based on the requirements that schools and students currently have to meet to learn successfully and live autonomously in the 21st Century.

Education based on individual capabilities and needs

All German school qualifications (Hauptschule, Realschule and Abitur) are offered. Our Middle school students receive differentiated instruction for some of the main subjects according to their competency levels and will only be streamed into the three different pathways at the end of Grade 8.

BeyondClassrooms

The exclusive BeyondClassrooms programme gives our students a large range of real-world opportunities and experiences in business, sustainability, science, engineering, technology and more.

Learn more about BeyondClassrooms

The making of tomorrow's engineers

From Grade 8, students have the opportunity to participate in the Junior Engineer Academy (JIA) supported by the Deutsche Telekom Stiftung that aims to equip students with the skills and confidence to venture into the world of engineering.

What our Parents and Students say about us

"Being taught in an environment such as GESS International School, which prides itself in its diversity and respect of other cultures and ideas, I now have a new and unique outlook of the world, and a much stronger sense of identity relating to the people around me."

Otis, Secondary student

Testimonials

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Middle school information

Maximum class size

24 students per class

School Day

Full-day school programme from 7:50 - 14:55

Lunch

Freshly cooked food and snacks served in the canteen

Technology

Pen-enabled Laptop Programme from Grade 6 onwards

Learning Support

Support from qualified specialists

School Bus Service

Supervised door-to-door bus service and shuttle bus available

Academic approach and curriculum information

Language options

Co-curricular, sports and STEM programmes

Entry requirements

Academic approach and curriculum information

Middle School is characterised by a range of shared learning experiences and instruction in classes and courses. The basic principle of the Middle School model is to make the educational process as open and flexible as possible for the students. Therefore, it is only at the end of Grade 8 that students are streamed into three different pathways - Hauptschule, Realschule and Gymnasium.

For German, English, Mathematics and French or Spanish the Middle School students are grouped according to their proficiency levels and receive differentiated instruction.

In the other subjects, there is normally no differentiated instruction. Here, the performance requirements are based on the Gymnasium level.

Our Pedagogy creates competencies in these areas:

Critical thinking
Communication
Cooperation
Creativity

In order to achieve this in the best possible way for our students, we define different priorities in our school development and accordingly, develop suitable pedagogical concepts, which are regularly evaluated.

Cornerstones of lesson development:

Competence-oriented teaching
Cooperative learning
Systematic further development of methodological competence
Promotion of the German language
Safe and responsible use of digital media

Language options

The language of instruction is primarily German but art is taught in English and History is taught bilingually (German/English).

Grade 6 to 8:
The subjects Mathematics, German and English are offered at the level of the Gymnasium, Realschule or Hauptschule. English may be taken as an acquisition language class ("English as a foreign language") or as a class with increased literary components at a native level ("English language and literature").
Grade 6:
Modern and classical foreign languages (French, Spanish and Latin) are available as second foreign language choices. The Latin Language Certificate (Latinum) is awarded at the end of Grade 10, if a student chooses to study Latin as a second foreign language.
Grade 7-10:
Students who chose not to take a second foreign language (Realschule or Hauptschule education course) participate in polytechnic lessons.

Co-curricular, sports and STEM programmes

GESS empowers our students to develop their interests and provide them with opportunities and expertise through a range of integrated and after-school programmes. Our students can choose from over 100 after-school programmes and activities taught by professionals including:

40 sports programmes and competitive teams
Get a head start in a global world with our exclusive BeyondClassrooms program
The only school in Asia to offer the prestigious Junior Engineering Programme
Spark creativity through integrated and after-school arts and music programmes
School trips abroad

Find out more about our after-school activities

Entry requirements

GESS is a non-selective German school and we welcome students with a diverse range of talents and abilities that meet our German proficiency requirements.

German language skills must be at a near native or native language level, as teaching is in German
Reference letter from previous school
School reports

Find out about more about the application process

Academic approach and curriculum information

Language options

Co-curricular, sports and STEM programmes

Entry requirements

Academic approach and curriculum information

Middle School is characterised by a range of shared learning experiences and instruction in classes and courses. The basic principle of the Middle School model is to make the educational process as open and flexible as possible for the students. Therefore, it is only at the end of Grade 8 that students are streamed into three different pathways - Hauptschule, Realschule and Gymnasium.

For German, English, Mathematics and French or Spanish the Middle School students are grouped according to their proficiency levels and receive differentiated instruction.

In the other subjects, there is normally no differentiated instruction. Here, the performance requirements are based on the Gymnasium level.

Our Pedagogy creates competencies in these areas:

Critical thinking
Communication
Cooperation
Creativity

In order to achieve this in the best possible way for our students, we define different priorities in our school development and accordingly, develop suitable pedagogical concepts, which are regularly evaluated.

Cornerstones of lesson development:

Competence-oriented teaching
Cooperative learning
Systematic further development of methodological competence
Promotion of the German language
Safe and responsible use of digital media

Language options

The language of instruction is primarily German but art is taught in English and History is taught bilingually (German/English).

Grade 6 to 8:
The subjects Mathematics, German and English are offered at the level of the Gymnasium, Realschule or Hauptschule. English may be taken as an acquisition language class ("English as a foreign language") or as a class with increased literary components at a native level ("English language and literature").
Grade 6:
Modern and classical foreign languages (French, Spanish and Latin) are available as second foreign language choices. The Latin Language Certificate (Latinum) is awarded at the end of Grade 10, if a student chooses to study Latin as a second foreign language.
Grade 7-10:
Students who chose not to take a second foreign language (Realschule or Hauptschule education course) participate in polytechnic lessons.

Co-curricular, sports and STEM programmes

GESS empowers our students to develop their interests and provide them with opportunities and expertise through a range of integrated and after-school programmes. Our students can choose from over 100 after-school programmes and activities taught by professionals including:

40 sports programmes and competitive teams
Get a head start in a global world with our exclusive BeyondClassrooms program
The only school in Asia to offer the prestigious Junior Engineering Programme
Spark creativity through integrated and after-school arts and music programmes
School trips abroad

Find out more about our after-school activities

Entry requirements

GESS is a non-selective German school and we welcome students with a diverse range of talents and abilities that meet our German proficiency requirements.

German language skills must be at a near native or native language level, as teaching is in German
Reference letter from previous school
School reports

Find out about more about the application process

Useful Links

School Fees

Application guide

BeyondClassrooms

Learning Resources

Learning Support

Brochures

School brochure

Preschool brochure

DIA Brochure