Bilingual Schools in Hamburg by Jennifer M Although the new school year in Hamburg has just started, it is not too soon to start thinking about where you will be sending your kids to school next year. The registration deadline in Hamburg is in February for the following school year so it pays to do your research in advance. Most schools offer Open Houses around the beginning of the year to attract new students to their institutions. You can attend as many as you want to try to get a feel for the various schools you might be interested in. To find out exactly when the Open Houses are, check in your local area weekly newspaper (Wochenblatt) or call the schools directly. Many of you who have children of school age will be faced with the dilemma of where to send your kids to school, either for the few years you will be living in Hamburg or for the long run if you will be staying on. The International School of Hamburg (Holmbrook 20, Othmarschen, Tel. 883 00 10) provides an optimal solution if you want your children to receive an English-language-based education, but you must pay tuition and you must live in the right part of town or be willing to transport your kids there. One option which provides a good compromise is the public bilingual school. They are public schools, which means you do not have to pay tuition; and they are spread out over various parts of town, which means you do not have to transport your children as far. But just what is a bilingual school? That depends on which state in Germany you consult. In Hamburg, the bilingual school is a public school which offers subjects taught in a target language, i.e. the classroom language is English, the materials are in English, the tests and assignments are in English, and even the Abitur (German High School Diploma) can be taken in English in the bilingual subject. The goal of bilingual education in the Hamburg school system is to introduce the students to a foreign language (in all cases except one, English); and, through classes in the target language, help the students to develop the working skills necessary to be competent users of the target language. What implications does this have for a student whose native language is already English? Well, students registered to attend the bilingual classes receive extra hours of English each week to help prepare them to face a subject such as History in English. Although the skills acquired through the extra hours will have probably already been acquired by a native speaker, at least your child will get more exposure to English language instruction than other students who do not participate in bilingual programs. In addition, your child will be at a distinct advantage in the subject which is taught in English. In most cases, subjects in the social sciences are preferred bilingual subjects in Hamburg schools, although some schools offer subjects in the natural sciences, as well as mathematics and physical education. In addition, your child will gain exposure to the German school system and become competent users of German in his or her other subjects. For a complete, updated listing of schools offering bilingual programs, contact the Behörde für Schule, Jugend und Berufsbildung (Hamburg School District, Hamburgerstrasse, Tel. 428 630). Here is a listing of bilingual Gymnasiums as of June 1999:
Two other interesting options are the Lycée Français de Hambourg (Hartsprung 23, Lokstedt, Tel. 58 27 68), offering an education in French, and the Albert-Schweitzer-Schule (Schluchtweg 1, Klein Borstel, Tel. 500 00 28), which offers English as of the First Grade and French as of the Fifth Grade (normal for Hamburg schools is English as of the Third Grade and French as of the Seventh Grade). While the Lycée Français is a private institution, therefore costing money, the Albert-Schweitzer-Schule is a public school and is free of charge. In addition to their special language programs, the Albert-Schweitzer-Schule has a focus in Rudolf Steiner/Waldorf pedagogy and is the only public school of its kind in Hamburg. Due to its special status, you can even request your child be sent to its Elementary School instead of to the school in your district (which is normally required by the Hamburg Board of Education). Other related websites:
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