GERMAN PRIMARY
Whether your child joined us in Kindergarten or is new to Primary, they will flourish with us during some of their most important years of education. Our focus is centred around our mission to empower our children with the confidence and abilities necessary for a smooth transition to our German Secondary Department (GSD), ensuring their happiness and fulfilment as students. We want every child to feel at ease, content, and embraced as part of our community. We encourage students to take pride in their own capabilities while encouraging a culture of respect and tolerance towards others. As educators, we strive to facilitate academic growth, promote effective learning strategies, and nurture personal development. We firmly believe it is how you learn and not only what you learn.
Our Philosophy
A BESPOKE EDUCATION
A Bespoke Education - Our students receive the challenge and support they need, as they need it.
INCLUSIVELY GERMAN
Inclusively German - Our students are multilingual citizens, at home in the heart of Europe, Asia and across the globe.
EQUIPPED FOR LIFE
Equipped for life - Our students learn to be responsible, independent, resilient, and inquisitive, building a foundation for their success in life.
A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
A Diverse and Inclusive Learning Environment - Our students work with their peers from around the world, building a space where they feel secure and valued.
AN OPEN, PARTICIPATORY COMMUNITY
An Open, Participatory Community - Our students are part of a respectful community that embodies democratic representation where they can expect to have an impact.
AN AUTHENTIC EUROPEAN COMMUNITY IN THE HEART OF HONG KONG
An Authentic European Community in the Heart of Hong Kong - We are an outstanding German school with a rich European heritage.
Testimonials
EVERYDAY LEARNING
Pre-Primary (DVOR)
We understand the importance of transitioning from Kindergarten to Primary (K01) where students are carefully prepared with a programme called Vorschule (DVOR). This dedicated year helps DVOR students lay the foundation of a natural continuation of their personal, social, and competence development to the next chapter in their lives in Primary school. DVOR lessons are designed in such a way that the children are gradually brought closer to the learning and living environment of the school where positive self-image is taught to help expand their commitment and motivation. Considering the level of development and personal characteristics, children are made familiar with the many differences between Kindergarten and school. They learn to understand the changes in space and time, didactic-methodical arrangement, and social relationships.
Primary (K01 - K04)
Our Primary Department is the first school for all children incorporating Pre-Primary (DVOR) and K01 - K04 classes. Here they acquire key competencies of reading, writing, and mathematics and an initial understanding of methodological approaches. They gain knowledge, skills, and attitudes to open up the world, find their way in it and help shape it for the better.
We have a wide curriculum which acknowledges our students’ language abilities, whether it is German as a mother tongue or as a second language, English or Mandarin at varying levels. Within the German Primary Department (GPD), we are passionate about bestowing a well-rounded education, supporting all students at their individual levels of learning and development, and ensuring they are in the best possible space to go onto our German Secondary Department (GSD).
INDIVIDUAL LEARNING
Every child brings their own unique set of strengths and needs, resulting in different entry requirements. To address this diversity, we cultivate a pedagogy of inclusivity. Our aim is to create a conducive learning environment where each child feels embraced and valued. We recognise and accept their individual development journey, allowing them the space for personal growth and self-expression.
We provide support and stimulation to students with various learning challenges, as well as setting high expectations for overachieving individuals. By offering a balance of encouragement and challenges, we ensure that all students have the chance to develop their motor skills, intellectual abilities, emotional intelligence, and social aptitude holistically. We tailor our support to each student’s unique level of learning and development, guiding them towards achieving success in their educational journey.
OUR PRIMARY COMMUNITY
We foster intercultural exchange between students, teachers, and parents. Multicultural learning empowers our students to develop an appreciation for diverse cultural heritages and values. This not only expands their knowledge but also equips them with the cultural competence needed to approach life with open minds and hearts.
While our teachers prepare our students to be lifelong learners, we also encourage students to learn from each other. In class discussions during “Klassenrat” (Class Council) and the Schülerrat (Student Council), they learn to be part of a community and share their opinions, discuss the best outcome for the student body and be part of a democratic process.
Curriculum
Our curriculum has a real, hands-on approach where children actively participate and are not just spectators. We are passionate about the breadth, balance and opportunities that our curriculum delivers in the German Primary Department (GPD). Activities and investigations allow students to learn to think for themselves and to solve problems. We want every student to thrive at GSIS and we achieve this by taking the time to get to know every child who joins us so we can build their confidence in all aspects of school life.
During the Primary years, students will discover the world of the German language and will be taught oral and written comprehension using a variety of different texts. They will learn word and sentence structures and will develop their linguistic and communication skills. Emphasis is placed on reading, writing and spelling and students where German is learned as a second language will receive additional support and specialist teaching.
CLIPPY PROGRAMME
6-8 years old | K01 - K03
Our Cultural and Language Immersion Programme in Primary Years (CLIPPY) offers an opportunity for children without prior knowledge of German to join and receive support through Deutsch als Fremdsprache (DaF). Designed for children aged 6-8, CLIPPY serves as a solid foundation for multilingualism, an invaluable life skill. CLIPPY students have 15 DaF lessons each week where German is taught as a foreign language, integrating them fully into our German curriculum classes within a year. Our unwavering commitment is to deliver the very best education possible within a friendly and close-knit community.