Admissions

Teaching and learning at ISW is student-centred, which means that we endeavour to pay attention to our students’ specific and language needs. As practically all subjects are taught in English, students who join our school are immediately immersed in an English-speaking environment. Of course, the younger the child, the easier it will be for him/her to absorb and use the English language.

Nonetheless, experience has shown that at ISW our students, who are highly motivated, are able to cope very well with our programme within the first year. The positive results that these students achieve in their tests, projects and other assessments are evidence of how efficiently they are able to acquire and work in English. Our Learning Support Coordinator also provides in-class, pull-out or extended support for Primary students new to the school with limited English.

We offer an international curriculum that is accredited by the Cambridge International Education Organisation. These programmes promote and embody approaches to learning that differ from those of German schools. We insist on a modern, self-reliant attitude to learning, which is based on questioning and project work, a constructivist organisation of the material to be taught and multidisciplinary classes. For us, intellectual understanding and critical thinking are more important than strict learning rules and rote learning. Learning must have meaning and the joy of learning is meant to remain with our students for the rest of their lives.

Children who move on to other schools in Germany or abroad, which also offer the Cambridge International Programmes, have, generally speaking, no problems to settle in and fulfill the requirements of the new school.

This is the right place for your child if you want your child to receive an international education that is geared towards the future and global living. Take advantage of our cost-free Trial Week to determine if our school is what you are looking for.

Children leaving us for other schools should experience no difficulty whatsoever adjusting to the demands of their new schools locally and internationally. ISW will keep in touch with most of its ex-pupils and we do not expect that our students will experience difficulties adjusting to the programmes offered by state and private schools.

Parents send their children to our school to ensure that they receive a truly international education in a caring environment. An education that reflects ´what is happening in the world around us´, including:

• access to a range of teaching styles from an experienced multicultural body of teachers (our teachers come from a multitude of countries and have studied and worked in many different cultures before joining us)
• autonomous learning
• inquiry-based learning and teaching
• a culture of goal-setting and reflection

Other parents added that they chose the International School Westpfalz because they wanted their children to:

• “…be part of a large family of schools and students worldwide who follow the Cambridge International Programme in 160 countries…”
• “…grow and develop in an environment of trust where each child’s individual needs are taken into consideration in the learning process…”
• “…experience an environment which strives to maximise their potential…”
• “…experience a stress-free and caring environment while learning to meet the challenging demands of international programmes…”

Choosing an international school for a child is a decision that poses certain challenges: (i) most international schools the world over (more than 90%) are private, fee-paying schools and can be expensive for many families; (ii) at most international schools the language of instruction is English – not the native language of the host country; (iii) school days are often longer: 8:30 am to 3:30 p.m. (min.) - 5:00 p.m. (max); and (iv) the curriculum is unfamiliar to most parents and requires commitment and understanding to be fully appreciated.

The homework at the IS Westpfalz is varied and ranges from traditional tasks to authentic experiences such as:

• reading to parents
• questioning the parents on a range of subjects and real-life experiences
• conventional exercises such as repeating what they hear and repetitive work that we parents know from our time at school
• assignments and written reports
• developing presentations
• preparing and carrying out surveys
• researching material

Our students are encouraged early on to work independently – later on they are expected to do so. The basic philosophy behind homework is exactly that – to promote independent learning. The children can also do their homework as part of the "after-school care program" together with the facilitator.

We believe in enabling children and adolescents to work in a self-reliant and respectful way rather than making them submit to rules and disciplining them. When it comes to looking after and coaching the students, we, as an international school, are particularly keen on a respectful and cross cultural international learning profile in order to foster the emotional and social intelligence of children.

Expatriates often live in Germany without family and close friends in their vicinity. The school community offers them a certain family-like network and our international parents frequently get involved voluntarily in various areas of school life. The involvement of our parents in numerous activities is important to create an atmosphere of cooperation, mutual support and respect. The children too like it when they see that their parents support the school and their life there.