Private School Schloss-Schule Kirchberg

• Type of institution: private school
• Type of education: mixed
• Founded: in 1914
• Language of instruction: German
• Educational programs: primary school, grammar classes (from 5 to 12, Abitur)
• Location: Kirchberg am Yagst, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
• The total number of students: 330 people, including 100 at the boarding school
• The age of the students: 10 to 19 years.

Schloss Schule Kirchberg, a private boarding school, teaches both German children and foreign students: many pupils from China, Spain and Russia study here. The institution is located in the north-east of the Baden-Württemberg region: the distance to the nearest major cities (Stuttgart, Würzburg, Ulm and Heidelberg) is about a hundred kilometers. The distance to Munich airport is 246 kilometers, to Zurich 317 kilometers, and Frankfurt is slightly closer to 199 kilometers.

The basic principle of education here is a comprehensive and harmonious development of the personality, attention to the individual characteristics of each child, a full disclosure of his talents and abilities. Students are motivated to achieve high academic achievements and personal goals, to learn showing initiative, taking responsibility for their words and deeds. For lagging students, additional individual and group sessions are organized so that they can better learn difficult topics and study more effectively on the program.

International students can count on comprehensive help and support, including additional intensive German lessons, and you can also take individual German or English lessons. It is also useful to cooperate with the Goethe Institute, where German is studied as a foreign language. The school supports fruitful and active cooperation with many foreign educational institutions, regularly conducts student exchanges with schools in Poland, Britain and France. The international students are accepted in classes from 5 and above. International students in the group allows to overcome the language barrier and more intensive study German and other disciplines in the program.

All studying is conducted in German, in addition there is an opportunity to learn French, English and classical Latin. Each class contains about 18 students. A compulsory school uniform is not accepted here.

EXAMPLE SCHEDULE OF THE DAY:

• From 7:30 - Academic classes according to the schedule;
• From 15:45 to 16:30 - Visits to electives, sections, clubs and interest studios, additional individual or group lessons;
• From 16:30 to 18:00 - Self-preparation, homework under the supervision of the teacher;
• From 18:00 - Freetime. 

SSK has two academic departments, each of which educates students of a specific age: middle and high school. There is also a department for international students that prepares them for admission.

 On the SSK campus, a large area is dedicated to keeping pets: the school "team" includes three dogs, eight horses, sheep, goats and a pond with fish. Grassy areas are often used to keep sheep, which gives students the opportunity to actively participate in their shearing, distillation, and in the construction of nests for birds.

The pedagogic approach based on animal care has proven to be very successful. Direct, honest feedback from animals allows children to gain experience that can help when interacting with humans as well! On the one hand, the trust of animals strengthens students and creates valuable emotional moments, on the other hand  , animals also require clear actions and decisions, whether it is timely medical, physical assistance, walking or care. All this has a good effect on students, helps to strengthen their cognitive and social potential and better cope with individual problems. In fact, it has been shown that direct contact with horses and therapy dogs can provide valuable impulses for purposeful development. The results will be even more tangible if, with the pedagogical help of suitable specialists, the pupils regularly "work" with the horses and voluntarily take responsibility for them.

The school understands that some students may be afraid of animals, so all classes with them are optional.  

For international students in Schloss Schule Kirchberg a comfortable residence with double rooms has been prepared, high-school students occupy private bedrooms. All rooms are beautifully equipped and furnished, they include everything you need for a comfortable stay and relaxation, and you have access to the Internet. Meals are organized in a common school canteen according to the full boarding scheme (three times a day), there is a separate diet for vegetarians and for students with lactose intolerance, other medical or religious prescriptions.

Senior students can also use the sauna upon prior request and permission.

Subject list: Art, biology, chemistry, computer techologies, ethics, geography, history, maths, physics, Psychology, Religious studies, sports science, theatre studies
Activity list: badminton, basketball, dancing, football, golf, handball, horseback riding, judo, rock climbing, swimming, tennis, track-and-field athletics, volleyball

Sport and active recreation is an important part of the curriculum: each student attends various sections at least twice a week. There are opportunities for dance, horse riding, judo, archery and even climbing.

Various studios of creativity, craft workshops work: you can master woodcarving or pottery, play in the theater or make music (singing, playing musical instruments).

Additional academic seminars on philosophy, psychology or literature are held weekly for 2-3 hours. These activities are paid extra (25 euro / hour) and are visited at will.

• An institution with more than 100 years of history,
• Small classes of up to 17 people,
• Additional Academic Support: Individual Plans, Tutoring, Language Lessons,
• About 45 nationalities of students from 14 countries of the world,
• Cooperation with 8 global organizations for exchanges, internships, practical activities,
• The campus infrastructure meets all the standards of technological progress: more than 120 computers, tablets and other equipment,
• An extensive leisure programme for the development of individual interests,
• Accommodation in a comfortable residence in the format of "full board".

The school is located on the outskirts of Kirchberg, surrounded by nature: meadows, lakes and forests. Whether students prefer to walk, hike, fish, bike, or play sports, all of this will be possible thanks to the campus infrastructure and nearby locations.

The study area boasts extensive open spaces for walking, relaxing and sports. The internal equipment of the academic buildings also has distinctive features: the school monitors technological breakthroughs, including new technologies, gadgets, and approaches in the learning process. On Campus Schloss Schule Kirchberg students can expect:

• Classrooms with interactive equipment,
• Specialized laboratories with kits for projects, experiments,
• Large dining room, cafeteria,
• Computer rooms,
• Residence
• Sauna for students from 14 years old,
• Administrative Offices,
• Library with reading room, self-study areas,
• Creative Studios,
• Gyms, playgrounds,
• Stable, equipped arena for dressage,
• Pens with pets: goats, chickens.

IT equipment:

• A working laptop in every classroom,
• Wired internet connection, WiFi throughout,
• Multiple iPads for shared use,
• Multimedia room,
• 3D printers,
• Multi-touch displays.

The academic year is divided into trimesters:

• From 6 September;
• From 7 January;
• From 12 April.

It is recommended to take care of the submission of documents and the receipt of a visa in advance, at least one month before the expected start of the course.
Tuition fee (full board) depends on the chosen program:

• 5-6 class;
• 7-9 class;
• 10-12 class.

Some services are paid additionally to tuition fee:

• Registration fee;
• Academic deposit;
• Individual lessons;
• Excursions.

Extras:

• Registration fee (for a programme/course) 500 EUR
• Medical insurance 560 EUR
• Deposit for a course/programme 4050 EUR
• Pocket money 5590 EUR

Admission procedure:

• Filling out an online application,
• Payment of the registration fee,
• Submission of required documents,
• Receiving a positive response from the admissions committee with an invitation to the entrance exams,
• Passing entrance tests, interviews,
• Payment of the full price,
• Arrival at the campus: accommodation in the residence, start of training.

The capacity of the Schloss Schule Kichberg is limited to 330 students, so new students are admitted as soon as there are free places in the classrooms.

Thanks to high-quality academic knowledge and personal skills, students achieve amazing results in final exams and when entering universities. Starting from the eighth grade, each student undergoes career guidance, starting to prepare for the start of career activity: he chooses subjects that are interesting to him, attends additional classes and circles, meets representatives of higher institutions, and learns to write essays. All these events included in the academic program bear fruit in the first months after graduation.

For admission to the Schloss Schule Kirchberg, you should take care in advance of obtaining a student visa and collecting the necessary documents (at least a month). It will be necessary to provide a report card with grades from the previous place of study (the average score is not lower than the average), and also to demonstrate a sufficiently high level of the German language (from B2).

If the level of the German language or academic knowledge is insufficient, the child is encouraged to take an effective preparatory course at the Humboldt Institutions (Lindenberg or Bad Schussenried). In just 6 months you can raise the language level practically from scratch to the required B2 thanks to qualified teachers, balanced curriculums and full immersion in the language and cultural environment of Germany.

In order to become a candidate for admission to Schloss Schule Kirchberg, the entrant will be required to provide the admission committee with the following information:

• Full name, date of birth;
• School report card with grades, translated into German or English;
• Personal hobbies, interests, success certificates in academic, creative activity;
• Letters of recommendation from previous teachers translated into English or German;
• Personal written motivation letter (in English or German).

It is also required to:

• Indicate (you can approximately) the annual or monthly budget for studying;
• Select the priority region for obtaining an education in Germany.

After receiving all the necessary information, the advisory council begins selecting a school for the student: assesses its opportunities and requests, contacts schools identified as priority, and reveals the number of seats available and the possibility of admission.

Usually, foreign students begin the process of studying in Germany with the Humboldt-Institute language courses (the German academic program for the year): in this case, the selected secondary schools receive full reports on the student's successes and achievements, his behaviour in the classroom, the degree of involvement in school extra-curricular activities. After the preparatory language course is completed and all formalities are settled, the student goes for basic studying to the boarding school he has chosen.

SSK provides students with scholarships based not only on academic merit, but also on success in extracurricular activities: sports, creativity, and social activities.

• General Merit Scholarship – awarded to students with high scores in most subjects. The decisive factor is the submission of a valid high school transfer certificate with a high overall GPA,
• Social Scholarship – awarded to students who have special social obligations,
• Equestrian scholarship is an award for talented children participating in the school equestrian club,
• Talent Scholarship – The scholarship is awarded to students who are particularly gifted and talented in a particular field but need financial support,
• Amalia-Pfündel Scholarship – This scholarship is awarded to students who have high intellectual ability.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision