Why do the German Embassy School Kids Love Their School?

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Still wondering which school to send your child to? There is an overwhelming number of international schools in Beijing, and it might be difficult to pick out the right one for your child. In order to help you out with your decision, here is a portrait of the German Embassy School of Beijing (DSP) – a school not many people know about, but one that you should definitely!

The German Embassy School of Beijing…

… is a German private school based on the German schooling system and curriculum.

… is also known as the DSP (short form of Deutsche Botschaftsschule Peking).

… as we know it today has been founded in 1978, but its origin dates back to 1914 and the late years of the German Empire.

…is visited by more than 600 students from 22 different nations and provides jobs for about 60 teachers.

… is located in Chaoyang:
Liangmaqiao Lu 49 A, Chaoyang District, 100125 Beijing
北京市朝阳区亮马桥路49A 100125
Phone Number: 8531 6100

“The location is one of the great advantages of the DSP. There are so many opportunities in the vicinity to go out with friends after school: Sanlitun, Chaoyang Park, Solana, Liangma River, and so on.

The school classes are also comparatively small. For example, there is a student in our grade who has had individual French classes during the last year. This obviously accelerates the learning process.”

Ben Aurel Gstattenbauer
(age 17, 11th Grade at the DSP)

It is important to know that in order to be part of the DSP, it is vital to speak German. Additionally, the program “Deutsch als Zweitsprache” (“German as a second language”) supports students who are not native German speakers.

“It is only possible to attend the DSP if you speak German, but if you do, the DSP is a great opportunity. The Abitur is very advantageous”, Ben Aurel says. The German International Abitur, the diploma you will receive after graduating at the DSP, qualifies you for university in Germany and the great advantage of German universities is – besides from the high-quality standards of education in Germany – that you don’t have to pay for them. But with the German International Abitur, you can also apply for academic studies outside of Germany since it is an acknowledged diploma worldwide.

“There is a long history behind the DSP. The development of our school in fact illustrates the relationship between Germany and China quite nicely: It started of small and ended up relatively big and meaningful.

Of course, the DSP is based on the German curriculum, and in my opinion, it is fascinating to get to know the world from the point of view of one of the countries that has formed what we commonly call the ‘western hemisphere’.”

Lorenz Hoffmann
(age 17, 11th Grade at the DSP)

In comparison with the IB, the International Baccalaureate, the German International Abitur offers a more general scope of knowledge since you don’t have to pick out certain subjects from one academic field, as you have to do with the IB. On the other hand, the IB requires more independent effort from the student.

A lot of times, the choice which school a child wants to attend is determined by where it wants to study afterwards. Kiyan Stähli for example, a former DSP student who then transferred to Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), says he left the DSP because he wants to apply for college in an English-speaking country, so for him it makes sense to graduate at an English-speaking school.

So, in the end, you should decide individually, considering the abilities and the future plans of your child, which school they should attend, and which diploma they will ultimately receive. For Kiyan, it made sense to choose the IB, but for your child, the Abitur might just be the right thing.

Images: unsplash, Ben Aurel Gstattenbauer

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