German Swiss International School bilingual immersion programme

Established in 1969 by German and Swiss families looking for a bilingual German/Swiss education for their children, German Swiss International School (GSIS) first opened in a residential house at 1 Baker Road on the Peak. It grew and in 1975, it opened its first ‘proper’ school building on Guildford Road. In 2007, the government awarded the school a second campus on Pok Fu Lam Road which in 2010, became a permanent home to the kindergarten.

The school prides itself on a fierce academic reputation and is unique in that from kindergarten, two streams of education are offered – one taught in German and reflecting the German curriculum. A second international stream is taught in English and follows the British curriculum, but adapted to suit GSIS students.

Why choose German Swiss International School?

Apart from being the only kindergarten in Hong Kong where German is offered either together with English or Mandarin in a bilingual immersion programme, there is also an emphasis on learning through play and the kindergarten follows a child-centred and holistic approach. “As each child is individual and learns at his or her own pace our focus lies on their strength and abilities instead of a problem or concern,” says Grit Cichon, Deputy Principal and Head of German International Stream.

The kindergarten proudly stands for equal opportunities and as such, every child is welcome and provided with opportunities to reach their full potential. The German International Stream (GIS) is also a through train stream from kindergarten to secondary and the international abitur opens the gateway to universities in Germany and worldwide.

A bilingual learning environment

According to the Head of Kindergarten, “Bilingual education provides children not only with a basic language acquisition skill, but also with an appreciation of other cultures.” Studies show that bilingual children have more creativity and competence in problem solving, as well as a greater ability to concentrate. A second language also enables children to strengthen reading, writing and comprehension skills in their own mother tongue. “It gives them a head start for university language requirements and offers improved international education and career opportunities. Given the fact that young children learn languages best by interacting with others, the stimulating learning environment at GIS Kindergarten offers numerous opportunities to do so,” says Burdel.

Learning together

GIS Kindergarten is the only department at GSIS where both streams are combined under one roof. Although the different streams follow different curricular, both streams work closely together. They follow a similar timetable throughout the morning. The same values are also emphasised and best practices shared. The classroom arrangement at the Pok Fu Lam campus is such that one German International Stream (GIS) class is situated with one English International Stream (EIS) class. They are together on one floor with a common shared area in between. This area allows students from each stream to mingle during free play time and to have joint activities throughout the year. Beside weekly buddy class activities, festivals are also celebrated together. “The most important part is to accept and appreciate the different educational aims and methods of teaching of each stream and benefit from the likely synergy effects,” says Sophie Burdel, Head of Kindergarten.

A typical day in the German Stream

A school day at GIS Kindergarten offers a balanced mix of teacher-led activities and free play which also includes elements of Montessori and Reggio Emilia Pedagogy. Throughout the year, theme and project-based learning is alternated in order to take the children’s interests into account. Each class follows a weekly timetable which includes, PE, library, music and language lessons. Beside that daily activities include circle time, arts and crafts, stories, snack and playground time.

An Afternoon Activities Programme allows parents to choose at least two activities for their child which are not included in the annual school fees. The variety of activities on offer include sports, language, creativity and science and the general enrolment age starts at four years while some of the German language activities are already available for younger children.

Parental involvement

In the German stream, parents are encouraged to value the German school system and support their child’s language development. “Children whose parents are bilingual learn both languages more easily if both languages are cultivated at home,” says Cichon. However, German Swiss International School Kindergarten welcomes all students regardless of the language spoken at home or their cultural background. German as a second language lessons are timetabled and extra German language support classes are part of the school’s Afternoon Activity Programme.

Fostering values

Children are encouraged to be confident, independent learners right from the word ‘go’. Learning is supported through a broad and balanced curriculum with the aim of preparing little learners for the future. Resilience, self awareness, empathy, independence and responsibility are encouraged through daily teaching. “The approach is holistic and carefully strikes a balance between science-oriented and fact-based learning, creativity and ethically-grounded reflection. Critical thinking, social responsibility, independent thinking and team-oriented action are considered particularly important,” adds Burdel.

Looking ahead

The bilingual kindergarten classes in the German International Stream are constantly being assessed and further developed. GSIS is also dedicated to improving the promotion of the German language within Hong Kong. In addition, the school is also working on the further development of the already successfully implemented Fasttrack Programme. This enables children without German language skills to enter the sixth grade of the German International Stream.

Read more: Best international schools in Hong Kong