Curriculum Primary School

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) has been adopted as the educational philosophy and curriculum framework of MSF and incorporates all the skills and concepts taught in the Primary School. More information on the IB PYP can be found on the IB PYP website. The IB PYP entails key elements of the German curriculum ("Rahmenplan Grundschule Hessen") that we cover as fully authorized private school under German law ("Ersatzschule").

The PYP believes that student learning is best accomplished when it is relevant to the real world and transdisciplinary in design. The curriculum framework advocates that the best vehicle for student achievement is concept driven inquiry based learning. This emphasizes the participation of students in the management of their own learning by facilitating and encouraging them to be inquisitive about the world around them and by helping to develop tools and strategies for finding answers to the questions which they themselves pose.

It focuses on the development of the whole child, touching hearts as well as minds and encompassing academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural needs. Learning and achievement of students who display an international perspective is reflected in the taking of responsible action. These attributes of international mindedness are exemplified by the attributes and characteristics of the PYP Learner Profile and PYP Attitudes which are laid out in more detail in the parent handbook. A copy of the parent handbook is available in the school office and in the "Community", "Parent Zone" section on our webpage.

Through the curriculum, our school's environment, its culture and the people in our community we prepare MSF students to become lifelong learners.

German for native speakers

German is taught on the basis of the German curriclum (“Rahmenlehrplan Grundschule Hessen“) and the German national educational standards (“Nationale Bildungsstandards”).

Our native speaking German teachers (qualified according to German teaching standards with 1st and 2nd Staatsexamen) works in close cooperation with all our native English speaking teachers and apply teaching principles and the philosophical framework of the Primary Years Programme (PYP). In cooperation with the class teachers our German teacher choose themes from different subjects/areas of inquiry and combine them with linguistic themes. This ensures that our German lessons are an integral part of the daily teaching in each class.

German as an additional language

From Grade 1 upwards students in each class are grouped according to their level of German. Most students without German as a mother tongue attend classes designed to help them acquire and improve their German, however basic the level. Thus, we help all students in school to enjoy their time in Germany by learning the language of the host country and by appreciating its culture.

In each year group from Transition class onwards there are regular specific daily opportunities for those learning German as a foreign language, focusing on oral comprehension and communication.

Non-native German speaking students who remain in the school for several years will also learn aspects of written language and support is available for those who join the school as complete beginners at any stage.