The Primary School at the Brandenburg Gate

We believe school should be more than a place where children learn to read and write and acquire knowledge in individual learning areas and subjects. Today, school should also be a place where children meet adults who treat them with understanding and warmth and are ready to listen to their questions and concerns.

School should be more than a succession of lessons. It should be lively and varied, including play, sports and fun, artistic and practical activities, plenty of conversations with children, as well as excursions, school trips, theater performances and much more. Important foundations for a child’s future education are laid in primary school. This is where children discover and maintain a joy in learning, stay curious and eager to learn, and learn to meet age-appropriate expectations.

These principles do not contradict the belief that children want to learn and achieve, and should therefore be challenged and encouraged by us.

One focus of our educational work was the school’s participation in the pilot program “State Europe School Berlin” (SESB). Since 2012, Grundschule am Brandenburger Tor has no longer been a pilot school, but a school with a special educational focus. From the very beginning, children learn in both German and Russian. The educational standards they are expected to meet correspond to those of Berlin schools in general. In addition, they develop proficiency in the partner language, enabling them to follow lessons and complete assessments in both languages.

We see the high proportion of children from other countries and cultural backgrounds as an asset. They enrich school life and provide the basis for a wide range of activities.

In 2019, the school received the “Excellent European Education” certificate.

Version dated February 23, 2023, last amended August 1, 2006

The principal of Grundschule am Brandenburger Tor exercises authority over the school building and grounds at Wilhelmstraße 52, as well as the school sports facility at “In den Ministergärten 2”.

If the principal or their deputy is absent, the school caretaker exercises this authority on behalf of the school authority, the Mitte District Office of Berlin.

1. Supplementary learning and childcare is provided by tjfbg gGmbH. Before-school care is provided in the school building from 6:00 a.m. in the area of entrance A. As part of the reliable half-day primary school program (VHG), children are supervised from 7:30 a.m. in the service yard area or, depending on the weather, in the dining room. From 7:50 a.m., the entire yard is supervised. Students enter for lessons through either of the two yard entrances. After-school care in the building runs from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the area of entrance A.
2. Students go to their classrooms without an escort and prepare for lessons. The building and yard are closed once lessons begin. From 8:15 a.m., visitors may enter the building through the visitor entrance on Wilhelmstraße.
3. Students must leave the school grounds immediately after lessons or supplementary learning and childcare end.
4. People who are not part of the school, particularly parents and guardians, may enter the school building in the following circumstances: -To exercise parents’ participation rights under § 68(2), §§ 75–78 and §§ 88–90 of the School ActTo resolve matters at the school office | To attend appointments arranged in advance with the school office or school staff Visitors must check in at the school office in good time. They will receive a visitor badge for the duration of their appointment. The badge must be worn clearly visible and returned to the school office before leaving the building. | To attend school events | To carry out work for the clubs and organizations based on the premises | To pick up students
5. For safety reasons, school staff are required to approach people who are not part of the school and ask the reason for their visit.
6. In the afternoon, parents and guardians may enter the school building using a numeric code to pick up their children. This code must not be shared with others.
7. Students may not use personal mobile communication devices such as smartwatches, mobile phones and tablets. In justified exceptional cases, teaching staff may allow their use.
8. The school accepts no liability for lost or damaged personal belongings.
9. Participants in sports and activity clubs are collected by their leaders and dismissed at the Wilhelmstraße exits.
10. External events must not disrupt lessons or school operations. They must be coordinated with the principal.
11. Smoking is prohibited throughout the school grounds and outdoor areas.
12. A fire or other emergency is signalled by a siren that rises and falls in volume. The school building must then be evacuated immediately in accordance with the evacuation plan. The evacuation plan must be clearly displayed in classrooms and activity rooms.
13. All rooms and their windows must be secured after use.
14. Electrical appliances must be switched off and unplugged after use, except for school-owned smartboard PCs.
15. In the event of injury or an accident, supervising staff must inform the school office so that the necessary measures can be taken.
16. Lost property must be handed in at the school office for safekeeping. Clothing is kept in the lost property box in the foyer and disposed of during the holidays.

Construction of the building began in 1988. The plan was to build a typical GDR polytechnic secondary school, with places for around 650 students in grades 1 to 10 and a curriculum leading to the Mittlere Reife school-leaving certificate. The events of 1989 and 1990 led to changes in education policy, which also affected construction.

 

The school opened at the start of the 1991/92 school year. In 1994, it was named “Grundschule am Brandenburger Tor”. As the building is relatively new, there are fortunately no major structural problems. The entire roof was renovated in 2001, and work on the school grounds was completed. A modern school sports facility was built at In den Ministergärten 2 in 2000/2001. In 1999, the school began developing a partnership with the Technischer Jugendfreizeit- und Bildungsverein (tjfbv) e.V.

In 2000, after a short construction period, a multimedia centre opened on the school’s third floor, also meeting the needs of the school. In 2003, under the same provider, another school area was developed into the “Technology Skills Centre”, where children take lessons focused on technical and practical skills.Since 2004, the school has participated in the Berlin State European School (SESB) pilot project, with Russian as its partner language.

At the start of the 2005/06 school year, the school entrusted tjfbv e.V. with running the VHG, after-school care and supplementary education program of the Berlin State European School. This involved extensive expansion of the group rooms and play and activity areas.

The design of the cafeteria, which gained a stage as part of this work, is particularly successful.

Construction work at the neighbouring ministry led to an expansion and further redevelopment of the schoolyard in 2006 and 2007. This created new and interesting play and relaxation areas.

Since the 2009/2010 school year, a school kitchen that prepares its own meals, staffed by a cook and three permanent employees, has provided two meals a day for the children and staff. The kitchen is very popular, and organizing meal breaks for the many diners now requires considerable effort.

The Berlin State European School (SESB) pilot phase ended in the 2012/2013 school year. Under Section 18 of the School Act, the school is now a school with a special educational focus.