General

The Wangari Maathai International School (WMIS), Berlin’s Second International School, provides a well-balanced educational program with classes in German and English for children from highly mobile families as well as those who live permanently in Berlin. The current school community represents over 20 different nations.

We started our work in the 2017/18 school year with grade 1. In the 2018/19 school year, the school consisted of four so-called Flex groups (A, B, C and D), in which students from grades 1 and 2 were taught according to the Flexible School Entrance Phase system. From August 2021, we prefer to teach according to separate grades. There are 2 parallel classes for each grade. They are each taught and supervised by a team of teachers (German-speaking/English-speaking) and an educator. Our oldest students are in the 5th grade in the school year 2021/22.

The WMIS is currently a full-day primary school, with medium term goals to grow to grades 1 to 6. In the long term, we are planning to offer a lower secondary level with grades 7 to 10, as well as an upper secondary level with the possibility of acquiring a qualification that will allow students to pursue higher education (“Hochschulzugangsberechtigung”). This would either be the equivalent of the German “Abitur” or the International Baccalaureate (IB). The IB could be offered in collaboration with another international school.

The school building at Babelsberger Straße 24 will remain our location for the next few years, but as our school grows, another location may be necessary. The Senate Administration is currently investigating future possibilities. 

BILINGUALISM

Within the framework of native or partner language lessons, classes are held in German or English, respectively. Students who demonstrate a mother-tongue competence level in both languages can attend classes in both subjects at mother-tongue level. Students who are not yet familiar with the German language will receive additional support lessons in German (Förderdeutsch) in order to participate in the German subject lessons effectively. Each class consists of equal numbers of German mother tongue speakers and English mother tongue speakers. Each class is mentored by two class teachers (one German-speaking and one English-speaking) and, in the elementary level, an educator (“Erzieher”) who will stay committed for several years.