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Secondary school level I
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Orientation stage
Grade 5 at the DSND has been conceived as an orientation phase. Classes here actually take place at the grammar school (Gymnasium) level. At the end of grade 5 recommendations are made by the teaching staff concerning the choice of opting for secondary general school (Hauptschule), middle school (Realschule) or grammar school (Gymnasium) are made. However, it is ultimately parents' wishes prevail whenstreaming students in grade 6. However at the end of grade 6 it is the teaching staff who make the final decision on the stream.
Regulations for students of "Hauptschule" and "Realschule"
Students of "Hauptschule" and "Realschule" in grades 6 to 10 cannot be taught in separate classes and thus will be taught according to the methods of a differentiated classroom. Lessons are generally held on a "Gymnasium "level, students of "Haupt-" and "Realschule" receive where ever possible separate tasks for classes and tests. French as a second foreign language is not mandatory for these students and can be replaced with the subject "science studies". A switch between the different streams of school according to achievements is possible up to the end of 8th grade depending on student achievement. The initiative here can be taken by the parents as well as by the teaching staff. The staff makes the final decision.
Students, who passed the "Realschule" exams with a certain grade point average can repeat 10th grade and continue at "Gymnasium" level.
Bilingual Instruction
The final examination at the end of grade 12 is the so-called German International Abitur Examination (DIAP). According to the rules of this examination up to 50% of the subjects can be examined in a foreign language and preparations towards this commences in the lower secondary level . Therefore History and Geography are taught in English at the latest from grade 9 onwards. History is taught "bilingually", i.e. in blocks of English or German whereas Geography classes are conducted entirely in the foreign language. There are special transition rules for newly admitted pupils who need to catch up in English.
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Information on individual subjects
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German
The DSND is a German-medium overseas school and the main language of instruction is German. Consequentially proficiency in German is an essential requirement to ensure success in school. Special introductory courses can be arranged for students who do not possess the required level of proficiency in the language.
English
English is taught from kindergarten onwards and continues to play a vital role throughout all grades. In order to ensure that English language proficiency is at a level acceptable at an overseas school, native English speakers teach along side German teachers English from primary school level on These native speakers instruct English to advanced students at a level nearly comparable to that of mother tongue speakers
French
French is the compulsory second foreign language at the DSND. French is taught from class 6 onwards through to the Abitur. New entrants to the school with different foreign language are given adequate time to achieve the grade appropriate level. During this time they are not graded in this subject. Students who join the DSND in 9th or 10th grade with no prior knowledge of French can take "French classes for late starters". These classes have to be continued until 12th grade.
If students need time to catch up in other subjects, adequate time can be given for this as well, subject to agreement.
Physical Education
All grades levels have three hours of physical education a week. 2 hours of swimming
classes per week are scheduled during the hot summer months. As the school does not have
its own swimming pool some of the neighbouring embassies give us access to their swimming pools.
Religious Instruction
Protestant or Roman Catholic religious instruction is given to students from grades 1 to 10 at the DSND. Students of other religious denominations or students without any religious denomination can also attend religious instruction classes. However, if they do not wish to attend they are free to opt out of these classes. If there is adequate demand then ethics classes can also be arranged. Ethics replaces religious instruction classes as a compulsory subject in grades 11 to 12.
Skills Curriculum
The German School New Delhi has implemented a skills curriculum for the grades 5 to 10 in the school year 2010/11 to standardize methods used in all subjects and to enable the students to apply them independently according to requirements. Each student receives a skills folder which contains instructions for all skills requirement. It also enables latecomers to independently brush up on these skills.
Student organized learning in the 5th and 6th grade
The core subjects German, Mathematics and English as well as subsidiary subjects taught over 2 have been combined into one period a day. This has been done to enable students to learn and practise their independent learning.
This has been common practice in primary school and now is carried on through to the lower secondary school. Students are encouraged to research or revise clearly set tasks every two weeks. The work can only be completed in school. Students can focus on individual work or directed teamwork. They learn time management and have the opportunity to compare their work pace with that of their peers.
Extra-curricular activities
Apart from regular classes the German School New Delhi also offers extra-curricular activities (CCA). Thus the school is in a position to offer an attractive full-day programmes. They range from supervised homework to physical education or music courses to after-school activity programmes such as Latin, Spanish, Taekwon-Do and Computer Science. The programme is put together at the beginning of each new school year and students can choose in which programmes they wish to participate. A minimum of 5 students have to register for a particular course in order for it to take place
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Secondary School, Level II
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At the German School New Delhi upper secondary classes in the upper level of the grammar school are taught together in their homeroom a prescribed set of subjects. The option for division into advanced and basic courses and the option to choose is no longer available at the overseas schools. Completion for the German International Abitur Examination (DIAP) is the main focus of the DSND. This exam has been specially devised for German overseas schools with the objective of strengthening the international character of the overseas schools. The examination is basically the same as a normal German Abitur from the legal point of view and also recognised as such worldwide. However, as far as contents goes it offers the additional option of completing it in a foreign language (in our case English) as well. There are three written and two oral examinations. German is a compulsory examination subject and students are free to choose the others from their set subjects.
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The School Day
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