Laborschule Bielefeld facts for kids

The Laborschule Bielefeld is a special kind of school in Bielefeld, Germany. It's often called a "democratic" school because it focuses on making education fit each student. Many people in Germany, including the media, have said it's one of the best schools around.

How the School Started

The Laborschule Bielefeld opened its doors in 1974. It was founded on a unique idea: that the school should change to fit the child, instead of the child having to fit the school. This way of thinking was inspired by the ideas of a person named Hartmut von Hentig.

Who Goes to Laborschule?

Students at Laborschule start in preschool (called 0th grade) and continue all the way through 10th grade. About 660 students attend the school, and around 60 new students join each year.

When the school first started, it wanted to be a "school for everyone." It especially hoped to welcome children from working-class families. However, over time, most students who attend the Laborschule come from families where parents have gone to college. The school is located near the University of Bielefeld, which might be one reason why many students come from families connected to the university.

Fair Chances for Everyone

The Laborschule always wanted its student body to reflect the wider community of Germany and Bielefeld. This means they wanted to have many students from different backgrounds, including working-class and immigrant families.

Even though it was hard to reach this goal, the school has worked hard to make it happen. They have run campaigns to encourage students from all backgrounds to apply. In 2009, a school representative said that students from working-class and minority families are guaranteed a spot. For other students, spots are chosen by a lottery system, because so many students want to attend the school.

How Students Are Graded

At Laborschule, students in grades nine and ten get traditional written marks for their schoolwork. But for younger students, things are a bit different.

Students in earlier grades receive special written letters each year. These letters describe the progress they have made in class. The school discusses these letters with both the student and their parents.

What Evaluation Letters Do

These special evaluation letters have several important jobs:

• They show everything the student learned that year.
• They keep parents informed about their child's progress.
• They praise students for their hard work and achievements.
• They help the school communicate clearly with each student.

Student Performance and Studies

Students from Laborschule have taken part in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This is a big test that compares how students in different countries are doing. The Laborschule students did well, and the media quickly called it one of Germany's best schools.

However, later studies showed that most of the school's students came from families with many advantages. In subjects like reading and science, these students did about as well as other students from similar backgrounds. But in math, Laborschule students did not perform as well as other students from similar backgrounds. It was also found that working-class children at Laborschule did not do as well as their middle-class classmates.

Despite this, a study showed that parents of Laborschule students were very happy with the school overall. The study also found that students from Laborschule knew a lot about politics, were responsible, and were open to including people from other countries.