Why come to Berlin British School?

A British education today for the global citizens of tomorrow. Our school motto encapsulates the values of Berlin British School, where our Britishness and international character contribute to a balanced, broad, first class education.

BBS’s identity is rooted in the very best features and traditions of the British educational system. To conform to that tradition, we recognise that an individual’s intellectual growth and self-confidence are developed by fostering a school climate of enquiry, curiosity and recognition of the value of knowledge for its own sake. We feel a vital part of the learning process is for the teacher to encourage pupils to express their views based on well-informed knowledge, compassion, tolerance and understanding in a disciplined but caring learning environment. We do not look on our pupils as empty vessels into which it is the teacher’s responsibility to pour information. We want our pupils to be curious, to enquire, to challenge constructively authority, to feel that they are fully engaged in the learning process.

English is the language of instruction at BBS, but it is - emphatically - an international as well as a British school. Its internationalism is of course enhanced by its academic curriculum in the form of IGCSEs, taken at sixteen, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma, studied in the last two school years. Both these qualifications are recognised by universities and educational systems all over the world for their rigour as well as their transferability. Our commitment to fostering an international outlook and understanding is complemented by a programme of extracurricular activities and a school culture that prepare our students for global citizenship without losing their own individual or national identity.

Also in the best traditions of the British educational system we believe that breadth and variety of experience, as well as academic depth and intellectual rigour, are essential features of an all-round education. Team-building, tests of physical endurance, the sharpening of a competitive spirit, are just some of the qualities that can be developed outside the classroom as well as within it. To that end, we pride ourselves on our extensive extracurricular opportunities.

We promote these values in a city that has close relations with the UK as well as a commitment to the improvement of international relations and understanding. BBS provides living confirmation that the maintenance and celebration of national identity on the one hand and internationalism on the other are not only entirely compatible, but also actually enhance each other when placed together. If you need any further confirmation, please come and see us.