Berlin Primary School Wins Prestigious German School Award

The annual German School Prize, awarded for outstanding educational quality, has been granted to a primary school in Berlin this year. The accolade, which includes a monetary award of EUR100,000, has been bestowed upon the Maria-Leo Primary School located in Prenzlauer Berg, as confirmed by the organizers, the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Heidehof Foundation.

The school has been recognized as a model for modern educational development, operating on a learning house principle. This innovative approach allows for independent learning spaces on each floor, staffed by multidisciplinary teams. Students are encouraged to start their day early, work at their own pace, and engage with tailored tasks while seeking support in specialized subject rooms.

At Maria-Leo, students take on responsibilities not just for their own learning but also for their community, participating in roles such as student caretakers, organizing play equipment, and engaging in the student parliament.

According to the school's website, it describes itself as a 'village'--a vibrant environment for learning, diversity, and interaction. The infrastructure is designed to accommodate the varied needs and talents of the children, with designated houses, plazas, and pathways.

The German School Prize has been awarded since 2006, recognizing schools that exhibit exceptional educational quality. A jury composed of education experts and practitioners assesses the applicants based on six criteria: teaching quality, student performance, handling of diversity, communal responsibility, school climate and life, as well as the concept of a learning institution. These factors are widely regarded as indicators of a high-quality educational environment.

Additionally, five other schools will each receive a prize of EUR30,000. These include the Schule An der Burgweide in Hamburg, the Evangelische Gesamtschule Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck in North Rhine-Westphalia, the Questenberg Primary School in Meißen, the Jenaplanschule Weimar in Thuringia, and the Deutsche Internationale Schule located in Tbilisi, Georgia. More than 100 schools applied for this year's awards, showcasing the rich diversity of educational initiatives across Germany.