Salem International Boarding School

Schule Schloss Salem is Germany's most prominent boarding school. Founded in 1920 by Kurt Hahn, who was also one of the key figures in the creation of the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme, Salem aims at challenging its students by means of high academic and extra-curricular expectations and opportunites.

Location

Salem comprises two beautiful castles and one modern campus situated on the north west shore of Lake Constance, one of Europe’s most beautiful cultural regions.

Austria, Switzerland and the Alps are also within easy driving reach.

Profile

·      State recognised grammar school for years 5-12

·      Qualifications: Abitur (German national university entrance qualification) and International Baccalaureate (IB, Diploma Programme, years 1 and 2).

·      German’s largest boarding school, offering 600 boarding school places for both boys and girls.

Boarding

Schule Schloss Salem offers accommodation in traditional architecture and modern design. The students share their rooms and for each house group there are kitchens, common rooms and studies.

Facilities

·      libraries

·      practice rooms

·      computer rooms

·      study hubs

·      state-of-the-art science department

·      well-equipped workshops department

·      theatre

·      plenary

·      indoor pool

·      school harbor on the lake

·      2 sport pitches

·      3 sport halls and 2 fitness rooms

Curriculum

From year 8 onwards, Salem offers a dual curriculum.

Students from over 40 nations across the globe may either continue their education in the German Abitur system or enter international classes which are taught in English, providing an ideal basis for the IB Diploma.

With class sizes averaging just 15, teaching prepares students for individual thinking and self-initiated learning. Salem offers an exchange programme with more than 50 top boarding schools worldwide and university entrance is internationally oriented. Our graduates attend many highly regarded universities in the UK, US, mainland Europe and beyond.

Boarding life

Involvement in extra-curricular activities and the intense life of the boarding school community count as much as academic achievement.  All students from year 9 onwards engage in weekly community service and all students follow a regular programme of sports/outdoor pursuits. Participation in cultural activities such as theatre, music and visual arts is also strongly encouraged.

In Salem we believe that if students are to internalize the democratic ideal they need to live it for themselves. Therefore many of the responsibilities for the everyday running of the school are, according to their age and the ideas of Kurt Hahn, placed in the hands of the students. School regulations are framed with the consent of the student parliament.

Our educational philosophy at Salem is to develop students that are personalities who respect others, feel responsible for their environment and have internalized the democratic ideal.