doris
doris
Find Schools
Events
Saved schools
My account
Parent Guide Parent testimonials Community Transparency Charter About For Schools
Currency
É

École Voltaire

Germany, Berlin

Save school
Share
Navigate

· Reviewed by · Chief Marketing Officer

Independently researched by doris.
Not yet claimed by the school
Claim your profile
The school at a glance
Instructs in French, German, English
Fees €3,780 - 5,540
Ages 3 - 12 years
Pupil numbers 250
Type Co-educational
Opened 1994
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum French Curriculum
Taught languages French, German, English
Strengths Languages, Outdoor Education, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Community and Service
Stages Early Years, Primary School
Introduction

École Voltaire Berlin is a private French establishment within the AEFE network, with two Berlin campuses serving children ages 3 to 12. It offers the French national curriculum with a bilingual Franco‑German program. In Maternelle, instruction is shared equally between French and German (13 hours per week per language), with curricula adapted to Berlin. In Élementaire, about 55% of lessons are in French and 45% in German, with German used in several subjects and English introduced from CE2 (two hours per week). Since October 2024 the school is recognised as an Ersatzschule under private sponsorship by the Verein zur Förderung der französischen Bildung in Berlin e.V., whose managing sponsor is Ms. Deppe‑Prugnaud. The two campuses host a cantine served by Leckerlogisch, and Friday Garderie. The school emphasises outdoor learning, arts, and language development, with after-school activities via Cours et Jardins and Wednesday activities with Berlin Music School, including Capsule productions.

Kurfürstenstraße 53, 10785 Berlin, Germany

The Essentials

École Voltaire has 250 pupils, instruction in French, German, English.

Location
Berlin, Germany. Ecole Voltaire Berlin operates on the Franco-German campus within 500 meters of the Lycée Français de Berlin. The Grundschule is at Lützowstraße 41, 10785 Berlin, and the Collège Voltaire is at Kurfürstenstraße 53, 10785 Berlin.

Stages
Maternelle; Grundschule (CP–CM2); Collège (6e).

Type
Private school in direct AEFE management.

Country affiliation
Germany

Religious affiliation
Secular

School day structure
Kindergarten opens 8:20–8:40; dismissal 15:30–15:45; three daily breaks; after‑school care 15:45–17:45. Elementary opens 8:20 and starts at 8:30; breaks 10:00–10:15 and 11:45–13:15 for lunch; day ends at 18:00 with after‑school activities 15:45–18:00. Morning care runs 7:50–8:20; Friday after‑care options are available.
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
The school does not offer boarding. It provides a morning supervision from 7:50 to 8:05 and Friday after-class supervision for one hour. An after‑school program runs daily until 18:00 for elementary students and 17:45 for preschool, through Cours et Jardins.

Uniform Requirement
There is no uniform; clothing must be suitable for school activities. Clothing should be labeled with the child's name. For physical education, appropriate sportswear is mandatory.

Food Options
The school restaurant is run by an external provider, Forum Esswirtschaft – Leckerlogisch. Lunch enrollment is through the provider via the restaurant page; the provider handles all lunch‑billing and service. Since January 2021, Berlin subsidizes lunch costs for elementary pupils (CP to 6th) but not for kindergarten.

Governance and Ownership
The school is AEFE-direct managed and operates within the AEFE network; it is overseen by Verein zur Förderung der französischen Bildung in Berlin e.V.
Fees

Annual tuition at École Voltaire ranges from EUR 3,780 to EUR 5,540 for 2026/27.

Application (first-time) fees

- First registration fee (droit de première inscription): EUR 400 for the eldest child in a family.
- For additional children from the same family the first-registration fee is EUR 200 per child.
- Registration fees are definitively retained by the school and are non‑refundable (except in cases where a subsequently awarded French school bursary reduces or covers part of that amount and the school applies the corresponding reimbursement).

Annual tuition fees by year group (total per school year)

- Maternelle (preschool / kindergarten): EUR 5,350 per child, per academic year.
- Élémentaire / Collège (CP through 6ème): EUR 5,540 per child, per academic year.

Tuition fees by term (how the annual fee is billed)

- The annual tuition is invoiced in three periods. The invoice amounts are calculated as follows: 1st period = 4/10 of the annual fee; 2nd period = 3/10 of the annual fee (plus any applicable examination fees where relevant); 3rd period = 3/10 of the annual fee. The practical schedule is:
- 1st period (September–December) — due mid‑October;
- 2nd period (January–March) — due mid‑January;
- 3rd period (April–June) — due mid‑April.

- Based on the annual figures above, the term instalments are:
- Maternelle (annual EUR 5,350): 1st period EUR 2,140; 2nd period EUR 1,605; 3rd period EUR 1,605.
- CP–6ème (annual EUR 5,540): 1st period EUR 2,216; 2nd period EUR 1,662; 3rd period EUR 1,662.

- Payment is due at the start of each term and must be made within 15 days of receipt of the digital invoice. Families who wish to pay monthly must request that arrangement from the school's secondary accounting agency (contact provided in the school's financial regulation).

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Invoices are issued digitally and made available in each family's parent portal; families are notified by e‑mail when invoices are ready. Payment is due within 15 days of the digital invoice.
- If tuition is taken over by an employer or third party, the invoice will remain in the name of the legal guardian; the family must ensure the transmission of the invoice and payment by the third party. Non‑payment can lead to recovery procedures and temporary suspension of the pupil's access to the French teaching service until the account is regularised.

Accepted fee payment methods

- Bank transfer to the school's account (IBAN and BIC are provided in the school's financial regulation). The invoice number and the pupil's full name must be referenced on the transfer.
- Online payment via the parent portal is available once the digital invoice is issued.
- No other means (for example, employer invoicing) will be accepted in place of invoicing to the legal guardian; the school cannot invoice employers directly.

Boarding fees

- Boarding provision is not applicable to École Voltaire (the school operates maternelle and élémentaire/collège levels and does not list boarding services).

Canteen / school meals

- School lunches are provided on site by an external catering company (Forum Esswirtschaft operating as Leckerlogisch). The catering provider manages registration and issues the meal invoices directly to families; those costs are billed separately from the school's tuition invoices. The elementary lunch program (CP–6ème) is subsidised by the Berlin Senate; the subsidy does not apply to maternelle meals.

Other costs and ancillary fees

- School‑organised trips with overnight stays and certain extracurricular activities may be charged in addition to tuition; such costs are billed as ancillary fees when applicable.
- Textbooks and standard teaching materials from petite section through 6ème are supplied by the school (the school bears the cost of textbooks and standard supplies). A list of small personal materials (petit matériel) for elementary and collège pupils is published annually; those small personal items are the responsibility of families. Parents are asked to mark children's clothing and personal items.

Sibling discounts, income‑based reductions and bursaries

- Sibling discounts on tuition apply as follows: second child = 25% discount on tuition; third child = 50% discount; from the fourth child = 75% discount on tuition. There is also a EUR 200 reduction on the first‑registration fee from the second child onward.
- Families with taxable incomes under the threshold set by the school (eligibility rules specified in the financial regulation) may request a degressive tuition reduction; this degressivity applies only to pupils in CP through 6ème and must be requested through the school's accounting service with supporting documents. French national school bursaries administered via the Consulate/AEFE apply and, when granted, are applied to tuition, registration fees and certain other charges as specified by the school.

Refund and proration rules

- Registration (first‑time) fees are definitively retained by the school and are not refundable (except where a subsequently awarded French bursary leads to reimbursement according to the bursary decision).
- Annual tuition is treated as a fixed yearly sum; when a child arrives or departs definitively during a term, fees are adjusted pro rata with each started month due (the school invoices on a monthly pro rata basis for arrivals/departures).
- The school may require the settlement of outstanding sums before re‑enrolment is validated for the following school year. Late or unpaid fees are subject to recovery procedures as described in the financial regulation.

Summary of key contacts for billing and payment

- For accounting or monthly‑payment requests: contact the school's designated accounting officer (email contact given in the financial regulation).
- For canteen registration, cancellations and meal billing: contact the catering provider (Forum Esswirtschaft / Leckerlogisch).
Academics

École Voltaire teaches French Curriculum for students aged 3 to 12.

Curriculum
The school is a French establishment within the AEFE network, located in Berlin (ZECO zone). It operates both Maternelle (kindergarten) and Élémentaire (elementary) divisions and follows the French national curriculum as part of the AEFE framework. The Maternelle is bilingual with half of the weekly instruction in German and half in French (13 hours each per week), with teaching aligned to French curricula adapted to Berlin. Since October 2024, the school is recognized as an Ersatzschule (private substitute school) run by the Verein zur Förderung der französischen Bildung in Berlin e.V. The school offers a canteen (cantine) and Friday aftercare (Garderie du vendredi).
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Students are welcomed in a caring and non-discriminatory manner and are protected from violence and humiliation. Corporal punishment or humiliating treatment is strictly forbidden. The school ensures protection for children, with safeguarding measures described in the child protection plan, the Kinderschutzkonzept, which is being developed for 2025. The internal regulations place the student in situations to learn about life in society and citizenship and to become progressively responsible. A climate of mutual respect and serenity is fostered to support learning. Time outdoors is essential to children's health and well-being, with kindergarten students enjoying two 30-minute recesses daily (morning and afternoon) and a 1.5-hour midday break.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The school admits students with a personalized education plan (projet personnalisé de scolarisation) under the French education code. A personalized education plan can allow a child to remain in kindergarten beyond age six. The school practices bilingual instruction from the start, with nearly equal hours in French and German in kindergarten and about 55% of instruction in French in elementary. German-speaking students join the 'Deu' group and follow programs in line with the Berlin framework; Francophone students follow 'DaF' (Deutsch als Fremdsprache) as a foreign language, with group adjustments made as progress. Approximately 43% of instruction is delivered in German.

Mental Wellbeing
Time outdoors is essential to children's health and well-being. In kindergarten, children have two 30-minute recesses daily, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, plus a 1.5-hour midday break for lunch. The climate of mutual respect and serenity supports mental well-being and learning. The internal regulations describe safety and supervision for students during school hours. The school fosters a safe and supportive environment that promotes well-being and respectful interactions.

Safeguarding
Students have the right to a welcoming and non-discriminatory reception. Corporal punishment or humiliating treatment is strictly forbidden. Students are protected from violence, and safeguarding measures are described in the child protection plan, the Kinderschutzkonzept, which is being written for the 2025–2026 school year. The internal regulations specify rights and obligations for all members of the school community and include safeguards against violence, both on site and online. The school references the child protection framework being developed for 2025.
Parent Experience

History
Since October 2024, Grundschule Ecole Voltaire Berlin is recognized as an Ersatzschule, a privately sponsored school. The nonprofit sponsor is the Verein zur Förderung der französischen Bildung in Berlin e.V., whose management is Ms. Deppe-Prugnaud. This sponsorship arrangement places the school under private governance while it operates as part of the French education network in Berlin.

Community
Garderie du vendredi (Friday after-school care) runs from 14:45 to 16:00 for elementary students. Registration is open Saturday morning through Wednesday noon for the following Friday, and changes should be communicated to garderie@ecolevoltaire.de. The school has an Association des Parents d'Elèves (APÉ) to support parental involvement and school activities.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The school has an Association des Parents d'Elèves. The association has organized family events such as the family flea market, with the first edition noted as very successful.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Two Berlin campuses serve Ecole Voltaire: Lützowstraße 41 houses the kindergarten and Kurfürstenstraße 53 houses the elementary school. The school has a dining space where meals are prepared by Forum Esswirtschaft under the Leckerlogisch brand, using seasonal and/or organic ingredients. Lunch is served from 11:45 to 13:10 for students from CP through 6th, with a daily choice of two menus: meat or fish (Menu 1) or vegetarian (Menu 2). After-school care is available, with a morning program and an after-school center, Cours et Jardins, offering educational and artistic activities after school and during holidays; registration is done directly with the association, and on Wednesdays the elementary hosts activities with the Berlin Music School. The campus features an outdoor courtyard playground and a dedicated sports field for physical education.

Sports Facilities
The elementary school has a courtyard playground and a sports field for physical education.

Academic Facilities
The kindergarten offers bilingual French-German instruction at parity, with 13 hours of French and 13 hours of German per week. In the elementary, there is bilingual French-German instruction with roughly 55% of lessons in French and 45% in German; students have about 7–8 hours of German per week, and from CE2 onward English is taught by a dedicated English teacher (2 hours per week). German is also used as a language of instruction in Science, Physical Education, Arts, and Mathematics. The school maintains a resource team for students with special needs (EBEP), a climate supervisor, and a school psychologist. Outdoor learning is encouraged, with PE conducted on the school's sports facilities and in nearby parks (Gleisdreick, Tiergarten).

Extra Curricular Facilities
After-school and holiday activities are offered by Cours et Jardins, with registration directly through the association. Each Wednesday afternoon, the elementary hosts activities from the Berlin Music School, with registrations handled directly by that organization. Cours et Jardins runs an after-school center with activities around art, crafts, culture, and sport, supervised by trained staff.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school teaches a bilingual French–German program from kindergarten through elementary. Since 2009, kindergarten classes have equal time for French and German, about 13 hours per week per language. In elementary, instruction follows the French National Education program with about 55% in French and 45% in German; German is used in several subjects and seven to eight hours of German are taught per week. From CE2 onward, English is introduced (two hours per week); in 6th grade there are four English sessions and five German sessions, with math and SVT taught in German by teachers from the Französisches Gymnasium. The school emphasizes oral language development across languages and supports teacher professional development with an annual workload of 108 hours per teacher.

Arts & Creative
The school values cultural and artistic activities as essential to well-being and creativity. The elementary campus provides spaces for the arts, including a visual arts room, an aula-cinémathèque, a computer room, and a library. Projects and productions are part of the program, including Capsule and other student works and exhibitions. The school produced a film in 2024 titled Une journée à Voltaire.

Cultural & Language
The school operates on a Franco-German campus with bilingual French–German instruction. Kindergarten learners study French and German in parity, about 13 hours per week per language. In elementary, about 55% of instruction is in French and 45% in German; German is used in several subjects, with seven to eight hours of German per week and English beginning in CE2 with two hours per week. In 6th grade there are four English sessions and five German sessions, with some subjects taught in German by teachers from the Französisches Gymnasium. The Semaine des Langues celebrates the languages spoken at the school, with exchanges with other Berlin institutions; the school environment is multilingual and multicultural, with around 50 languages spoken by students.

Social & Hobbies
The school emphasizes outdoor time and well-being, with two 30-minute recesses per day in the early years and a 1.5-hour midday break. It values sports, cultural and artistic activities as part of well-being and creativity. Students engage in language and culture projects and productions, including Capsule and other initiatives. The Language Week highlights languages spoken at the school and cross-cultural exchanges with other institutions, including exchanges with the Lycée Français de Berlin.

Community & Service
Solidarity, inclusion, and equality are core values at the school. A dedicated EBEP teacher, a climate‑of‑school lead, and a school psychologist support students with special needs and the overall climate. The school is open to Berlin's environment, with visitors, outings, field trips, and discovery trips. Students organize charity activities such as the Spendenlauf in support of the German Red Cross.

Leadership & Professional
The school has governance through a Conseil d'établissement (CE), with minutes published and participation by staff and families. Teachers receive an annual teaching load of 108 hours to support classroom work, communicate with families, attend meetings, and pursue ongoing professional development. The school advertises positions publicly and recruits bilingual staff; recruitment notices are published for French-speaking teachers and multilingual assistants. The school participates in AEFE network activities and adheres to relevant educational standards.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The school emphasizes outdoor time and physical activity, with two 15-minute outdoor breaks for younger students and a 1.5-hour midday break. It fosters well-being through sports and cultural activities and an emphasis on outdoor learning. Friday after-school care runs from 14:45 to 16:00, with weekly sign-ups. Language-focused events such as the Language Week celebrate the school's multilingual environment, which includes about 50 languages spoken by students.
Languages

Language Provision
French is the primary language of instruction across the school. Since 2009, kindergarten classes have equal French and German instruction (13 hours per week in each language). German instruction continues in elementary in accordance with the French National Education programs, with attention to inclusion and openness to the host country. English is introduced early, from CE2 to CM2. In 6th grade, there are four English language sequences and five German sequences, with math and science taught in German by teachers from the Französisches Gymnasium.

Bilingual Teaching
In kindergarten, instruction is bilingual in French and German, with 13 hours per week in each language.
Admissions

Admissions
1. First enrollment window for the 2026-2027 year opens on March 1, 2026. To pre-register your child for the 2026-2027 year, you may access the online page starting Sunday, March 1, 2025. On the online portal you will be asked to identify yourself. If you already have children enrolled at Ecole Voltaire, you must use the same login (the email address) as last year. If you do not remember the password, click 'forgot password?'. If you do not remember the email address, try entering your different email addresses and click 'forgot password?' until you receive the password reset email. If you do not yet have a child enrolled at our school, please create an account. You must attach to the online form the following documents: a photo ID, a copy of the family record book or birth certificate of the child, and a copy of the ID of the child's legal guardian(s). You must also download and sign the 2026-2027 enrollment contract.

Scholarships
2. To understand the different steps of enrollment, here is the 'Enrollment Path' at Ecole Voltaire. 3. The online pre-registration is not definitive and does not constitute admission; it is an application that will be processed by the school according to capacity. We will contact you by email if there is a confirmation to finalize your child's enrollment. 4. RE-ENROLLMENT: If your child continues their schooling at Ecole Voltaire from year to year, you will receive an email from the Secretariat in March, accompanied by a link to express your choice: YES, NO, MAYBE. 5. In accordance with Articles 12 and 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of personal data, Ecole Voltaire Berlin, as data controller, collects data at the time of pre-registration and enrollment for administrative and accounting processing. The data are strictly reserved for authorized services (Management, Secretariat and Accounting) and are kept for the duration of your children's schooling at the establishment. In line with our data protection policy, we commit to protecting your data from any breach. Under Articles 15 to 22 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, you may at any time and free of charge request access to your data, correct or erase them, by contacting the data protection officer at dpo@ecolevoltaire.de or, in the absence of a satisfactory response within one month, with the CNIL."
School Events
The school has not added events
Search for more schools
Search schools in Germany View all schools in Berlin View all schools in Germany French curriculum schools in Germany Open days & tours in Berlin What is the French curriculum? View all schools Search all schools