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Wangari-Maathai International School

Germany, Berlin

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, German
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 6 - 18 years
Type Co-educational
Opened 2017
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum, German Curriculum
Taught languages German, English, Spanish, French
Strengths Sport, Performing Arts, Languages
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Leadership and Professional
Stages Primary School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

Wangari-Maathai International School (WMIS) is a public Berlin state international school offering bilingual education in English and German for students aged 5 to 18. The curriculum blends the Berlin Senate framework with international programs, delivering German and mathematics to the Berlin standards while English instruction runs within an international bilingual framework. From 2025/26, English lessons align with the Cambridge Curriculum, enabling access to IGCSE in English, with Cambridge IGCSE and the IB Diploma Programme available as part of the school's offerings. WMIS began in 2017/2018 with Grade 1 and is planning a staged expansion to Grades 1–6 and, in the longer term, to lower secondary and an integrated upper secondary with Hochschulzugangsberechtigung. The campus has two music rooms, two sports halls and a sports field, plus a small library integrated into teaching. BEGA talent promotion strengthens the arts and sciences, linked to the LEMAS network and promoting interdisciplinary learning.

Babelsberger Str. 24, 10715 Berlin, Germany

The Essentials

Wangari-Maathai International School has instruction in English, German.

Location
Located at Babelsberger Straße 2, Berlin, Germany. It is a Berlin public international school. It is a bilingual (English/German) state-run international school categorized in the Berlin school system.

Stages
Elementary School and Integrated Secondary School (primary, lower secondary and upper secondary).

Type
Public international school

Additional learning support
Extended Support and Supervision (eFöB) is available, offering care modules outside regular hours, including early care, late care, and holiday care.

Country affiliation
Germany

School day structure
All-day school; attendance 8:00–16:00 on at least four days a week; homework is not assigned, though occasional tasks may be given and logged; mathematics is usually taught in German; English classes are taught by native speakers.
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
Extended Support and Supervision is available outside regular school hours with three care modules: Early care + holiday care (6:00–7:30 a.m.; 6:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. during holidays), Late care + holiday care (4:00–6:00 p.m.; 7:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. during holidays), and Holiday care (7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.). Booking requires a 'Notice of supplementary support and supervision' from the Jugendamt; after this, contact Mr Luca Wank to arrange a contract with tjfbg gGmbH.

Food Options
An external caterer delivers lunch to the secondary school's pupils. A booking system will soon be introduced to allow families to organize lunch from home. The caterer can accommodate allergies; pupils are supervised in the lunch line.

Governance and Ownership
The school operates as a Berlin public international school under the Berlin state education authorities. The State of Berlin is represented by the Senate Department for Education, Youth and Science.
Fees
Overview

Wangari‑Maathai International School is a state (public) international school in Berlin and does not charge tuition; attendance at the school is provided free of charge (tuition: EUR 0 per year).

Application / enrollment fees

- There is no separate, school‑level application or tuition charge required to register a child; standard enrollment procedures are handled through the school and the Berlin authorities.

Tuition fees by year group (per term / per year)

- All grades: Tuition is not charged. Annual tuition: EUR 0. (No termly tuition applies.)

Other regularly requested parental contributions and material charges

- Parent's Education / School Materials Contribution (Primary and general materials): Recommended contribution EUR 100 per student per school year. Parents are asked to make this contribution at the start of the school year; the Education Budget covers exercise books, consumables, licences for learning platforms and other class‑wide materials. Payment details for this contribution are provided (Friends of WMIS e.V. bank account).

- Book Fund / Secondary materials contribution: Parents' personal contribution toward pupils' books is capped at a maximum of EUR 100 per school year for secondary pupils.

- Class kitty / small class funds: Parents are asked to contribute to a class fund (class kitty) — suggested amount EUR 20 every six months — to cover joint excursions and small class activities.

- Extra‑C's (extracurricular activities offered by external providers): These optional courses are subject to separate fees charged by the external organizers; costs vary by course and are billed by those providers.

- Materials / individual equipment (secondary): Pupils in Years 7–10 must provide personal homework books, writing materials and sports kit as listed on the published materials list; some consumables are still covered via the Education Budget but certain personal items remain parents' responsibility.

Meals and lunch charges

- Primary school: Hot lunch is provided to primary pupils as part of the all‑day primary school framework and is offered free of charge to primary pupils.

- Secondary school: Lunch for secondary pupils is organised via an external caterer; a booking system and arrangements for ordering will be implemented for secondary pupils. Meal provision for secondary pupils is managed separately and may involve direct billing or booking with the caterer.

Lockers, school transport and childcare (billing where applicable)

- Lockers: Lockers are available through an external provider (contract concluded directly with the provider). Locker rental fees and billing terms are set by that provider.

- Childcare / Extended Support and Supervision (FöB) and Holiday Care: Additional before/after‑school care and holiday care modules are arranged through the partner youth‑care organisation (tjfbg gGmbH). Parents must apply to the local youth welfare office (Jugendamt) for a notice of need and then conclude a contract with the care provider; fees and payment terms for these care modules are handled via the care provider and youth welfare processes.

Boarding / residential provision

- The school operates as a day (full‑day) school with extended care options; there is no boarding house/overnight residential provision for pupils. Childcare outside regular school hours is provided via the described daytime care modules.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Education Budget / Materials contribution (recommended EUR 100): Parents are asked to make this contribution at the start of the school year. Bank transfer information is supplied for payments to Friends of WMIS e.V. (IBAN and BIC given for that account).

- Class kitty: Suggested contribution of EUR 20 every six months (timing: twice per school year).

- Extra‑C's, locker rental, childcare modules and secondary lunch: Billing schedules and payment terms are determined by the individual external providers or partner organisations; parents contract and pay those providers directly per the providers' terms.

Refunds and cancellations

- The school does not publish a single, school‑wide refund policy for the range of payments and contributions. Refunds or cancellations for services paid through the school's partner organisations (e.g., Extra‑C's, locker provider, lunch caterer, childcare operator) are subject to the terms of those individual contracts and providers. Contributions managed by the Friends of WMIS e.V. are handled through that association's account and subject to the association's terms.

Accepted payment methods and how payments are made

- Bank transfer: The Education Budget contribution shows explicit bank details (Friends of WMIS e.V. IBAN DE82 8306 5408 0304 0832 88, BIC: GENODEF1SLR) for transfer payments. Parents are asked to use the stated purpose reference when transferring.

- Direct payment to external providers: Payments for lockers, Extra‑C's, secondary lunch booking, and childcare modules are made directly to the respective providers according to their payment channels (provider contracts). The school provides contact/contracting information for these providers.
Academics

Wangari-Maathai International School teaches Bespoke Curriculum, German Curriculum for students aged 6 to 18.

Curriculum
WMIS integrates Berlin Senate curricula with an international bilingual program. German and mathematics follow the Berlin framework curricula, and primary curricula can be combined with the National Curriculum for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Bilingualism is based on immersion. At the end of grade 10, students take the MSA exams, which are conducted in German, and mathematics is taught in German from primary. In grades 3 and 8, students participate in the German-language VERA 3/8 tests. Reports and evaluation follow the Berlin framework, with orientation marks introduced in grade 4 and indicator-based reports.

Exam Results
All pupils are required to take the MSA examinations in Year 10. Depending on path, the school awards the Berufsbildungsreife (BBR), the erweiterte Berufsbildungsreife (eBBR), the MSA, or the MSA+ (MSA with progression to the Gymnasiale Oberstufe). All English-language students are taught according to the Cambridge Curriculum and can take the IGCSE examinations in English. Abitur and IB are offered for Grades 11–13.

Higher Education Progression
Abitur and IB are offered for Grades 11–13. English-language instruction follows the Cambridge Curriculum with IGCSE examinations available in English. The program uses the Berlin Framework Curriculum for primary and English bilingual schooling (in cooperation with Nelson Mandela School) and Cambridge Lower and Higher Secondary programs. These qualifications enable study in Germany or abroad.

Gifted and Talented
BEGA (Begabungsförderung) supports gifted and talented students. BEGA is part of LEMAS (Leistung macht Schule), linking WMIS with resources to advance talent in science. Learning in the learning lab includes TU WAS boxes for experiments. Earth Arts Action (EA) is taught in the 3rd and 4th grades with cross-year projects; Elective lessons (2 hours) include photography, ceramics, drama, orchestra and mediation.
Parent Experience

History
WMIS is the second state international school in Berlin. Working languages are German and English. The Wangari Maathai International School started in the 2017/2018 school year with Grade 1, and by 2019/2020 planned four Flex groups (A–D) for Grades 1–2 with additional classes in Years 3–4. It is currently a full-day primary school with medium-term plans to extend to Grades 1–6 and, in the long term, to offer a lower secondary (Grades 7–10) and an integrated upper secondary with Hochschulzugangsberechtigung. Since 2021, WMIS has been designated a BEGA school, expanding the arts and language offerings, and the school is named after Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize laureate whose work in sustainable development, peace and democracy inspires its mission.

Community
WMIS builds a connected community through structured parent involvement, a weekly Parent Café, and multiple opportunities to engage with the school. Parents elect class parent representatives and up to two deputies to participate in the general parental representation (GEV) and to report to the parents of their class, while the GEV guides governance and information flow. Volunteers are encouraged to read aloud, mentor children, support excursions, and participate in the school conference and parent-representation meetings. Friends of WMIS is an independent association founded in 2018 that supports school life through material and immaterial contributions; members can participate in projects and fundraising to benefit WMIS.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The school has a formal parent representation (GEV) with school parent representatives and deputies who participate in GEV meetings and in the school conference, the highest decision-making body. Parents elect class parent representatives and deputies to represent their class in school governance and in the conference. The general parental representation (GEV) represents the school's parents and reports to them, while the school conference includes parent, teacher and student participants. Parents attend events such as parent nights and parent-teacher conferences and contribute to the class kitty and the education budget. Members can become part of the Friends of WMIS e.V., the independent support association that funds and supports school life through donations and project funding; they can also join parent groups such as library, communications or the school garden. The Friends of WMIS association was founded in 2018 and is funded by membership fees, donations and fundraisers.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
WMIS is a Berlin public international school offering bilingual education in English and German, based on German and international curricula. The arts have a special status and are integral to the school mission, with a BEGA program and opportunities for talents in natural sciences, humanities, languages, music, digital work, crafts and sports. There is a small library integrated into everyday teaching, and a small library in each classroom. The school features two music rooms, two sports halls and a sports field adjacent to the building. A secondary lunch service is provided by an external caterer in the canteen, and lockers are available for pupils.

Sports Facilities
WMIS provides physical education in two sports halls and on a sports field next to the school. During breaks, secondary pupils use the football pitch outside.

Academic Facilities
The curriculum integrates Berlin Senate framework curricula and international bilingual schooling, with German and mathematics following the Berlin framework and English taught under the bilingual concept. English lessons in some grades align with the Cambridge curriculum, enabling IGCSE in English. A learning lab uses TU WAS boxes for experiments, and BEGA (talent promotion) operates within the LEMAS framework. A small library is integrated into daily teaching, and a class library exists in each classroom.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Earth-Arts-Action is a two-hour cross-year subject in Grades 3–4 offering choir, dancing, art and music, gardening and other projects. Elective lessons are offered for two hours in Grades 5–6, including photography, ceramics, drama, orchestra and mediation. BEGA is linked with LEMAS to support talented students in science, and language and music activities are part of the program alongside sports and other clubs.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The Wangari Maathai International School integrates curricula to meet Berlin Senate requirements and the standards of an international bilingual school. German and mathematics follow the Berlin framework, with primary curricula that can be combined with the National Curriculum for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and English instruction aligning with the Cambridge Curriculum from 2025/26. Bilingualism is based on immersion, with English and German taught in parallel. End of the 10th grade, students take the MSA exams in German, and in 3rd and 8th grades all students participate in German VERA assessments.

Arts & Creative
The arts have a special status at WMIS and are an integral part of the school's mission. The BEGA program promotes artistic talent and offers in-depth learning opportunities across the arts, sciences, humanities, languages, music, digital, crafts and sports, with BEGA connected to the LEMAS network. Art classes are taught mainly in English and include interdisciplinary BEGA projects. Learning in the school's learning lab supports curiosity in science through hands‑on projects and experiments using TU WAS boxes.

Cultural & Language
WMIS is a bilingual school with instruction in English and German. Students are categorized as ‘mother tongue English' or ‘partner language English,' and German partner language support is provided for non‑native German speakers. English instruction follows the England, Wales and Northern Ireland national framework, with materials such as Jolly Phonics and Oxford Reading Tree; from 2025/26 English lessons will follow the Cambridge Curriculum. German literacy is taught to native German speakers, and German partner language learners begin in German as appropriate; Spanish and French are offered as second foreign languages.

Social & Hobbies
Earth Arts Action (EEA) is a two‑hour subject for 3rd and 4th grades featuring cross‑year projects tied to the school's mission. In 2022/23, offerings included Choir, dancing, art and music, schoolyard activities, newspaper and gardening. Elective lessons, scheduled for 5th and 6th grades, cover topics such as photography, ceramics, drama, orchestra and mediation.

Community & Service
School social work shapes the school community and provides a confidential contact point for pupils, parents and staff in case of challenges, conflicts in the classroom, or everyday situations. Social pedagogues support pupils and contribute to a positive school climate and wellbeing.

Leadership & Professional
Each class has a class teacher who is supported by a social pedagogue. Core group lessons provide space for the class council, a democratic element of co‑determination under school law. These structures foster student participation and leadership within the school community.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The physical education curriculum is a core part of WMIS, with access to two sports halls and the sports field. A canteen provides lunch through an external caterer, with a booking system and accommodations for allergies. School social work supports students' wellbeing, offering a confidential point of contact for staff, pupils and families.
Languages

Language Provision
German and English are the languages of instruction; students are assigned 'mother tongue English' or 'partner language English' with the opposite for German. Spanish and French are offered as second foreign languages. In English instruction, the Cambridge Curriculum is followed and students can take the Cambridge IGCSE examinations in English.

Bilingual Teaching
The school is a bilingual English/German state-run international school. The language of instruction is balanced between German and English, with about 50 percent in each language. In primary, bilingualism is based on immersion. All English-language instruction follows the Cambridge Curriculum and English students can take Cambridge IGCSE examinations in English.

Immersion Programs
Immersion is the basis for bilingualism at WMIS. The curriculum pursues a balanced 50/50 relationship between German and English instruction, with the language of instruction depending on the teachers available. Mathematics is taught in German to meet the German requirements (MSA). German partner language lessons provide additional support for non-native German speakers, including 'German side entrants' when needed.
Admissions

Admissions
WMIS admissions overview: Admissions are available for Grade 1 and for grades 2–8 for students considered internationally mobile. For Grade 1, WMIS accepts children from internationally mobile families and from families living permanently in Berlin per class. A distinction is made between highly mobile and mobile international families. If your child was born between October 1, 2019, and September 30, 2020, they will start school in 2026. Registration for 2026/27 uses an Enrollment Form. Admission for Grade 1 only is welcome; registration is possible from October 6, 2025 to October 17, 2025 without an appointment, with office hours Monday–Friday 8:00–12:00. Before applying to WMIS for Grade 1, Berlin-address families register during the official Berlin-wide registration period at the local public elementary school (Schule im Einzugsgebiet). To apply to WMIS, families must first apply for a school change at the catchment-area elementary school and then submit the WMIS application together with the Umschulungsantrag. Multiple school registrations as first, second, or third choice are not allowed. If WMIS is a second or third choice and the first choice is Nelson Mandela School, submit the registration there; if the first-choice school rejects the application, the documents can be forwarded to WMIS. If the first choice is a different primary school, you can apply with all documents. Families without a Berlin address should contact the WMIS secretary.

3. Print two copies, sign them, and present them to WMIS with two copies of the other required documents (do not staple). A measles vaccination certificate in original plus two copies is required. Please read the Datenschutz documents. The school notes that language tests determine admission for Year 1, and the status of the application cannot be shared during the process; documents are rechecked after language tests and are not forwarded to the Senate before December; the Senate will inform applicants not before May 2026.

5. LANGUAGE TESTS: All children must complete a language test in the mother tongue (English or German) in which they are registered and must achieve at least 80% to be offered a place. Language tests are scheduled for November 10–12, 2025, from 8:00 to 14:00.

6. ADMISSION GRADES 2–9 (Side-entry): WMIS accepts students in grades 2–8 who are internationally mobile. The oldest pupils will be in Year 9 in the 2025/26 school year. WMIS does not participate in the ‘Transition to Secondary School' enrolment process. Applications for Year 2 and higher are accepted from April 1, 2025. Lateral entry to grades other than the first grade is only possible for students from internationally mobile families, with the legal definition of international mobility available here. Applicants must pass an age-appropriate English language test. If an English test has already been completed at Nelson Mandela School or Kennedy School, admission to WMIS is not possible. If criteria are met and the child is accepted, proof of Berlin residence must be provided no later than one week before the registration date (first day of the new school year); failure to provide proof may result in no admission. To apply, submit in duplicate: a completed application form; a written employer confirmation showing membership in one of the internationally mobile categories; the last two school reports (translations accepted if not in German or English); a copy of the child's birth certificate and a copy of the child's identity card or passport; and any further documents listed on the site. Application forms for grades 2–6 and 7–10 are available.
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