Dresden University School: Successful interim results after six years

The Dresden University School, a unique nationwide project, is entering its sixth year with a tailwind. The interim assessment after a third of the 15-year school trial is very positive, also among the structural and evaluation commission of educational scientists. Professor Martin Heinrich from Bielefeld University in North Rhine-Westphalia is already calling for the school's experimental status to be terminated and for it to be made permanent.

Positive interim results after one third

Headteacher Maxi Heß and the project's scientific director, Anke Langner, also draw a positive interim balance. According to the TU professor, learning assessments have shown that the pupils' development in mathematics, reading and writing has not deviated. The school is not constantly practising, but instead focuses on project work and self-regulated learning. In times of teacher shortages, this approach is also "highly interesting" for other schools.

The students' first final exams were also a success - eight young people graduated from secondary school in June, two of them with an A average and distinction.

The Dresden University School is a joint project between the city and the Technical University (TU). Since 2019, new forms of teaching and learning have been tested at the public and free community school under scientific supervision, combining classic reform approaches from Montessori and Freinet pedagogy as well as Jenaplan.

The concept focuses on relationships instead of education, individual learning paths, talent development, personal responsibility, co-determination and self-realization.

Interest from parents and teachers remains high

Currently, around 800 children and young people are learning at the special facility in the south of Dresden - now also in Year 10. They come to school "for long periods of time with a lot of fun and joy," reported Headmistress Hess.

For the 2024/2025 school year, which has just begun, there have never been so many applications. 150 pupils were accepted, including 76 first-graders. According to Langner, there is also great interest from teachers. There is a clear trend towards transferring or being seconded to the university school.

Good marks from education experts

The Dresden model is still "extremely promising" and is unique among school experiments in Germany thanks to its combination of theory and practice, said Bielefeld education scientist Heinrich.

The difference is mainly due to the skills that are learned alongside the norm: These include independence, creativity and solution-oriented ways of working. The focus is also on promoting democracy and negotiating conflicts in a humane manner.

However, the scientist sees a challenge in the school's facilities. Principal Hess and project manager Langner said that the promised new building would probably be a long time coming.

The school will continue to teach in a container until Grade 6, then in an unrenovated school building from the GDR era, with only one laboratory for the natural sciences and a lack of workrooms and a kitchen. There is also no proper gymnasium - only the primary and middle school have a single-field hall as a temporary solution. "Physical education is a huge construction site."