First graduates at the Dresden University School

The first young people have graduated from secondary school at the University School Dresden, the only experimental project of its kind in Germany. After passing their exams, the eight graduates were presented with their certificates for the first time, as a spokeswoman responsible for the school trial said on Saturday. Three of the teenagers have already decided to continue studying there in their groups and with their friends for the Realschule exam in year 10. Two graduates with grade point averages of 1.53 and 1.86 received an award.

The graduates among the total of 57 young people in grade 9 have "made history" and were the first to reach "this milestone", said principal Maxi Heß. They are "pioneers who have paved the way for many generations of students to come" during the school's start-up phase and under pandemic conditions. "They have shown that they are flexible, resilient and determined," said Heß - and gave them another piece of advice: "Stay curious and open to new things."

Clara, who has been studying at USD since it was founded, already knows where she wants to go. She would "like to do a voluntary year and take a closer look at different professions", she said. She has already done this in a daycare center and at the zoo as part of her school internships, "because I just love animals," she reported. During the summer vacations, she wants to get a taste of a farm and riding school and the USD primary school - and then decide on her future.

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 primary and secondary 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 and self-realization. Learning takes place in teams instead of classes, workspaces instead of classrooms, projects and workshops. There are appointments instead of timetables, no homework and no bells at break times. The Dresden model is considered promising among numerous school experiments nationwide.