The German International School Sydney (GISS) is a co-educational, non-denominational day school offering high-quality education from Preschool to the IB Diploma Programme in Years 11 & 12. GISS provides students with a complete education experience in a co-educational and bi-lingual environment and has been ranked as one of the top three Primary and Secondary schools on the Northern Beaches. As one of the top 100 schools in NSW, GISS solidifies its standing as one of the best Primary and Secondary schools on the Northern Beaches and in NSW.
It is not necessary to be familiar with the German language, as the school boasts a successful intensive language immersion programme, leading to bilingual competency in both English and German. Its 430 students from Preschool to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) in Years 11 and 12 are part of an international community, with about half of them coming from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and many other countries and the other half from Australia.
Curriculum: The focus of the curriculum, which combines both the syllabus of New South Wales with the one of the German state Thüringen, are languages, math and the sciences, while following the NSW school calendar year. Students may be enrolled without prior knowledge of the German language.
In Years 11 and 12 GISS offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) which is recognised worldwide as the best university preparation programme currently available to students completing post-secondary education. GISS highly qualified and dedicated team of teachers guides and supports every student to develop their full academic potential and to become competent, responsible and independent adults.
Extracurricular activities offered: Co-curricular elective activities (called “Arbeitsgemeinschaften”) are part of the curriculum up to Year 7 and are timetabled on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:40 pm to 3:15 pm. The innovative co-curricular (AG) program “Strengthening Skills for Lifelong Learners,” fosters a dynamic learning environment that propels students toward becoming lifelong learners equipped with indispensable skills for success in our interconnected world. It focuses on the following four key areas: Global Citizenship, Innovation & Technology, Physical & Emotional Wellbeing and Creative Expression.
Principal: Michael Cordes