Classes

Physical education at our elementary school takes place three times a week. Since we do not currently have our own gym, we use the gyms at Annette Gymnasium for our classes. Once our new school building is completed in the spring of 2028, we will once again have our own modern and fully equipped gym.

In addition to regular physical education classes, we offer special sports programs for each grade level. Third-grade students participate in swimming lessons for one school year. Fourth-grade students go ice skating as part of their physical education classes. Additionally, first-grade students in the after-school program attend swimming lessons for one year.

For us, the focus is not only on teaching and developing athletic skills and abilities, but also on fostering an awareness of fairness and team spirit, as well as putting these values into practice.

In second grade, we participate in the Sportcheck. Here, children can learn more about their own athletic abilities and talents and subsequently receive targeted offers from relevant Düsseldorf clubs.

We also participate in various competitions for elementary schools in the city of Düsseldorf. These include, for example, the Ice Skating Festival, the City Swimming Championships, the Jan Wellem Cup in soccer, and the Benrath Castle Run. Through these events, the children have the opportunity to showcase their skills, experience a sense of community, and gain athletic experiences together as a team representing our school.

We also ensure that our extracurricular activities include options in the field of sports. Currently, we have a soccer club, a sports club, and two swimming clubs, all led by certified physical education teachers.

During recess, our children have access to a wide variety of activities as part of our “Active Recess” program. In our play container, children find numerous materials and toys for physical activity and variety in the schoolyard. Additionally, there is a dance break once a week, which the children really enjoy.

As of September 11, 2025

Introduction 

The homework directive in the school regulations of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia contains the following description of the purpose and quality of homework, which serves as the basis for the homework policy at KGS Hermann Gmeiner: “Homework should support individual development. It can serve to reinforce, practice, and apply what was learned in class. It must stem from classroom instruction and lead back to it; in terms of difficulty and scope, it must take into account the students’ abilities, resilience, and interests; and it must be something they can complete independently without outside help.” (BASS, 12-63 No. 3) KGS Hermann-Gmeiner adheres to these principles by structuring its homework policy as follows: 

Study Periods 

In addition to morning classes, each student receives 3 additional hours of study time. The schedule for students at KGS Hermann Gmeiner thus includes 3 more hours than the standard curriculum for students in North Rhine-Westphalia. During study time, “home”work is completed independently in class with the homeroom teacher or a subject teacher. The teacher supports the students as they work independently. However, study time is not additional class time; that is, the students work independently on their individual assignments. The teacher provides guidance during this time. We have chosen this approach because equal opportunity and educational equity for our students are central concerns and part of our school’s mission statement. This allows us to provide more individualized support for your children, better identify who needs additional practice, and provide more targeted feedback when support is needed at home. 

Assignment Formats 

Learning always involves practice, memorization, and application. These aspects are integrated into the school morning—especially during learning time. It is also important for developing certain skills, such as mental math and reading, that children practice at home as well. Throughout the week, children should also work on the following tasks at home: mental math, reading / reading aloud / listening, reinforcing what they have learned and preparing for progress assessments, exercises to promote independence, and using familiar learning apps such as Antolin, Blitzrechnen, etc. In addition, collecting and researching materials (books, storytelling materials from the child’s room, natural materials related to seasonal topics, etc.) complements the work done at school. This should be arranged in consultation with the homeroom teacher. 

Responsibility for homework lies with the parents 

It is important to us that parents and the school work closely together and that the school curriculum and the child’s learning progress are transparent to parents. Valuing and reviewing homework and learning assignments is part of the parents’ responsibilities. The respective homeroom teacher will inform you about how homework is documented. This concept is currently being piloted and will be evaluated annually and adapted to the needs, requirements, and conditions of our school.