Our German-English secondary school covers years 5 to 10. At our locations in Erlenbach and Heilbronn, we support your child on an individual educational path that can lead to either the intermediate school leaving certificate (Realschulabschluss) or the Abitur – with a clear focus on the grammar school level. Our "customised learning" approach enables your child to tailor their learning to their personal strengths and interests.
We accompany every child on their personal educational journey, offering the opportunity to achieve either the Realschulabschluss (intermediate secondary qualification) or the Abitur, the German university entrance qualification comparable to British A-Levels, at our college. Our approach is flexible and allows space for growth, reflection and new beginnings. We work predominantly at grammar school level, setting high but achievable expectations. Our goal is to enable each student to reach their full learning potential within a supportive and respectful environment.
At Josef-Schwarz-Schule, we open our students’ eyes to the world – linguistically and culturally. Bilingual learning with native-speaking teachers prepares them for international experiences and global thinking. Exchange programmes with partner schools in Brooklyn, Paris and Barcelona bring these perspectives to life. In this way, we foster intercultural competence and prepare our students for life in a connected world.
From year 6 onwards, your child can focus on areas that match their personal interests. As a binding elective subject, they may choose French, Technology or AES (Nutrition and Home Economics). In year 8, further options include Science and Technology (NwT), Sports, IMP (Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics), Art or Spanish. This allows us to nurture individual talents and give students real opportunities to shape their own learning journey.
Digital learning is an integral part of our lessons, daily routines and project work. Using modern devices and digital tools, we create a learning environment that equips students for the demands of tomorrow’s world. A particular focus lies on coding: our students develop their own programmes, think in algorithms and explore digital connections in creative and practical ways. This strengthens not only their media and technical skills, but also their logical thinking, teamwork and problem-solving abilities.
At our school, people come first – and that is reflected in our everyday interactions. Teachers meet students at eye level and show genuine interest in their development. Our customised learning approach takes into account each individual’s strengths, interests and areas for support. This creates a learning atmosphere that motivates, empowers and builds trust.
Our school buildings are not only architecturally impressive but also pedagogically designed with care. Learning houses, workshops and art studios provide an inspiring setting. The school day is enriched by a varied afternoon programme offering theatre, robotics, music, sports and creative projects. This enables your child to experience school as a place where they can not only learn, but also thrive.
German and English enjoy equal status as everyday languages in our classrooms and as means of communication across our entire school community.
This not only enables our students to navigate confidently in at least two languages, but also helps them grow into open-minded learners who value and understand different ways of life and cultures.
English is treated equally alongside German in our classrooms and throughout our school community.
In addition to English lessons, subjects such as Art, Biology, Geography, Music and Physical Education are often taught in English. This means that our students are exposed to a much broader range of vocabulary and subject-specific terminology, accelerating the pace at which they master the language.
Most of our teachers are native speakers of either German or English, which means we have extensive subject expertise in both of our main teaching languages.
Bilingualism is not just about speaking two languages correctly. It is about being able to think, feel and live in both. Our team of native speakers makes this a reality for our students every day.
Why stop at being bilingual when communication is the key to success in today’s world?
At both our secondary school campuses in Erlenbach and Heilbronn, we also offer courses in French and Spanish, taught primarily by native speakers of those languages. Whether bilingual, trilingual or even quadrilingual, our strong focus on language learning opens doors to a truly global future.
Isabell Weipert
Head of Secondary School
Marius Steies
Deputy Head of Secondary School Erlenbach
Charles Spark
Deputy Head of Secondary School Heilbronn
Delphine Sack
Languages Coordinator Erlenbach
Nikola Grgic
Digitalisation Coordinator Erlenbach
Naomi Janssen
Creative Arts and School Culture Coordinator Erlenbach
Claudia Sawicka-Ebert
Humanities and Coaching Coordinator Erlenbach
Verena Dillmann
Humanities and School Culture Coordinator Heilbronn
James Conor
Dean of Students Heilbronn
Mirjam Späth
STEM Coordinator Erlenbach
Oliver Six
STEM Coordinator Heilbronn
You would like your child to attend Josef-Schwarz-Schule – here’s how to apply:
• Complete the online registration form
• We will begin the admissions process
• Your child is invited to a trial day at Josef-Schwarz-Schule
• We review and decide on the admission
• If successful, you will receive an offer of a place
A detailed overview of each step is available under "Registration" in the relevant school section.
Yes – even without previous bilingual experience, students can join Josef-Schwarz-Schule at any time. While there may be an initial language adjustment, most students settle in quickly with our support.
Children arrive in their group rooms by 8:15am at the latest. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, they remain in school until 3:30pm. On Wednesdays and Fridays, lessons finish earlier, at 1:15 pm.
From year 9 onwards in the secondary school, some lessons may continue until 5:00pm.
In the remaining time, students can take part in afternoon care or join one of our extracurricular clubs.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our two locations, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
