Participation starts in kindergarten, where even our youngest children have a say in their daily routines. They choose their own atelier sessions, just like older students. From primary school onwards, opportunities to participate expand, allowing students to take on co-leadership roles and plan and run activities of their own.
More Time to Learn, Grow and Explore
The German School Shanghai is more than a place of learning. It is a place where children grow, take responsibility, help shape their daily lives and progress together on their educational journey. From kindergarten through secondary school, students follow a structured daily schedule that brings together lessons, independent study, sports, creative activities, periods of rest and movement, and collaborative learning. From 8:00 am to 3:00 pm – with optional care until 5:00 pm in kindergarten and primary school, and until 6:30 pm in secondary school – qualified staff support students through supervised study sessions, learning and elective ateliers, and a wide range of extracurricular activities.
Extracurricular Activities – A Wide Range of Opportunities
With more than 300 extracurricular activities covering sports, music, languages, science, creative pursuits and technology, our clubs and activities are a key part of the full-day programme. In primary school, activities also take place around lunchtime, providing a welcome change of pace from lessons. In both primary and secondary school, afternoon activities extend the school day, offering supervision and learning opportunities until 5:00 pm and 6:30 pm respectively. Whether it is theatre, orchestra, dance, scientific exploration, experiments, team sports, language learning or creative projects, our activities give students the opportunity to try new things, put their ideas into practice and develop their individual strengths. Relaxation and free time are also an important part of the programme. During activity sessions, primary school children can play, get creative, rest, build or unwind with yoga.
Atelier Time – Learning Beyond the Classroom
Atelier Time is an integral part of our full-day programme, creating additional opportunities for independent, individual and collaborative learning from kindergarten through to upper secondary school. It encourages interaction across age groups and gives children and young people the freedom to follow their interests, discover new things and take responsibility for their learning.
Atelier Time in Kindergarten
Atelier Time takes place once a week in kindergarten, giving children the opportunity to explore their interests in their familiar learning environment and develop their creativity through self-initiated learning. Open doors and activities across different areas create a varied and inspiring environment that nurtures children's curiosity and desire to explore. Children are also encouraged to share their experiences and ideas and actively contribute to shaping their learning environment. In this way, they learn from an early age to reflect on their experiences, express their ideas and participate in decisions that affect their everyday lives.
Fun Atelier
Fun ateliers offer opportunities to enjoy music, sports, experiments and relaxing activities. Students choose their preferred activities themselves, giving them an active role in the decision-making process. Leading ateliers also helps students develop their organisational skills, creativity and self-confidence.
Afternoon Club
The Afternoon Club offers a varied programme for children from kindergarten through Grade 6, with activities ranging from arts and crafts and sports to quiet study time. For younger children, the focus is on developing social, emotional and motor skills. Primary school children can explore their interests in greater depth and acquire new skills. Supervised study sessions also give them time to work independently. Children choose from a range of activities and actively shape their afternoons, developing independence, a sense of responsibility and the ability to work and play together. The diverse programme also encourages intercultural exchange and language development. The Afternoon Club is subject to a fee, with flexible bookings available for individual days at the beginning of each school year and at the start of the second semester.
