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29

JAN

2010

ISVA NEWSLETTER

ISVA Mock Exams
Earlier this term Years 11, 12 and 13
experienced what the examinations will
be really like in the summer term – they
had their Mock examinations. These take place in school, but under conditions as close as possible to the real…

20

OCT

2009

Artikel im Spiegel "Haste was, dann wirste was"

Nelke brauchte nicht lange zu suchen. Die International School Villa Amalienhof in Berlin-Spandau ist Kindergarten und Schule in einem. Alle Fächer werden auf Englisch unterrichtet, die Erzieher und Lehrer sind Muttersprachler. Fernab von Lärm und Sorgen…

9

OCT

2009

Einschulung

After greeting each other in the sunshine, the new Year 1 pupils went off to their new classroom with their new teacher and new assistant for 10 minutes whilst their families went for a brief walk in our (magic) woods.

6

OCT

2009

NEWS FROM THE HEAD

Die ersten Wochen im neuen Schuljahr sind wie im Flug vergangen und wir sind über Art und Schnelligkeit erfreut, in der sich die vielen neuen Schüler in unserer Schule eingelebt haben.
Kaffeemorgen: Sie sind herzlich eingeladen, an unseren regelmäßig…

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the International School Villa Amalienhof. We are a non-profit, international, co-educational, English-language day school for children from the age of 3 to 18.

The International School Villa Amalienhof is more than a school: it is
a worldwide community. It serves as a home base for international students and their families, while providing a cosmopolitan environment for local Berliners. We consider the needs of each individual in the context of the whole community and strive to provide the best for each child. Relationships based on mutual respect, rapport and trust are fundamental to our school.

We are committed to excellence in education and believe that outstanding teachers are the key. I am proud of our teaching staff. They are highly qualified, dedicated professionals committed to their students' success. Excellence in all endeavours is the standard for our teachers, staff and students. It is our intention to help our students develop into successful world citizens.

The language of instruction at the International School Villa Amalienhof is English. Our English Kindergarten programme is highly recognised and provides our pupils the academic skills needed to succeed in international, British and other bi-lingual schools. The English curriculum builds a solid foundation for Primary and Secondary school. The appeal of the International School Villa Amalienhof is increasing with students who previously attended American, British or other private English language schools in the Berlin/Brandenburg area. As an A-Level school, we have a unique standing amongst other international schools in Germany. ISVA is the only school in Berlin that offers A-levels (Advanced Levels). The A-Level exams are recognised not only in America and Germany, but also in other English speaking countries worldwide. Many of our students go on to prestigious universities in England and the US.

I encourage you to review the school’s website for further details regarding the curriculum and our expectations of our students.

This is an exciting time for our school. We are growing and changing, and continually looking to the future. With this in mind, I would be delighted to meet with you personally to show you around and introduce you to our staff and students.

Kind regards,
Susanne Owen-Hughes
Head of School, International School Villa Amalienhof

I am delighted that the International School Villa Amalienhof (ISVA) has taken a lead in Berlin in following the English National Curriculum. This means preparing students for the International Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and for the English Advanced Level examinations (A Levels). This exam structure is one of the distinctive features of British education system in Europe, and it is excellent to have a school like ISVA committed to bringing its pupils from a wide range of national backgrounds to these high standards.

I am impressed by the fact that a majority of the ISVA students are not first language English speakers, and yet they get good results in an English speaking discipline. So alongside the academic success that ISVA generates, the pupils are growing up bilingual too – an incomparable advantage in the 21st century. Equally important for the adults of tomorrow is a facility with the latest technology, and ISVA, with its emphasis on IT, provides them with this vital experience.

As contacts between our two countries intensify, and as the international community becomes increasingly mobile, it is a great opportunity for children in Berlin to be able to acquire these English qualifications. This shows the reality of today’s European Union.

I believe that children able to benefit from this traditional English educational system while living in Germany will grow up with a great set of modern skills.

I wish your parents and students every success as the ISVA takes forward this important ambition, truly cross-border, but based here in Berlin.

Sir Michael Arthur

The town of Spandau and the Amalienhof estate have from the very beginning had a close relationship. Time and time again we were involved in the eventful history of the estate, often directly as its owners. The past and current use of the manor house and the surrounding land was and is today of special interest to the borough.

On old plans one finds the name “Klitzing’s Farm”, since Cavalry Captain Ludwig von Klitzing leased the manor in 1836. The estate was given the distinctive name of “Amalienhof” in 1860, after Amalie, the wife of the owner at that time, Moritz Reimer. The rebuilding of the manor house, which still stands today, began five years later.

From 1926 to 1958 this pleasant complex served as an old people’s home. From 1958 on, the Amalienhof was the destination of countless little girls and boys from Spandau on their first “big journey” without Mum and Dad: their first trip to a youth hostel.

Since 1998 the manor house is home to a private international school, which follows the national curriculum of England and Wales. In April 2007 the school was given the manor’s original name in its new title: “International School Villa Amalienhof”.

Last year the town of Spandau was pleased to witness the transformation of the school to a non-profit limited company. As a result, a special place was created in the westernmost borough of the German capital, which provides children from Berlin and all over the world with an ideal learning environment.

The spacious grounds, the new art and music centre and the equipment of the classrooms with interactive boards make the International School Villa Amalienhof a prime example of a modern school. The people of Spandau and I are particularly proud to have the International School Villa Amalienhof as a representative of the cosmopolitan borough of Spandau and we wish the school and its graduates a prosperous futures.

Konrad Birkholz