Germany, Berlin
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1. Submit online application via the online application portal. The enrolment period for the new school year begins on August 1 of the preceding year. If places are available, admission during the current school year is possible for students with the necessary linguistic and academic aptitude. The school is a state-recognised private school from Year 1 to Year 10.
2. After the online application, the school reviews the complete documents and conducts a pre-selection. Because applications exceed places, not all applicants are invited to an interview. If the child meets the admission criteria, the child is invited to a get-to-know-you appointment, several trial days or a trial week, depending on the grade; a meeting with the parents also takes place. A decision on admission is made afterwards.
3. For the start of the 2026/27 school year, 50 places are offered in two Grade 1 classes. The preliminary selection from all submitted applications takes place after the Open Day. All applications received by October 17, 2025 are considered; applications submitted after this date can only be placed on the waiting list.
4. Introductory meetings are held in November 2025, and the allocation of school places occurs shortly afterwards. If a place is offered, the school will contact you by email or phone. If offered, you will receive contract documents by email and must schedule an appointment with the school office to sign the enrollment contract. The process is designed to allow the school and families to get to know each other.
5. Admission to Year 7 is limited to high-achieving students with a Gymnasium recommendation; final decisions are communicated by June 2026. Admission to Year 11–13 is possible only if all official requirements of the Berlin school authority are met. The decisions follow the current Berlin School Act and related regulations.
6. For applications in all current grades and available school places, the school will contact you as quickly as possible to determine whether your child can be invited to trial days. If a place is not available, your child will be placed on the waiting list. This process continues until a decision is reached.
7. For future first graders, an introductory visit is organised in autumn prior to the start. Your child spends a morning at our school with a small group of around 11 children, together with teachers and educators. The activities focus on physical and cognitive development, social interaction, and language development.
8. For students wishing to transfer into an already existing class, several trial days or a full trial week are offered. There are short written assessments in German, Mathematics, and English, followed by a personal interview and participation in lessons; feedback is gathered from teaching staff at the end of the trial.
9. What does waiting list mean? If there is no place available, the application will be placed on the waiting list. A waiting list is not a rejection, nor a guarantee of admission. Admission depends on class balance and capacity; if a place becomes available, the school will contact you by email or phone. No binding information about when a place might open up is provided.
Waiting list: If no place is offered, the child's application goes on the waiting list. A place on the waiting list is not a rejection, nor a guarantee of admission. Admission depends on class balance and capacity; if a place becomes available, the school will contact you by email or phone. The school cannot provide binding information about when a place might open up.
Platanus Schule Berlin is a bilingual German‑English school for ages 3 to 16, located in Berlin‑Pankow in the Pankow Post Office complex. The school combines a kindergarten with a primary and secondary section and emphasises a MINT (Mathematics, Informatics, Natural Sciences, Technology) focus across all years. It operates as a state‑recognised private school from Year 1 to Year 10 and is pursuing recognition for the gymnasiale Oberstufe (Years 11–13), with approval to begin in August 2024. Small class sizes of up to 25 students support personalised attention and immersive bilingual learning, especially in the early years. The campus comprises a 1923 heritage building renovated to provide bright subject rooms, science and art spaces, a computer lab, library, workshop, and multiple common areas, plus a Second House for secondary students and a separate building with a Student Lounge. Outdoor spaces include a garden and sports facilities and a terrace that encourage exploration.