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German School Taipei German Section of the Taipei European School

Information on the school for new parents and other interested persons

(Latest update: 12 April 2013)

Brief School Profile The German School Taipei was founded in 1990 and provides education to children aged 3 to 18 years. The curriculum is delivered according to German standards with students eventually qualifying for enrolment in institutions of higher education world wide. At an early stage the school engaged in close cooperation with the British and French schools and as a result has benefited from combined resources and being part of a larger system. Children aged three to five years attend the kindergarten where they are prepared for school with modern pedagogical approaches. When they reach the age of five, students attend Primary School within the framework of the ‘Flexible School Entrance Programme’ (Flexible Schuleingangsstufe). In this context they enjoy an individual programme which aims to advance basic skills. Step by step they acquire the capability to attend the full scale teaching programme. At Primary School up to Klasse 4 and in Secondary School (phase 1) up to Klasse 8, courses are taught based on the curriculum of the German Overseas Schools in the regions of South East Asia, East Asia and Australia. This curriculum has been approved by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the German Länder (Federal States). Students in Klasse 9 and 10 are taught in cooperation with the High School Section using the UK National Curriculum in preparation for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) of the University of Cambridge and also according to the framework curricula for German Overseas Schools. Classes are conducted both in English and in German. The students sit both the British IGCSE exams as well as the German exams leading to intermediate centrally administered qualifications.

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This provides a smooth pathway for German students into the senior High School within the German system (Oberstufe: approx. “Senior High School”) as well as to international higher grade programmes. Klasse 11 and 12 are conducted in English in cooperation with the High School Section and lead to the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB). In the subject group language A, students attend German classes at a native speaker level. They thereby acquire the bilingual IB Diploma, which is acknowledged not only in Germany but across the world as a general qualification for enrolment at institutions of higher education. The German School Taipei features small classes, in which students are supported intensively on an individual basis. Occasionally two successive classes are combined into one group of learners (Lerngruppe) in order that they may benefit from working in different pedagogical environments with a wider range of learning abilities.

Integration of the German School Taipei The German Section of the Taipei European School functions as the German School Taipei and as such is supported by the Central Agency for German Schools Abroad (Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen / ZfA). Support consists not only from generous financial subsidies, but also by sending well-qualified teachers for overseas service. These teachers take leave from their domestic assignments (“Auslands-dienstlehrkraft” or “Bundesprogrammlehrkraft”) to work as part of our German school. The German School Taipei also fulfils the task of promoting the culture and education (Auswärtige Kultur- und Bil-dungspolitik) of the Federal Republic of Germany. The responsible body for maintaining the school is the School Association of the German School Taipei (Schulverein Deutsche Schule Taipei). Parents and students take part in the decision making processes in an advisory capacity.

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School Campuses The Taipei European School, including the German Section, is located on two campuses. Kindergarten and Primary School up to Klasse 4 are located on the Primary Campus in WenLin Road. The Secondary School sections, beginning with Klasse 5, are located on the Secondary Campus in JianYe Road in the YangMingShan area.

The German Section has offices on both campuses. The school office is open from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on the Primary Campus and during the same hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays on the Secondary Campus.

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Overall view of the course of studies for students of the German School Taipei School Stage Year Description Age

(approx.)

Kindergarten (German-language teaching)

1st year Mixed age groups 3

2nd year 4 Flex 0 Flexible School Entrance Stage

beginning at the age of 5. Duration according to individual development.

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Primary School (German-language teaching)

Flex 1 Flex 2

6 7

Klasse 3 8 Klasse 4 9

Secondary Education I (bilingual approach: Art, Music and PE are taught in English)

Klasse 5 Orientation Stage 10 Klasse 6 Gymnasium

(Grammar School) Realschule

(Intermediate Secondary S.)

Hauptschule (General

Secondary S.) 11

Klasse 7 Gymnasium Realschule Hauptschule 12 Klasse 8 Gymnasium Realschule Hauptschule 13

Cross-sectional school years Klasse 9 Gymnasium Realschule Hauptschule 14

Klasse 10 Gymnasium Realschule 15

Secondary Education II Klasse 11 Senior Classes in cooperation with HS

within the system of courses acc. to IB programme 16

Klasse 12 17

School Diplomas The German School Taipei takes part in the Secondary School leaving exams organised by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the German Länder (Kultusministerkonferenz / KMK). We are very proud of our students’ achievements as they have obtained excellent results in recent years. Klasse 9: General Secondary School Diploma (Hauptschulabschluss) Klasse 10: Intermediate Secondary School

Diploma (Realschulabschluss) or Secondary School Diploma that entitles a student to change over to the qualification phase for senior classes at Grammar School (Gymnasiale Oberstufe) and the International Gene-ral Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) of the University of Cambridge

Klasse 12: Bilingual International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) with German (native speaker level) in

topic area A, which entitles the student to attain a general qualification for enrolment at an institution of higher education (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung) in Germany and other institutions world wide.

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Kindergarten

Children who have reached the age of three can attend the kindergarten. They learn in mixed age groups (3-5 years) following a daily plan that quickly gives children who are new to the kindergarten a sense of self-confidence. The regular school day ends at 3:00 pm. After this, we also offer supplementary care (“Kiga-Plus”) until 5:00 pm. Daily activities include: having breakfast and lunch together, sitting together in a circle (Stuhlkreis) to discuss important matters, to learn or play together as well as Physical Education, Music lessons or going to the library. Pedagogical work in the kindergarten follows the “Education Plan of the Federal State of Thuringia for Children up to 10 years” (“Thüringer Bildungsplan für Kinder bis 10 Jahre”), dated August 2008 and covers following education areas:

• language education • education in motor skills and health issues • education in science and technology • mathematical education • music education • education in art and design • education in socio-cultural, moral and

religious matters The kindergarten especially focuses on developing language skills in German. Children without German as their mother-tongue are also strongly encouraged to learn German as one of their major foreign languages. In addition, there are joint activities with the groups from the French and British kindergarten at regular intervals, enabling the children to experience the diversity of languages on our Eurocampus.

Time Activity 7:30 – 8:00 am Arrival of the children, open beginning

Regular school day

8:00 – 9:00 am Free play, individual activity or Flex 0 9:00 – 9:30 am Breakfast together within the core groups 9:30 – 10:00 am Morning circle 10:00 – 11:00 am Weekly plan activities / Meeting Flex 1-2 11:00 – 12:00 am Time to play outside / Meeting Flex 1-2 12:00 - 12:30 pm Lunch 12:30 – 3:00 pm After-lunch nap / Low-noise play time / Time to play outside 3:00 pm Picking-up time for the children from the core groups 3:00 – 3:30 pm Afternoon snack

Kiga-Plus

3:30 – 4:00 pm Afternoon circle 4:00 – 4:40 pm Workshops / Time to play outside 4:40 – 5:00 pm End-of-day circle

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Flexible School Entrance Stage 0 Education for children from the age of five takes place in a special pre-school class, the Flexible School Entrance Stage 0 (Flexible Schuleingangsstufe 0). This learning group is taught daily between 8:00 am and 9:00 am. The weekly programme includes a provision for five lessons to be held together with the students of Primary School Klasse 1/2. Apart from these hours, the children from Flexible School Entrance Stage 0 take part in the structured programme of the kindergarten. A trained Primary School teacher is in charge of teaching the children from Flexible School Entrance

Stage 0. Teaching takes place in a separate classroom specially equipped for that purpose. Teaching in the 0/1/2 class is usually conducted using team teaching approaches, including the form teacher of Klasse 1/2 and the teacher of the children in Flexible School Entrance Stage 0. Depending on the specific content of the lessons, these may take place either in the children’s respective classrooms or in a classroom designed for specialist lessons. Transition to Flexible School Entrance Stage 1 takes place on 1 August or 1 February, depending on the stage of development of each child.

Primary School The Primary School is an all-day programme starting at 8:00 am and concluding at 3:00 pm. Homework is partially integrated into the course of the school day. The Primary School operates according to the curriculum for the German Overseas Schools in the region, which was drawn up on the basis of the curriculum of the Federal State of Thuringia (Thüringen). This ensures that children can change to other Primary or Secondary Schools either within the region or in Germany, Austria or Switzerland without facing any particular problems. Mixing classes from various age groups is a guiding principle of teaching from the Flexible School Entrance Stage until the end of Klasse 4. The number of children in a learning group is usually less than twenty. The school supports every child on an individual basis. We encourage children to develop their capability to have initiative, work independently, assume responsibility and develop their own creativity. This is achieved by structuring opportunities for independent work, and adhering to the curriculum via project-oriented teaching. Special attention is given to enhancing students’ social skills and ability to

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work cooperatively in groups. While taking into account the individual situation of every child at the outset, the school strives to systematically develop their essential individual, social and practical skills.

The language of school instruction is German however we also teach English and Chinese beginning with the first year in Primary School. Lessons in English and Chinese are conducted at various ability levels and generally include students from different sections. English: four lessons a week in two to three levels, Chinese: five lessons a week in four possible pathways. In this way, the Primary School students learn German at native-speaker level and English as a second language at a very advanced level, which is considerably higher than that of comparable

groups in Germany. Moreover, they also learn Chinese on the basis of the children’s individual language background. During lunch break and after school the students enjoy the opportunity of being able to participate in numerous activities offered to all school sections. These include Physical Education, Art, Music, Choir, Computers, Science and Technology as well as languages. During these activities, which include different cultures, the language of instruction is usually English. The children’s language competence is thus further developed in a playful and relaxed manner.

Lessons per week and subject Flexible School Entrance

Stage - Klasse 1/2 Klasse 3/4

German 10 10

Mathematics 7 7

English 4 4

Chinese 5 5

General knowledge 4 4

Art 2 2

Arts and Crafts 1 1

Music 2 2

Physical Education 2 2

Ethics 1 1

Compulsory elective subject 2 2

Compulsory lessons per week 40 40

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Secondary School Klasse 5 to 8 Instruction in Klasse 5 to 8 is also given on the basis of the framework curricula for German Overseas Schools in the regions as approved by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the German Länder. As a result, our school is compatible with any school in Germany, whether Grammar School (Gymnasium), Intermediate Secondary School (Realschule) or General Secondary School (Hauptschule). Small class sizes allow us to combine Klasse 5 and 6 as well as Klasse 7 and 8. The students gain knowledge about Geography, History and Natural Sciences during a two-year cycle via a range of various topics. Instruction in German and Mathematics is conducted partly by teaching some students separately and partly by teaching students with different needs within one class. Since the learning groups include Grammar School students, Intermediate Secondary School students and General Secondary School students, it is essential to provide for individualised learning processes. The subjects of Art, Music and Physical Education are taught in English by native English speakers in courses which also include students from the British and French Sections. Because of this bilingual education programme our students benefit automatically from extra support in developing their command of the English language.

Lessons per week and subject Klasse 5 Klasse 6 Klasse 7 Klasse 8

German 6 6 6 6

Mathematics 6 6 5 5

1st Foreign language: English 6 6 6 6

2nd FL: French or Chinese 4 4 4

Chinese 4

History 2 2 2 2

Geography 2 2 2 2

Biology 2 2 2 2

Physics 2 2

Chemistry 2 2

Natural Phenomena 1 1

Information Technology (ITG) 2 2

Art 2 2 2 2

Music 2 2 2 2

Physical Education 4 4 4 4

Ethics 1 1 1 1

Lessons per week 40 40 40 40

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Secondary School Klasse 9 and 10

Klasse 9 and 10 have a special status within the secondary stage of the German school. Beginning with Klasse 9, the students attend a bilingual two-year programme organised jointly with the High School Section. This programme leads both to the school leaving exams of Secondary School stage I as organised by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the German Länder (Kultusministerkonferenz / KMK) as well as to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) of the University of Cambridge. At the end of Klasse 9, students can acquire the General Secondary School Diploma (Hauptschul-abschluss) and at the end of Klasse 10, the Intermediate Secondary School Diploma (Realschulabschluss) or entitlement to change over to the qualification phase for senior classes at Grammar School (Gymnasiale Oberstufe). In this way, the path is open for students to continue their school education either: in Germany, at other German Overseas Schools, or to change over to other International School programmes. The relevant examination standards are set by the framework curricula for German Overseas Schools in the region as approved by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the German Länder and the framework curricula of the University of Cambridge. Instruction in the subjects of German and History is conducted exclusively in the German language and within a class of German students. Subjects such as: Mathematics, English, Natural Sciences, Physical Education one compulsory elective subject are integrated into the High School where instruction is in English. In order to gain the knowledge and learn the specialised terminology required by German examination standards, students receive supplementary German language instruction in Mathematics, Biology, Physics and Chemistry.

Timetable of Klasse 9 and 10

Integrated Lessons (Instruction in English) Lessons English First or Second Language 6 Mathematics 6 Coordinated or Combined Sciences (Ph, Ch, Bi) 8 Physical Education 2 Compulsory elective subject (various subjects to choose from) 4 German Programme (Instruction in German) German 4 Supplementary instruction in Mathematics (specialised terminology and deviations from framework curricula)

2

Supplementary instruction in Physics, Chemistry and Biology (specialised terminology and deviations from framework curricula)

2

History 2 Second Foreign Language French or Chinese/Mandarin (Instruction meets the German framework curricula standards for second foreign languages)

4

Total 40

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English is taught as the first foreign language whilst French or Chinese are continued as second foreign languages. Newcomers to the IGCSE programme and students coming from the German school system, who want to enter Klasse 9, are required to take part in an entrance exam in order to determine their English language proficiency and knowledge of other subjects. If necessary, they are given supplementary English lessons.

Secondary School Klasse 11 and 12 The IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma programme, which had its origins in Geneva, is offered to all students in Taipei European School. Students from the German School can complete the IB Diploma alongside students from both the British and French sections in the final two years of Secondary School. The IB Diploma is recognised by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. The German Länder have laid down guidelines in their agreement of 31 May 2012 for the subjects that are recognised and required for every student. When these guidelines are followed and minimum grades achieved, students who obtain their IB Diploma are in an excellent position to obtain places in German universities and other universities across the world. The school provides opportunities for parents and students to gain advice on both subjects and universities. The IB programme consists of a range of six subject groups: Native Language, Second Language, Individuals and Societies, Experimental Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Sciences and the Arts. At least three of these courses must be taken at a higher level and three at a standard level. In addition, students have the opportunity to study Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and undertake Creativity Action and Service (CAS) that focuses on the development of social skills and personality. In addition, students must write an Extended Essay in a subject of their choice. With the exception of German, subjects in the IB programme are taught in English. During the two-year programme, students who take German classes read 10 works in the standard level and 13 works in the higher level taken from the genres of world literature, detailed study, groups of works and school’s free choice. When completing the IB programme the students sit centralised exams, held worldwide, in all subjects with marks given by the IB.

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Foreign Languages at the German School Taipei

Teaching English at the German School Taipei English plays an important role at the Taipei European School. Beginning with Klasse 5 students are taught, together with their classmates from the British and French sections, by native speakers in English in the subjects of Art, Music and Physical Education. Beginning with Klasse 9, teaching is conducted largely in English with students attaining a high level at an early stage. Beginning with Klasse 1, English lessons are conducted in groups. The students are assigned to these groups according to their level of English proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking and are assigned to either standard, intermediate or advanced classes. It is important to note that students can move between groups at any time of the academic year. Teaching French at the German School Taipei The German School Taipei teaches French as a second foreign language in Klasse 6 to Klasse 10 with four lessons a week. When students change school, whether in Germany or abroad, continuity is thus assured, as French is taught as a second foreign language in all German Länder. Any student who may change school before completing Klasse 10 must therefore choose French as a second foreign language, since continuous attendance in French lessons is required. Teaching Chinese at the German School Taipei All students of our school are in constant contact with the language of our host country therefore we aim to provide appropriate Chinese lessons to broaden their knowledge of the language. Chinese lessons at the Taipei European School are organised in such a way to benefit all sections of the school. In this way it is possible to offer instruction in the Chinese language in four different courses of instruction or pathways. Pathway 1 teaches Chinese on a near-native speaker level, whereas students in Pathway 4 come into contact with the language usually for the first time. Chinese lessons begin with the first year of primary school. Depending on their existing proficiency of Chinese, they are assigned to the appropriate pathway where they learn the language together with children of the same age from the British and French sections. In this way even students of Klasse 1 to Klasse 5 who have so far never spoken a word of Chinese and who come to Taiwan sometime during their school education will have the opportunity to start learning the language. In Klasse 6 students can choose Chinese as their second foreign language.

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Generally speaking, Chinese cannot be chosen as a second foreign language in cases where it is not assured that the students will remain at the German School Taipei. This choice needs to be made wisely because the chances to continue this foreign language at a school in Germany or another German Overseas School are very limited. The students can only choose French or Chinese as a second foreign language, since lessons take place at the same time. Our team of Chinese teachers is highly experienced in teaching students from different countries and employ the most modern teaching methods. Students who are native speakers of Chinese are also supported in developing their language skills according to their specific requirements in order to enable them to meet all challenges within the society of our host country. It goes without saying that it is also an integral part of our instruction in Chinese to impart knowledge of and sensibility towards culture and tradition of the people of our host country. German as a Second Language (Deutsch als Zweitsprache / DaZ) – Development programmes and Subject Teaching in German (Deutschsprachiger Fachunterricht / DFU) To be accepted for the school programme of the German School Taipei, students are required to have sufficient knowledge of the German language in order to take part successfully in school lessons. Students who do not speak German as their native language need to undergo assessments before being accepted to the school. If their level is not sufficient to attend school successfully, they are required to receive compulsory language tuition which is charged in addition to school fees. The school organises for these lessons to take place either in very small groups or in the form of one-to-one tuition. The school will draw up an individual development plan for any child participating in these additional lessons, which lays down the specific learning objectives and stipulates how they are integrated into the school timetable. The kindergarten does accept children without any prior knowledge of German if they can be expected to have a sufficient command of the language to meet the curriculum requirements by the time they are about to enter Flexible School Entrance Stage 1. If they have not reached that level of language by then the students will be required to continue their German language lessons. All teachers in the core programme of our Kindergarten are qualified teachers and speak German at a native speaker level. Implementing the principles of Subject Teaching in German (Deutschsprachiger Fachunterricht / DFU) is

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a cross-sectional task that pervades day-to-day teaching throughout the whole school. German as a Foreign Language Students in Secondary School classes from the British and French sections have been offered the opportunity to learn German as a foreign language for many years. They are taught by native speakers in the German section. Students complete the German programme of Secondary School stage 1 on a foreign language level at the end of Klasse 10 (H2) with the IGCSE examination of the University of Cambridge and at the end of Klasse 12 (H4) with the IB diploma. The school plans to introduce the possibility for students to acquire the German Language Certificate (Deutsches Sprachdiplom / DSD) in the future.

School Bus Transport and Lunch Service in the School Cafeteria The Taipei European School organises school bus transport for many residential areas in Taipei. Students are picked up in the morning and brought to school and they are taken back home at the end of the school day. The school offers a lunch service in the cafeterias on both campuses. Students can also bring meals with them from home and heat them up at school. Both the school bus transport and the cafeterias are centrally managed by the Student Services Department. For detailed information please refer to the “Admissions” section of our school website. If you have any further questions,

please send them directly to the department via the mail address admissions@tes.tp.edu.tw .

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Swire European Primary Campus

Swire European Secondary Campus

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School Hours 2013/2014 The core programme of the kindergarten operates during regular school days from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. The supplementary care programme “Kiga-Plus” follows until 5:00 pm. The kindergarten is closed during school holidays. Lunch time is at 12:00 o’clock. The same hours apply to the children in Flexible School Entrance Stage 0. They can also be registered for the supplementary care programme “Kiga-Plus”. The full teaching programme of the Primary and Secondary School includes compulsory lessons from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Secondary Junior Infant 8:00 – 8:10 Registration 8:00 – 8:10 Registration 8:00 – 8:10 Registration

8:10 – 8:50 1st period 8:10 – 8:50 1st period 8:10 – 8:50 1st period

8:50 – 9:30 2nd period 8:50 – 9:30 2nd period 8:50 – 9:30 2nd period

9:30 – 9:50 break 9:30 – 10:10 3rd period 9:30 – 10:10 3rd period

9:50 – 10:30 3rd period 10:10 – 10:40 break 10:10 – 10: 40 break

10:30 – 11:10 4th period 10:40 – 11:20 4th period 10:40 – 11:20 4th period

11:10 – 11:20 break

11:20 – 12:00 5th period 11:20 – 12:00 5th period 11:20 – 12:00 5th period

12:00 – 12:40 6th period 12:00 – 12:40 6th period 12:00 – 13:00 Lunch break

12:40 – 13:40 Lunch break 12:40 – 13:40 Lunch break 13:00 – 13:40 6th period

13:40 – 14:20 7th period 13:40 – 14:20 7th period 13:40 – 14:20 7th period

14:20 – 15:00 8th period 14:20 – 15:00 8th period 14:20 – 15:00 8th period

There is an extensive programme of extracurricular activities (ECA) for all sections on both school campuses during the lunch break and after school.

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Office Hours and Addresses of the German Section

Monday, Wednesday and Friday:

7:30 am to 4:00 pm Tuesday and Thursday:

7:30 am to 4:00 pm

Swire European Primary Campus No. 727, WenLin Road, ShiLin District

Taipei 11159, TAIWAN

Swire European Secondary Campus No. 31, JianYe Road, ShiLin District

Taipei 11193, TAIWAN

Tel.: +886 2 8145 9007 Ext. 1301 Tel.: +886 2 8145 9007 Ext. 2301 Fax: +886 2 2832 8085 Fax: +886 2 2862 1543

Contact the German Section of the Taipei European School anytime at DeutscheSchuleTaipei@gmx.de .

Contacts

Headmaster Herr Emmanuel Fritzen emmanuel.fritzen@tes.tp.edu.tw Deputy Headmaster Herr Daniel Engler daniel.engler@tes.tp.edu.tw

Kindergarten department Frau Claudia Yuan or Frau Annegret Arnold

claudia.yuan@tes.tp.edu.tw annegret.arnold@tes.tp.edu.tw

Primary School department Herr Oliver Günter oliver.guenter@tes.tp.edu.tw Secondary School department Herr Daniel Engler daniel.engler@tes.tp.edu.tw Secretary’s Office Herr Chih-Chin Huang chihchin.huang@tes.tp.edu.tw

The Team of the German Section in School Year 2012/2013

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The School on the Web For further information please refer to the German Section area on the website of the Taipei European School at the URL www.taipeieuropeanschool.com .

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In April 2011 the President of the Federal Republic of Germany awarded the German School Taipei the quality seal “Exzellente Deutsche Auslandsschule” (Excellent German Overseas School).

Issued by: German School Taipei (Deutsche Schule Taipei) - German Section of the Taipei European School Swire European Primary Campus WenLin Road 727, ShiLin District 11159 Taipei, Taiwan 台北歐洲學校德國部 11159 台北市士林區文林路 727 號 www.taipeieuropeanschool.com April 2013