Gymnasium (Germany) - A School For The Gifted?

A School For The Gifted?

A common misconception has portrayed gymnasien as schools for the gifted. While certain specialist schools, like the Federal School of Saxony - Saint Afra, do accept only gifted students, most have no specific provision for the gifted and see their mission as broader. Though gymnasien traditionally impose strict grading that causes students of average academic ability to struggle, many schools share the motto of the Skigymnasium CJD Christophorusschule: "Nobody shall be lost" ("Keiner darf verloren gehen"). An attitude prevails that gifted students can flourish in any school, and that the gymnasien best serve the average student, whose performance they improve. Many gymnasien offer remedial programmes to help lower-performing students catch up with their classmates.