Schule Schloss Salem - The School Today

The School Today

The school’s mission continues to reflect its Hahnian roots. Specifically, Salem aims to present young people with high academic and extracurricular expectations and opportunities; and to introduce them to a lifelong sense of respect for the individual, responsibility to the community and an awareness of the importance of the democratic process in sustaining both.

The academic program in Years 5–7 is in German. Intensive instruction in German as a foreign language is available for international pupils. Even pupils arriving at the School with no German are fluent within one school year.

From Year 8 onward, Salem is fully bilingual and offers a dual curriculum. Students may either continue in the German system (Abitur) or enter the international classes & the IB Diploma Programme, in which the language is English. However, students may switch systems until they enter the upper school. Approximately a third of the students in the upper years are in the IB system. Most students are of German background, but there is significant population of international students, with students attending from a variety of countries such as Switzerland, Spain, USA, China, Russia, Korea, India, Canada, Australia or Italy.

At Salem, involvement in extracurricular activities and the life in the boarding community and academic achievement are equally emphasized. All students in the upper years must engage in community service such as Nautical Service, THW (Technical Support Organisation) extended First Aid, Community Service (Kindergarten, Disabled people's home, etc.) or Fire brigade at least one afternoon per week. During the terrible aeroplane accident of 2002 in Überlingen, Salem Students were some of the first at the scene. All students must also participate in a regular program of sports and/or outdoor pursuits such as Outward Bound, Football, Rugby or Gymnastics. Participation in theatre, music and visual-arts extracurricular programs, while not mandatory, is strongly encouraged. The student orchestra in Salem is regarded to be one of the foremost youth-orchestra's in Germany and travels around the world to perform its music, such as a recent trip to Beijing, China.

Far more than in boarding schools from the Anglo-American tradition, responsibility for the everyday running of the School in the upper years is, in keeping with Salem’s democratic ethos based on the principles of Kurt Hahn, placed in the hands of students under the guidance of staff. All activities and dormitories (Flügel) are led by students elected by their peers. School regulations are outlined with the consent of the student parliament and breaches of these are jointly dealt with by the School administration and the elected leaders of the student body in what is called the Leitungsrat or the 'Leadership Council', which comprises the Headmaster of the College, the two Head Boys/Girls, the students housemaster/mistress and other senior staff members.

Approximately one-third of pupils receive financial aid through various scholarship programmes, the distribution of which is based upon both need and merit. University admissions are excellent, with almost all graduates eventually attending the most selective universities in Germany, Great Britain and the leading Commonwealth countries, as well as the United States.