Richmond, United Kingdom Day only · Co-ed Age range 3–19 899 pupils Founded 1971The German School
The German School offers a vibrant and nurturing environment where children can thrive academically and socially. With a strong commitment to fostering bil...
About The German School
The German School London (officially Deutsche Schule London) was founded in 1971 as the official German diplomatic and expatriate school for the United Kingdom. The school was established in the aftermath of the Federal Republic of Germany's rapprochement with Britain and the substantial expansion of West German diplomatic, commercial and banking representation in London through the 1960s and 70s. The school operates today on a 5-acre campus at Petersham House in Richmond, on the south bank of the Thames upstream of central London. The Headmaster is Christian Schettler.
The school is a German federal-government accredited Auslandsschule — one of the network of around 140 German schools abroad supported by the Bund (the German federal government) via the Auswärtiges Amt (Federal Foreign Office) and the Länder (German federal states) via the ZfA. The school operates the full German Abitur (Reifeprüfung) school-leaving curriculum and is inspected jointly by the German federal foreign-schools inspectorate and the UK ISI. The school is co-educational ages 3-18 with around 899 pupils, predominantly the children of German diplomatic, banking and corporate families posted to London.
The curriculum is trilingual in German, English and French — with German as the principal medium of instruction, English taught from kindergarten as a near-native second language, and French introduced in the middle years. Many graduates progress to top German universities (LMU München, Heidelberg, Humboldt Berlin, TU München and ETH Zürich on the Swiss border) while a significant minority — particularly those with British-German dual citizenship or long London residency — progress directly to top UK universities (Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, LSE).
The school operates substantial fee subsidies funded directly by the German federal government via the Auswärtiges Amt, intended to ensure that the children of German diplomatic and federal-service families can attend the school regardless of their parents' civil-service pay grade.
Programmes & strengths
University destinations
Memberships & accreditations
Pupil breakdown
- Boys
- 456 (51%)
- Girls
- 443 (49%)
- SEN support
- 114 (12.7%)
- SEN EHCP
- 3 (0.3%)
Notable alumni
Frequently asked questions
What type of school is The German School?
The German School is a co-educational independent mainstream school for pupils aged 3 to 19, located near Richmond in Surrey. The school offers education from Nursery through to Sixth Form, with pathways leading to GCSEs and A Levels.
How do I apply to The German School?
Applications typically begin 1–2 years in advance and may include registration, assessments and interviews. Families can explore the UK private school admissions timeline to understand key dates and entry points. https://schoolscout.uk/posts/uk-private-school-admissions-timeline
What age do pupils join The German School?
Pupils usually join The German School between the ages of 3-19, with some variation depending on the year group.
Is The German School a day or boarding school?
Pupils at The German School can attend as day.
Is The German School selective?
Entry to The German School is based on overall fit and, where relevant, academic assessment.