To the parents of pupils in year 3 of the Secondary School Frankfurt ...

EUROPÄISCHE SCHULE Praunheimer Weg 126 D-60439 Frankfurt am Main Tel.: 069-92.88.74.0
KC/CG/11-12/34/2E Fax 069-92.88.74.74
To the parents of pupils in year 3
of the Secondary School
Choice of subjects for years 4 and 5
Information Evening on 17 th January 2011 at 19.30 hrs
Dear Parents,
Frankfurt, 09.12.2011
In order to help parents and pupils make the best possible choices for year 4 & 5 we would like to
take this opportunity to send you the following information:
1. The timetable for year 4 and 5, plus the timetable for year 6 and 7 together with some important
conditions and explanatory notes.
2. Reply form: to indicate your preferred subject combinations. The reply form must be returned
completed and signed, to the class teachers by no later than 10 th February 2012.
Further more, all parents of pupils in year 3 are invited to an ‘Information Evening’ about the
subject options for years 4 & 5 to be held on 17 th January 2012 at 19.00hrs in the Aula.
The evening will start with a general presentation followed by a question and answer session
organised by class.
On the basis of the choices made the school will then be in a position to finalise a timetable for
years 4 and 5. In case of problems with the options made, or if the school is unable to run a certain
course because, for example, the minimum number of students has not been attained, we will
contact the students concerned. If you do not hear from the school before the summer break you can
assume that the options will run according to the selection made.
Of course we are all, pedagogical advisors, class teachers, subject teachers and the direction, ready
and willing to assist you with additional information concerning subject choices. Please contact us
directly if you have any specific questions.
Yours sincerely,
Kyriaki Chatzivassiliadou
Director of the Secondary School
Annexes: 3

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
Re. Teaching structure in year 4 and 5 of the secondary school.
Annex 1
Every pupil must attend a minimum of 31 and a maximum of 35 lessons per week. 27 or 29 of these
lessons must be in compulsory subjects, which all pupils must study, and 4 to 8 lessons (teaching
periods) must be in optional subjects (‘options’). Pupils have a choice between six different options.
The following timetable will apply to Years 4 and 5. In general, if not enough pupils choose to study
a particular option, it is not possible to arrange teaching in that subject.
Timetable for Classes 4 and 5
Compulsory subjects
Religious/ moral studies 1 lesson per week
Language I (1) 4 lessons per week
Language II (1) 3 lessons per week
Language III (1) 3 lessons per week
Physical education 2 lessons per week
Social studies:
a) History 2 lessons per week
b) Geography 2 lessons per week
Natural sciences:
a) Biology 2 lessons per week
b) Chemistry 2 lessons per week
c) Physics 2 lessons per week
Mathematics 4 or 6 lessons per week
Minimum: 27 lessons per week
Maximum: 29 lessons per week
Options
Language IV (1) 4 lessons per week
Latin 4 lessons per week
Ancient Greek 4 lessons per week
Economics and social sciences 4 lessons per week
Fine art 2 lessons per week
Music 2 lessons per week
Information technology 2 lessons per week
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) With the exception of Classes 6 and 7, the following defined terms apply to all schooling:
Language I : mother tongue.
Language II: the first foreign language, which pupils study from the first primary year onwards.
Language III: the second foreign language, which pupils study from the second secondary year
onwards.
Language IV: the third foreign language, which pupils study from the fourth secondary year
onwards.
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Annex 2
Timetable for Classes 6 and 7
Compulsory subjects
Language I 4 lessons per week
Language II 3 lessons per week
Philosophy 2 lessons per week
Mathematics 3 or 5 lessons per week
Natural sciences 2 lessons per week a)
Social studies:
- History 2 lessons per week
- Geography 2 lessons per week
Physical education 2 lessons per week
Religious/ moral studies 1 lesson per week
----------------------------
Minimum: 21 lessons per week
Maximum: 23 lessons per week
a) - If a pupil has chosen biology as an option, then he or she cannot study this course.
- Pupils who have chosen physics and/or chemistry as options do not have to study this course.
Options
Pupils must choose at least two of the following subjects as options:
Latin 4 lessons per week a)
Economics 4 lessons per week a)
Physics 4 lessons per week
Chemistry 4 lessons per week
Biology 4 lessons per week
Language III 4 lessons per week
Language IV 4 lessons per week
Philosophy 4 lessons per week
History 4 lessons per week
Geography 4 lessons per week
Art 4 lessons per week
Music 4 lessons per week
a) - only offered to pupils who chose these options in Classes 4 and 5.
In-depth courses
Language I 3 lessons per week
Language II 3 lessons per week
Mathematics 3 lessons per week a)
a) – only for pupils who have opted to take five lessons of mathematics per week
Extra subjects
Art 2 lessons per week a) c)
Music 2 lessons per week a) c)
Sociology 2 lessons per week a)
Information technology 2 lessons per week a) c)
Language V 2 lessons per week
Economics 2 lessons per week
Laboratory work (Biology/Chemistry/Physics) 2 lessons per week a) b)
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a) mixed group offered in one or several vehicular languages (German, English, French).
b) only for pupils who have chosen the corresponding options “Physics”, “Chemistry”, “Biology”.
c) Pupils cannot choose this course if they have already chosen the subject as one of their options.
General remarks
1) A pupil’s timetable must include a minimum of 31 teaching periods and a maximum of 35
teaching periods. At least 29 teaching periods must be made up of a combination of
compulsory subjects and options.
2) In exceptional cases the class conference can allow 36 teaching periods.
To choose an option or an extra subject in Class 6, a pupil must have performed
satisfactorily in that subject in Classes 4 and 5. It should be specifically noted that particular
emphasis is put on options. Pupils should take advice from their teachers if they are
uncertain whether it is possible to reach the necessary standard for the Baccalaureate in an
option.
3) ‘In-depth’ courses, as their name suggests, are more demanding in terms of the requirements
of pupils studying the chosen subject. These are not remedial courses. Only those pupils
who have special interest and talent in the relevant subject should choose in-depth courses.
4) Options and extra subjects are only offered as a rule if there are a minimum of 5 pupils
wishing to study them. Options chosen in Class 4 (Latin, Economics, Language IV) may
only be continued if the minimum class size of 5 pupils is reached.
5) For timetabling reasons it is not possible to choose every combination of options and extra
subjects since some courses have to be taught at simultaneously. On the basis of the
abovementioned conditions, the School will do everything it can to arrange courses in the
subjects that pupils have chosen. However, it is certainly possible that we will not be able to
satisfy all wishes. In that event, pupils are requested to choose another subject.
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN
- Subject choices are binding for a period of two school years (Classes 4 and 5). It is only possible
for pupils in Class 4 to change subjects at the beginning of the school year, i.e. as a rule no later than
the end of September, and changes of subject will only be allowed in individual cases if supported
by detailed reasons stated in writing.
- No pupil may choose to attend fewer than 31 teaching periods or more than 35 teaching periods
per week. Calculations must be based on the official timetable laid down for each subject. No
possible reduction of the timetable in small classes may be taken into consideration in this context.
- As a matter of principle, when starting Class 6 pupils cannot choose an option unless they have
already chosen to study it in Classes 4 and 5. The headmaster and the relevant subject teachers can
allow exceptions if pupils can prove that they have sufficient knowledge to enable them to
participate successfully in lessons in Classes 6 and 7.
- There are limitations in both Classes 4 and 5 as to how lessons in options can be arranged.
- Pupils who choose to take six lessons of mathematics per week at the beginning of Class 4 and
then decide that this was the wrong choice and that they cannot continue the course can decide to
take four lessons of mathematics per week, subject to the consent of the headmaster and the class
conference. Pupils must make such a decision before 1 November of the then current school year.
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- Pupils who choose to take six lessons of mathematics per week in Class 4 and then move up to
Class 5 having obtained the respective marks in this subject may, subject to the consent of the
headmaster and the class conference, choose to take four periods of mathematics per week at the
beginning of Class 5. However, all pupils’ timetable must include at least 31 lessons per week. The
two lessons that pupils choose to opt out of cannot be replaced by another subject.
- If the School has sufficient ‘teaching capacity’ to permit, options and supplementary subjects can
only be arranged if at least 5 pupils register for each subject.
- In most cases it will be possible to continue options studied in Classes 4 and 5 in Classes 6 and 7
too. However, where fewer than 5 pupils wish to study a particular subject, it should be assumed
that the subject will be removed from the timetable.
- For timetabling reasons (ensuring as little teaching during lunch breaks as possible), it will perhaps
not always be possible to offer all conceivable combinations of subjects. Those pupils whose wishes
cannot be met for the abovementioned reasons will then have an opportunity to make a new choice
of subjects.
- The School can only allow a change of subject choices at the beginning of the school year, i.e. as a
rule no later than the end of September, and only if the change of subject does not lead to changes in
arranging courses, i.e. pupils must choose a course that has already been arranged.
- In no circumstances may a pupil at the beginning of Class 6 opt out of a course for which teaching
has been arranged with only the minimum number of 5 pupils taking the course.
- Information technology is offered in a pupil’s mother tongue or in their Language II. To choose
information technology in Class 4, it is not absolutely necessary to study this subject in Class 3.
- Before making a final decision, we are sure that parents and pupils will want to inform themselves
concerning the opportunities pupils in Classes 6 and 7 can be offered to be admitted to the
Baccalaureate.
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DECLARATION
I would like my
son/daughter....................................................…………………………………….…………………,
(Surname) (Name)
who is currently a pupil in English Year 3 in the school year 2010/2011, to participate in the
following lessons if he/she is promoted to Year 4:
Mathematics
SUBJECT LESSONS CHOICE
4 27 compulsory lessons
Mathematics 6 29 compulsory lessons
Language IV
Latin
Ancient Greek 4
Options: minimum of 4 lessons, maximum of 8 lessons)
4 English
4 French
4 Italian
4 Spanish
4 Other EU language
…………………………
4
Economics
English
(in the vehicular language -
4
Language II) or German
Art
Music
Information technology
TOTAL NO OF LESSONS:
2
2
2
................... Lessons per week
If a course I have chosen cannot be arranged either because there are not enough pupils to take that
course or for any other reason, I choose to take the following subjects instead.
Subjects: .............................................
.............................................
....................................................................................... ................................
(Place and date) (Signature)
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