KLA Bremerhaven – English Version

KLA Bremerhaven - a commercial college- offers a wide variety of full-time and part-time classes for various school-leaving certificates and vocational training. With about 1500 students it is one of the largest schools in the state of Bremen offering training on different professions, e. g. sales merchants (retail, wholesale, industry, logistics, banks, tourism etc.). Students can enrol for classes lasting from one year up to three years of education focusing on subjects for jobs in the economy and in administration.

Full-time classes lead to various kinds of exams, from medium range (after 10 years of schooling) to university entrance exams (after 12 or 13 years).
Part-time vocational training is typical of the German system of dual partnership between employer and school; apprentices / junior clerks go to school two days a week and learn how to practise and experience working life at the employer`s company for the rest of the week. This guarantees a sound combination of theoretical and practical knowledge and good job opportunities.
The core values of KLA Bremerhaven, which have been discussed frequently and developed at our school, comprise the following items:
cooperative leadership, open communication, reliability and mutual trust, respect, justice; also networking with companies, schools or universities and parents, integration of all students who can acquire basic skills, learn methods of thinking and cooperating.

As a UNESCO school we strive for peace and mutual understanding. Human rights, acceptance of a variety of beliefs, lifestyles and individual personal features are the basis for personal growth. Friends in whole Europe and a partner school in Poland lead to intensive communication and give students the chance to develop different skills.

Saving energy and promoting sustainability has been part of our local activities during the last few years - it is our green or ecological agenda.

SOL - self-organized learning - is one of our main innovative teaching tools used in classes. Based on topical results of brain research SOL covers aspects as the absolute individuality of learning, intrinsic motivation and the impact of the learning environment.

Students learn and teach each other in small groups using various methods from our "toolbox". Students can experience positive results, develop personal skills and their self-esteem. Our cooperation with Dr Herold, one of the leading experts on SOL, has been very profitable for teachers to increase their competence in teaching methods and has led to many contacts and visits of schools from all over Germany.

Quality management is an essential feature of all vocational schools in Bremerhaven and Bremen. QEE, quality through evaluation and development, has introduced instruments that can help us to assess how well our system works.

Individual feedback plays a vital role in our school life using different methods and instruments. In addition to that there are groups discussing individual cases (intervision) or taking part in coaching. The team spirit at our school is one of our assets and has been widely recognised by junior teachers and external observers ( "critical friends").