University, education authority and city cooperate on the development of a new comprehensive school

The new inclusive all-day school with the working title "IGS Nord+", which is being built for the former Hegelsbergschule, is being developed as a six-form integrated comprehensive school with a three-form primary school, an adjoining district library and a three-field sports hall. The school building will be located in the immediate vicinity of Nordstadtpark and will be supported by close links to neighboring institutions and educational facilities. These include the University of Kassel, several daycare centers, the Schlachthof cultural center and the adult education center in the Philipp Scheidemann House. Vocational schools such as the Elisabeth-Knipping-Schule, the Max-Eyth-Schule and the Oskar-von-Miller-Schule are also located in the immediate vicinity. High-profile Research Groups in the field of education and school research work at the University of Kassel. In addition, around a fifth of the approximately 21,500 enrolled students are studying to become teachers.

"With this planned new school building, we are succeeding in integrating the school into the district - far beyond just teaching. With the way the school is being built, it will support teachers in the possibilities for modern teaching concepts and educators in the all-day school as a holistic place of education," says Nicole Maisch, Mayor and Head of Education of the City of Kassel, about the new school and district library building.

The aim of the cooperation now signed is to develop an innovative educational concept together with all future stakeholders in school life, which is to be developed under scientific supervision. The new comprehensive school Nord+ is intended to serve as a model for a school with high-quality, holistic education that optimally meets the needs of children and young people. This cooperation between science, administration and school practice is forward-looking for the President of the University. "Education is a social task for which we need the cooperation of all forces," said Clement. "If a campus is now created in the IGS Nord+, which we plan, build and keep alive together, important growth areas will be created for people and also for the city."

Annette Knieling expresses a similar view: "In addition to the attractiveness of the buildings and the location, it is above all the educational and content-related work on site that determines whether a school is successfully chosen beyond the district boundaries. The cooperation provides a wonderful opportunity to accompany the change processes that have already been initiated and to innovatively and actively support the concept development for the profile formation of IGS Nord+ as well as the actual work on site in the run-up to the opening, but also beyond, through suitable measures and partners."

For the development of future cooperation at an operational level, the three institutions are forming specialist groups for various subject areas, the results of which will be incorporated into the concept.

"From the city administration, experts from the Office for Schools and Education, the Kassel Child Day Care Office and the Youth Welfare Office will contribute their specialist expertise in order to shape topics such as vacation care, school meals, the affiliated youth center and all-day care in the new primary school together with academia, schools and the education administration," said Maisch, explaining the composition of the specialist groups at the signing of the agreement.

Background: The new building project was approved by the city council of Kassel on November 8, 2021. The planned networking of school, science and municipal facilities will create a place of comprehensive education, care and support that will have an impact beyond the boundaries of the school and the district. The building will therefore make a significant contribution to the educational landscape of the city of Kassel as a whole. Completion of the new building is planned for the 2028/29 school year.