Dream of a school where children learn from each other. That school is the Bugenhagenschule Ottensen. This is a state-approved private school. It operates under the Hamburger Bildungsplan Grundschule.
The Bugenhagenschule Ottensen uses mixed-age learning groups. Each group has children from grades 1 to 4. This way, kids learn from each other. Everyone learns at their own speed. The school’s approach is child-centered. It uses many materials that encourage students. These materials are hands-on. Students can find their own ways to learn. They can make connections to what they already know.
Bugenhagenschule Ottensen is a full-day school. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, school runs from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Tuesdays and Fridays have shorter days, 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM. On Tuesdays, grades 2-4 can stay for extra learning time. This is from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM. Grade 1 has optional care during this time. The school offers early care from 7:30 AM to 8:00 AM every weekday.
The Bugenhagen schools value respect. Children are accepted as they are. The school celebrates religious holidays together. Christian values teach kids to take responsibility. They learn to participate and value democracy.
Classes didn’t start here until 2007. It took seven years from the first idea to opening day. Pastor Frank Howaldt had a vision. The Bugenhagen schools of Evangelische Stiftung Alsterdorf became the school’s sponsor. Anika Woydack helped with the project.
Turning a church into a school was hard. There were rules about noise, safety, and fire protection. They even had to install an elevator for kids with mobility issues. The Bugenhagenschule Ottensen opened in a special building. The Altonaer Bekenntnis was signed in this historic church. Now, children learn here. They grow into tolerant and free people.
Melanie von Hoyningen-Huene, Nadine Freitag, and Nicole Fritzsche were the first teachers. They and the students started an exciting journey. The school introduced full-day programs and inclusion. It embraced open learning styles and holiday care. From the start, the school taught Christian faith. It valued freedom and respect. It made learning fun.
Bugenhagenschule Ottensen is a small school in Ottensen’s center. Over 70 kids learn and grow here. It is located in the Osterkirche. The school has many partnerships in the community.
Pastorin Katharina Fenner is a key contact for the school. She leads weekly services. Kids and parents know her well. She is “our pastor”. Einschulungs- and Abschlussgottesdienst services are touching. The school and church work together. They have an organ project. The Osterkirche organ has a special pedal for children. Students from the school and church can learn to play the organ. This is a unique project in Germany.
The school also works with two kindergartens. They visit school events. There are preschool, reading, and traffic safety projects. The school participates in the Altonale and Christmas market. It supports important causes with the money it raises. In 2016, the school donated to “children for tomorrow”. This helped traumatized refugee children.
The Bugenhagenschule Ottensen participates in the national Vorlesetag. Celebrities visit and read to students. Actors from “Großstadtrevier” and “Rentnercops” often visit. The school also puts on musicals each year. The whole school becomes a theater for a week. Kids rehearse, make costumes, and build sets. The shows are amazing. The children receive lots of applause. Every two years, the school takes a trip together. They have gone to Sylt and Föhr. These trips build community.
The Bugenhagenschule Ottensen is accessible. It has a wheelchair-friendly entrance. It has a Google My Business rating of 4.8/5.