The primary school at the German International School Riyadh provides a stable foundation for children’s continued educational journey. As a connecting element between kindergarten and secondary school, it encompasses grades 1 to 4 and establishes the basis for a successful school career within the German education system – even during international school transitions.

Our students learn according to a German curriculum based on the curriculum of the Free State of Thuringia. The language of instruction is German. As an Excellent German School Abroad, we stand for high academic standards, clear structures, and reliable performance orientation, embedded in a family-oriented and international learning environment.

In this way, we create security, orientation, and continuity for children as well as families, regardless of whether the path leads from Germany to Riyadh or back – or out into the wider world.

At the heart of our work in the primary school at the German International School Riyadh is each individual child with their unique abilities, strengths, and learning prerequisites. We create a learning environment that provides security, offers orientation, and encourages children to learn actively and with joy.

The DISR primary school should be a place of well-being, security, and respectful interaction for all children – a place where learning succeeds and personality can grow.

Language is the key to learning. Therefore, language education holds a central position in the primary school at the German International School Riyadh. Secure mastery of the German language forms the foundation for academic success and for consistent compatibility within the German education system.

In primary school, seven weekly hours of German are typically taught in first grade, and six weekly hours in grades 2 to 4. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are not only promoted in German lessons but are also deliberately considered and further developed across all subjects. German-language subject instruction (DFU) additionally supports children in securely acquiring and applying technical terminology and academic language.

For children who grow up multilingual or do not speak German as their first language, the DISR offers a structured and mandatory German as a Foreign Language (DaF) program. The foundation is a regular assessment of individual language proficiency, based on which targeted support measures are planned. Support is provided according to need in small groups and is continuously monitored.

Close collaboration between class teachers, DaF teachers, and parents ensures that each child receives optimal support. The goal is to provide all children with a secure linguistic foundation so they can follow instruction effectively, feel linguistically confident, and successfully continue their educational path in the German school system in the long term.

A successful start to school life encompasses far more than learning to read, write, and calculate. Children bring different experiences, needs, and emotional prerequisites and must find their place in a new community. To support them specifically in this process, the primary school at the German International School Riyadh works with the social-emotional learning program “Faustlos.”

Within the program, classes regularly engage with feelings, interpersonal situations, and conflicts. Children learn to perceive and express their own emotions, understand the perspectives of others, and resolve conflicts respectfully and without violence. Self-awareness, empathy, and responsible interaction with one another are systematically promoted.

“Faustlos” is embedded in our holistic understanding of social learning. Elements such as the class council, the work of class representatives, shared class rules, and cross-grade projects strengthen the sense of community in everyday school life. This creates a learning climate in which children feel safe, are taken seriously, and gradually learn to take responsibility for themselves and for others.

Goals of the “Faustlos” Program

• Strengthen emotional awareness
• Develop empathy
• Constructive handling of emotions
• Promote peaceful conflict resolution
• Build self-regulation

Transitions are part of every school career and are often accompanied by uncertainties for children and parents. At the German International School Riyadh, we prepare these steps deliberately, systematically, and with close support.

The transition from kindergarten to primary school is designed through close collaboration between the educational teams. Preschool children are specifically supported in their language development, mathematical precursor skills, and social learning. Specific language programs and screenings enable us to build on children’s existing knowledge and further develop individual strengths.

The transition from primary school to secondary school is also carefully prepared. Handover conferences, classroom observations, and accompanying parent evenings ensure transparency and a smooth transition.

This ensures not only a successful transition within the DISR but also a reliable and seamless transition to other German Schools Abroad or back to the German school system. Our students remain academically, linguistically, and organizationally compatible – regardless of where their educational path leads them.