Visit by Ambassador Baumann
On 12 May 2026, we had the pleasure of welcoming Susanne Baumann, the German Ambassador to the United Kingdom, to the DSL.
All sections of the school – Sudbrook Kinderhaus, DSL Kinderhaus, Primary School and Secondary School – had the opportunity to introduce themselves.
The school management provided insights into our educational concepts, the Chair of the School Association and the Managing Director explained the DSL’s strategic direction, and pupils and parent representatives spoke about everyday school life and the active and diverse community. Ambassador Baumann emphasised the importance of the school’s international focus based on the German curriculum, noting that by offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) as an optional addition to the German International Abitur, the school had chosen the right path.
In the primary school, the tour was led by experts: three Year 4 pupils guided Ambassador Baumann through the colourful primary school and proudly showed her the bright, modern sports hall at DSL. The children were delighted by the visitor’s interested questions.
She then attended two lessons at the secondary school. In Year 9, she observed a lesson in the interdisciplinary ‘Contemporary Witness Project’, in which the History, German and Computer Science departments collaborate. The pupils research a historical topic, conduct interviews on it and link the past with the present.
After attending a history lesson in Year 10, the Ambassador was clearly impressed. She highlighted how thoughtfully and to a high standard the pupils had discussed women’s equality in the Federal Republic of Germany (“Article 3 of the Basic Law: Illusion or Reality”) and in the former GDR (“Equality or Double Risk”).
The highlight for the DSL was the presentation of the certificate, signed by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, certifying the DSL as an “Excellent German School Abroad” following the federal-state inspection in the summer.
We would like to express our sincere thanks for this visit.