International School OWL is a private international school in Paderborn (North Rhine-Westphalia) for students from age 15, with day and boarding places. The school describes itself as a state-recognised general education school with an international orientation; it is a two to three year upper secondary stage leading to Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level exams. The school calls its programme the German Baccalaureate: an International A Level certificate in three or four focus subjects plus intensive German from level A1 to C1, so that graduates can enter a German university without a Studienkolleg foundation year. There are two tracks: technical and natural science (mathematics, English, physics, chemistry) and economics (mathematics, English, physics, economics). Classes are taught in English, and no German is required on entry. Most students are international: the school states 79% on one page and about 95% on another, naming Canada, China, France, Morocco and the USA among the countries. Classes are small and the school year starts in October. The school uses two teaching buildings and runs a boarding house with round-the-clock supervision.
Key facts
Programmes
Pearson Edexcel · A-Level
Languages of instruction
English
Students per teacher
1 to 12
Class size
8 to 12 students per class; other pages give an average of 12-15 and an average of 15 students
About the fees Fees on the website are given without a school year. A day student (no boarding) pays 13600 EUR per school year; a boarding student pays 39600 EUR per school year, covering tuition, accommodation, meals, pedagogical care, a bus ticket, health insurance and medical care. For students from non-EU countries the school fee portion ranges from 13600 to 24000 EUR per year depending on age, nationality and needs. Fees are due before each of the three school years. The FAQ gives different amounts: 12000 EUR without boarding and 36000 EUR with boarding. For students needing especially intensive support (dealing with authorities, visas, special needs) the school may charge more and states this before the contract is signed. The school offers no scholarships.
Admissions The school admits students from age 15 who have completed at least nine years of school (Hauptschulabschluss, Mittlere Reife, junior high school or an equivalent certificate; the school assesses each certificate itself). English is required: different pages give level B1 (IELTS 5.5) and B2 (IELTS 4.5); it can be shown by a school report or certificate, otherwise the school runs a written test or interview. No German is needed. Applications are accepted at any time via the online form, by e-mail or fax; the school checks the documents and, if requirements are met, sends a confirmation of admission. Day students must already be 18 and live in or near Paderborn (with family or as an au pair); all others board. The school helps international students with visas and provides airport transfer; if a visa is delayed, students can attend online for the first months (up to 6 months).
Stages and year groups Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level (International A Level) programme; the school is a Pearson examination centre. Under the name German Baccalaureate the school combines an International A Level certificate in 3-4 focus subjects with a German course up to level C1. Tracks: technical and natural science (Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry) and economics (Mathematics, English, Physics, Economics); German is offered in each of the three years as an additional subject that is not available in every intake. The school does not award the German Abitur and explicitly compares its programme with it and with the IB. There is no Cambridge International programme. The course lasts two to three years; the blog mentions the final Q2 class.
Accreditations and programmes verified against official registries
Pearson · A-Level · authorised programmeThe Pearson register names the school as its centre: it teaches Pearson Edexcel International A Level as its main programme - a two- to three-year university-preparation course for students from age 15.
school is in an official registryconfirmed by a school document, by membership or by taking part in a networkclaimed by the school, no confirmation, not counted in the scoreGuide to all organisations → What stands behind each entry
PearsonPearson Edexcel, a British exam board
It gives a school approved centre status: that means Pearson exams can be sat in the school itself. What is checked is the premises, the equipment, the secure storage of papers and the presence of trained invigilators.
What the badge means for this school. The school can run Pearson exams on its own premises. The status says nothing about teaching, about results or about the school itself: any school able to run an exam securely holds it. The entry stands in the organisation's public register - anyone can check it. At this school: A-Level (ages 16-18). A-Level is the senior years, and their results are what British and many other universities admit on.
Register to check for yourself, and the full guide →Exams and destinations from the school's official website
Exam results In 2023 and 2024 two of the school's students received the Pearson Outstanding Learner Award for the best result in Europe in a science subject. The school does not publish average grades or pass rates.
Facilities from the school's official website
·Swimming poolnot stated on the website
·Sports hallnot stated on the website
·Laboratoriesnot stated on the website
·Theatre or assembly hallnot stated on the website
·Librarynot stated on the website
·Cateringnot stated on the website
·School transportnot stated on the website
✓Boarding
Teaching staff from the school's official website
·Teachers listed by namenot published
·Teacher qualificationsnot stated
·Number of teachersthe school does not say
✓Students per teacher or class sizein the key facts above
The school states a ratio of 12 students per teacher. Two German teachers are introduced by name on the website. Boarding care is provided by state-certified social educators and staff; students who fall behind get individual tutoring and learning groups.
Safety and wellbeing from the school's official website
·CCTVnot stated on the website
·Security staffnot stated on the website
·Access controlnot stated on the website
·Nurse or medical roomnot stated on the website
·Counsellornot stated on the website
✓Child protection policy
·Staff trainingnot stated on the website
·Anti-bullying policynot stated on the website
The boarding house operates under German child care law, supervised by the Detmold district government; state-certified social educators and staff are on duty around the clock and students follow a structured daily routine. Health insurance and medical care are included in the boarding fee. Parents receive regular reports on progress and behaviour, and there are parents' days and online meetings with teachers.
Reviews
No reviews yet. The community rating counts towards the score once a school has five verified reviews - until then we do not show a zero, so as not to mislead.
Criteria breakdown criterion weight in brackets
Academics and programmes (16%)82 Community rating (16%)no dataparent reviews are needed: the criterion switches on at the fifth verified one Exams and destinations (12%) scored on disclosed data80 Safety and wellbeing (12%) scored on disclosed data60 Accreditation and verifiability (10%)85 Teaching staff (10%) scored on disclosed data55 Facilities (10%) scored on disclosed data60 Clubs and activities (8%) scored on disclosed data55 Value for money (6%) scored at the median84 "Scored on disclosed data" stands where we count only what the school has written about itself on its own site: exams and destinations, safety and wellbeing, teaching staff, facilities, clubs and activities. A low score here means the school does not write about this, not that the school does not have it: a school with good security and a sparse site will score low. A school can fill in its profile, and the score will be counted again.
The score is counted from 7 of the 9 criteria.Only those with checkable data count: programmes and accreditations from official registers, the fee from a published price list. Where it says "scored on the median", the school has no data and the middle of the list is put in its place, so that a gap gives no advantage. Admissions, teaching staff and reviews come in as their data arrives.
The full methodology → Similar schools in the country
Paderborn, Germany · Private