Our history: Where we come from
2003
The non-profit organisation Initiative for Education and Talent Promotion, which focuses on international education, is founded by Yvonne Wende, an experienced teacher and headmistress. Within a year, the first international preschool is established in Berlin-Mitte.
2004
In September, the first bilingual German-English kindergarten opens its doors in Berlin-Mitte with 18 children – the foundation stone of today’s Berlin Cosmopolitan School. Anita Kreft, a certified dance teacher and Palucca graduate, begins teaching dance to preschoolers.
2005
Within six months, the nursery school grows to 35 children. At the same time, the school’s music programme is launched. Yvonne Wende formulates the educational approach: “You can only love music if you play it yourself – and you have to start early.”
2006
With the establishment of the European Education Foundation by Helga Helmbold and the support of Michele V. Adamski, the vision of the Berlin Cosmopolitan School continues to take shape.
2007
The primary school opens with 30 pupils in grades 1–4 in the rooms of the Protestant Sophienkirche on Große Hamburger Straße in Berlin-Mitte. Special thanks go to the Protestant community for their support.
2008
With 70 pupils, the primary school moves into its current premises at Rückerstraße 9. Thanks to two generous sponsors, the building is purchased for the school. The new dance hall with its large mirrored wall is inaugurated, and all classrooms are equipped with SMARTboards and internet access.
2009
The secondary school starts with ten pupils in Year 7. In addition, a state-of-the-art science laboratory is opened and the first international student exchanges begin.
2010
The school grows to 130 kindergarten and preschool children, 170 primary school children and 32 secondary school pupils in grades 7–8. The founding of the Central Hoops Berlin Cosmopolitan e. V. sports club and the opening of the school library expand the school’s offerings.
2011
The media lab with over 20 workstations is opened. In October, the second nursery and preschool, Kindergarten in the Park, opens at Invalidenstraße 130 with 40 children.
2012
On the initiative of parents, the school’s own kitchen is established. Head chef Hartmut Keuchel and his team cook over 700 healthy meals every day. A morning brunch buffet is also introduced for secondary school pupils.
2013
BCS is accredited as an International Baccalaureate World School for the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP). The first MSA examinations are successfully completed. The Cosmovatorium, BCS’s music and dance school, is established – the first school in Berlin to offer IB Dance as a subject. All classrooms are now equipped with modern digital technology.
2014
The Berlin Cosmopolitan School celebrates its tenth anniversary and receives state recognition for its secondary school.
2015
The first IB Diploma cohort successfully completes their studies. The school organises its first major summer show with contributions from kindergarten to upper school. Over 700 pupils from all over the world now study at the Rückerstraße and Invalidenstraße campuses.
2016
The Upper Secondary Forum for IB and Abitur students is opened. The first Abitur cohort achieves the best results of any school in Berlin, with an average grade of 1.4. The newly designed school playground is inaugurated as an outdoor basketball and football pitch.
2017
Two IB students are among the top 1% worldwide. The school is recognised as a STEM-friendly digital school. The school library goes online, and the kindergarten receives an Erasmus+ grant for a strategic educational partnership.
2018
BCS hosts its first TEDxYouth event with student speakers from grades 4–11. Yvonne Wende is named Entrepreneur of the Year. The school also receives an EU grant to promote values education.
2019
The second TEDxYouth event takes place with speakers from grades 2–12. The school once again achieves the best Abitur average in Berlin and, for the first time, runs two parallel classes from grades 1–12 throughout. The 6th grades take part in weekly outdoor lessons, and the kindergarten is awarded the title of Leuchtturm-Kita (lighthouse nursery).
2020
On the second day of the pandemic-related shutdown, BCS begins regular online lessons for primary and secondary school pupils. The school kitchen receives certification from the German Nutrition Society (DGE).
2021
The Berlin Cosmopolitan School is opening a new extracurricular learning centre at Müggelsee. Former students are programming Cosmo-Swap, an online marketplace for used school clothing.
2022
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the school’s graduating class achieved the best results in Berlin with an average grade of 1.5. In addition, the BCS Nature Campus was opened on Lake Müggelsee.
2023
The first summer and sports camps will take place at the new campus. On 8 September, BCS graduates will meet with pupils in years 9–12 at the campus for the first time.
2024
The results of the IB Diploma Programme once again confirm the school’s high level of performance: the average BCS score is 35 out of 45 points (global average: 30/45). The highest score achieved is 42/45. The Abitur year group, comprising 30 students, achieved an average of 1.73.
2025
The year 2025 marks another milestone in the development of the Berlin Cosmopolitan School: with the best Abitur average in Berlin, the school once again confirms its academic excellence. At the same time, the school’s founder is honoured as a STEM ambassador and opens a new chapter in the culture of remembrance at the listed building on Rückerstraße with the ceremonial unveiling of a commemorative plaque. The future of the students is also in focus – BCS receives the seal of quality for career guidance. The robotics teams gain international attention by qualifying for the VEX Robotics World Championship in Texas. With the opening of the Hall of Fame, the comprehensively redesigned school library and the new cafeteria, three new places are created that will have a lasting impact on learning, interaction and identity.
