High School Essen-Werden

What High School Essen-Werden does

Gymnasium Essen-Werden (GEW) is a public secondary school located at Grafenstraße 9, 45239 Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, operated under the administration of the City of Essen and funded by the Schulministerium NRW. The institution traces its origins to a Latin school established in 799 AD alongside the Benedictine monastery of Werden, giving it more than 1,200 years of continuous operation as one of Germany's oldest educational institutions. It serves approximately 11–50 administrative/core staff in addition to a teaching Kollegium of roughly 100+ educators, delivering the standard Gymnasium curriculum across three campus buildings covering Erprobungsstufe (Grades 5–6), Mittelstufe (Grades 7–10), and Oberstufe (Grades 11–13), culminating in the Abitur university entrance qualification.

The school's educational product is differentiated through five specialized profile tracks: a nationally unique Tanz (Dance) program with its own dedicated Tanzhaus facility and boarding for out-of-region students; a Musik (Music) profile with multiple ensembles and a 60-year tradition; a MINT-EC-certified STEM profile; a Europa profile featuring international exchanges with schools in England, Spain, Poland, Gran Canaria, Peru, and London; and a Sports profile. Underlying the academic offering is a school-wide digital infrastructure deployed since 2023, including iPads for all Year 5 students and staff, beamers, Apple TVs, SmartBoards, and Gigabit WiFi, organized around NRW's six-domain Medienkompetenzrahmen. The school's business model is that of a publicly funded educational institution: tuition is free, core operations are financed by state and municipal budgets, and ancillary revenue (art calendars at €5, school clothing, yearbooks, and Förderverein membership dues from roughly 350 members) is supplementary and non-commercial. Distribution occurs through the official enrollment (Neuanmeldungen) process administered by the city, with the dance program's unique national positioning driving inbound recruitment from across Germany and abroad.

Name

High School Essen-Werden

Legal name

Gymnasium Essen-Werden

Website

https://gymnasium-essen-werden.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gymnasium Essen-Werden is a publicly funded German Gymnasium in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, serving students in Grades 5–13 with a nationally unique dance-as-Abitur program alongside music, MINT-EC STEM, Europa, and sports profiles, under the administration of the City of Essen.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Honors Liberal Arts Colleges (Honors College/Program-Led) (EDAHACAL)

Keywords

• Secondary education
• Public schooling
• STEM curriculum
• Arts education
• Gymnasium instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Essen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: As a public German Gymnasium, the school is funded by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Schulministerium NRW) and the city of Essen. No commercial revenue generation.
2. Publications and Merchandise: Sale of art calendar (€5), school clothing, yearbooks, and brochures. Additional revenue from donations through the Förderverein (alumni/parent association).
3. Förderverein Membership: Society of Friends and Supporters (Gesellschaft der Freunde und Förderer) with over 350 members paying annual dues. Current focus on digitization funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

High School Essen-Werden (Gymnasium Essen-Werden) is a public German secondary school providing academic instruction from grades 5 through 13, organized across three campus levels (Erprobungsstufe, Mittelstufe, Oberstufe). The school offers differentiated educational profiles including Dance (Tanz), Music (Musik), STEM (MINT), European Studies (Europa), and Sport, culminating in the Abitur qualification.

Product overview

Gymnasium Essen-Werden is a public secondary school (Gymnasium) in Essen, Germany, with a three-campus setup serving Erprobungsstufe (Years 5–6), Mittelstufe (Years 7–10), and Oberstufe (Years 11–13). The school's core educational product is its comprehensive Gymnasium program, differentiated through five specialized profiles: a unique nationwide Tanz (Dance) profile (offering dance as an Abitur Leistungskurs since 2000 in its own Tanzhaus), a Musik (Music) profile with multiple ensembles and close Folkwang Universität ties, a MINT-EC-certified STEM profile, a Europa profile with international exchanges, and a Sports profile. The school also embeds a Digital Media Competence Program (Medienkonzept) across all subjects, distributing iPads to all Year 5 students and staff, with infrastructure including SmartBoards and Apple TV. Digital support services include the L-E-O cafeteria ordering system and a digital media competence framework across six NRW-aligned domains. Supplementary offerings include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, peer tutoring (Schüler helfen Schülern), publications (art calendar, Werdy brochure, school newsletter, yearbook), and a school film.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gymnasium Academic Program Full secondary education program from grade 5 through grade 13, delivered in three stages (Erprobungsstufe grades 5-6, Mittelstufe grades 7-10, Oberstufe grades 11-13), culminating in the Abitur qualification. For school-age students and their families in the Essen region.
• Tanz (Dance) Profile Specialized dance-focused educational track, reportedly unique among German Gymnasien nationwide, offering intensive dance training integrated with academic instruction. For students with strong dance aptitude and interest.
• Musik (Music) Profile Specialized music-focused educational track with enhanced music instruction integrated with academic curriculum. For musically talented students.
• MINT (STEM) Profile Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics focused educational track with MINT-EC certification. For students with strong aptitude and interest in STEM disciplines.
• Europa Profile European-focused educational track emphasizing European languages, culture, and history integrated with standard academic curriculum.
• Sport Profile Sports-focused educational track integrating competitive athletics with the academic Gymnasium curriculum.
• School Art Calendar Annual student art calendar sold for approximately €5, produced as a school community project.

Quantifiable outcome

• MINT-EC recertification confirmed in recent years, demonstrating sustained excellence in STEM education
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Golfclub Essen-HeidhausenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025New cooperation started 2025. Golf AG for beginners planned for next semester, supported by German Golf Association (Deutscher Golf-Verband). Introduction event held in school gym with chipping, putting, and driving range activities led by professional instructor Raffael Schöning.
• Folkwang MusikschuleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Cooperation resumed since school year 2023/24 offering attractive opportunities around instrumental lessons. Grade 5 students learn about instruments through concerts and can try them in 'Instrumentenkarussell'. Afternoon instrumental lessons offered at school premises including guitar, piano, trumpet, violin, cello. Expandable based on demand.
• Landeselternschaft der Gymnasien in Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Parent association is member of state parents' association for grammar schools in NRW, providing networking and advocacy support.
• GFOScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Technology company cooperation since 2016 providing financial support and additional offerings including career orientation for students. GFOS-Innovationsaward competition held at school with student participants winning prizes.
• Job konkret (Arbeitskreis Berufsorientierung)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Working group on career preparation formed in 2004 by Schulpflegschaft (parent council) to develop supplementary career orientation concepts leveraging diverse professional backgrounds of parents.
• Folkwang UniversitätcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1962Long-standing partnership since 1962 when Folkwangschule was elevated to music university. Dance department collaboration since monastery times; Institute for School Music established 1970 expanded to music education. Regular student internships and teaching practice. Shared performance and rehearsal facilities. Formalized in 2005 cooperation contract to provide optimal conditions for students and early networking between school and university. Students benefit from professional music and dance education standards.
• Jugendzentrum Werden (JUBB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with city youth center for transition activities including climbing hall trips and class parties for new 5th graders, as part of Erprobungsstufe orientation program.
• Alte Synagoge EssenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Holocaust remembrance and anti-Semitism education programs. Supports 'Schule ohne Rassismus' initiative with educational offerings on antisemitism.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Helmholtz-Gymnasium Heidelberg: One of Germany's top-tier Gymnasiums and a MINT-EC certified school, comparable to Gymnasium Essen-Werden in rigorous academics, multiple profile specializations, and STEM excellence focus. A direct benchmark for the MINT-EC membership tier.
• Max-Planck-Gymnasium Düsseldorf: Comparable top-tier MINT-EC certified Gymnasium in NRW with strong STEM profile offerings. Geographic proximity to Essen creates direct competition for top STEM students in the Rhine-Ruhr region.
• Folkwang Universität der Künste: The school's institutional partner since 1962, comparable in arts education excellence for music and dance. Both share faculty, rehearsal and performance facilities, and a structured student transition pathway formalized in the 2005 cooperation contract.

Broad incumbents

• Schule Schloss Salem: Elite German boarding school offering a broader private alternative for top students nationally. Comparable in academic rigor and specialized program offerings, but operates a different funding model (tuition-based) and competes for the same pool of high-performing, geographically mobile families.

Regional players

• Gymnasium am Stoppenberg: Local Essen peer Gymnasium that cooperates with Gymnasium Essen-Werden on the DELE Spanish certificate program. Operates in the same geographic catchment, offering a directly comparable secondary school alternative.
• Goethe-Gymnasium Essen: Local peer Gymnasium in Essen competing for the same catchment of students. Comparable comprehensive academic profile with similar profile specializations, representing the primary local alternative for families choosing secondary schooling.

Others

• MINT-EC (Excellence School Network): The national Excellence-School-Network for STEM education of which Gymnasium Essen-Werden is a member since 2015. The network includes hundreds of comparable schools across Germany, and recertification through MINT-EC places the school within a curated peer cohort.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about High School Essen-Werden