The education authority has approved the establishment of an integrated comprehensive school in Alzey to the 2027/28 school year approved. The Alzey-Worms district plans to phase in the four-form-entry school from Year 5 and move it in the medium term to a new building on the site of the Gustav Heinemann Realschule plus and the technical college Until the building is complete, lessons will begin in existing rooms. The district administration currently estimates the construction costs at around €44 million; this is an estimate at the current planning stage and may be adjusted during the forthcoming budget discussions.
The new school is being established in response to persistently high demand at Alzey’s two grammar schools. Both the Elisabeth Langgässer Grammar School and the Römerkastell Grammar School have regularly received more applications than they have places available in recent years. The school authority intends the additional type of school to ease pressure in the short term while also implementing its long-term school development plan.
In educational terms, the new integrated comprehensive school is designed with open-plan learning and team spaces. According to the planning group, the school will grow one year group at a time: four Year 5 classes are planned for its launch in 2027/28, with further year groups added gradually. The district will decide on specialist options and admissions procedures in the coming months, in consultation with parent representatives and the education authority.
Several formal steps remain before the project can be implemented. The district council must decide on the specific construction plans and the final allocation of funds. The administration will announce dates for the start of construction and contract awards only after the committee discussions have concluded. The new building is currently expected to be completed in 2029; this will depend on progress with planning, the approval process and construction costs.
District administrator Heiko Sippel describes the project as part of a regional, coordinated plan. At the same time, Alzey-Worms district is considering expanding existing integrated comprehensive schools in the surrounding area to increase the overall number of places. According to the administration, which measures are implemented first will depend on levels of demand, location issues and affordability.
In practical terms, approval by the education authority secures the school’s opening in the 2027/28 school year. The final costs, the precise construction timetable and details of the educational profile remain undecided. What is clear, however, is that the new type of school will provide additional capacity for secondary education in Alzey and could ease pressure on existing sites.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).