Preparation courses for the Long-Term Gymnasium
Alongside school (6th grade)
Systematic preparation for the entrance exam to the long-term Gymnasium is essential in 6th grade, even if your child has the maturity and academic skills for the gymnasium. This is because the exam tasks in German and Mathematics differ greatly from the types of tasks covered at school—at the entrance exam for the long-term gymnasium, they are significantly more difficult. We prepare our students for this challenge over 20 half-days of classes.
What is special about our Gymi preparation courses?
Our gymnasium preparation in Zurich prepares your child optimally for the Zurich entrance exams for the long-term gymnasium. In particular, they are characterised by:
- Small groups of a maximum of five students—so every child can actively participate in class and receives targeted support.
- Long lessons of 75 minutes per subject allow for intensive preparation and follow-up of the material.
- The syllabus strictly follows the learning objectives of the Canton of Zurich’s entrance exam.
- The exam-relevant task types are discussed and practised—the exam success depends heavily on the children’s routine.
- A personal, student-focused environment—Open Learning Space Zurich has a family atmosphere.
- We offer only a few courses, but we supervise them intensively.
How are the long-term Gymnasium courses structured?
Courses at our 3 locations start after the summer holidays. A preparation course consists of 20 half-days of classes. You can choose between Wednesday afternoon, Saturday morning or Saturday afternoon.
Structure: Two lessons of 75 minutes take place per course day: one lesson of Mathematics/Geometry and one lesson of German.
Homework: Approximately two hours of additional work per week should be factored in.
Focus: The first part of the course consists of systematically working through all exam-relevant content. Skills are checked after each topic block with short interim tests so that existing weaknesses can be identified and addressed with additional exercises. Initial exam tasks are worked on. In the second half, the focus is on solving and discussing original exams. Other important components of the courses are five corrected essays and two corrected simulation exams.
After 5, 10 and 15 sessions, you will receive detailed feedback on your child’s level of knowledge and learning behaviour. If problematic topics emerge, we can act quickly and provide additional tasks.
In particular, the following subject areas are covered in depth:
Mathematics: Calculating with quantities, decimals and fractions, direct and indirect proportionality, word problems, and geometry
German: Essay writing, language analysis, parts of speech, grammar, reading comprehension
You can find individual PDF extracts from our course materials in the sidebar.
Which materials do we work with?
Our course binder is optimally aligned with the requirements of the Gymi exam. In addition to theory and numerous exercises, it also contains the original exams from recent years. This allows us to review and practise relevant exam content throughout the entire course. Additional practice material on all important topics is available should difficulties become apparent in any area.
Who are the teachers?
Our teachers have studied the exams intensively and, as a rule, have already led the course in previous years. They are in contact with the pedagogical management, especially when creating feedback for the students.
What requirements should your child meet?
When transferring to the long-term Gymnasium from 6th grade, the previous grades count. The average of the previous grades (continuous assessment) and the exam grades in Mathematics/Geometry and German, including the essay, must be at least 4.75 for admission to the long-term Gymi.
An average previous grade of at least 5 in German and Mathematics is almost essential for exam success. By arrangement and with high motivation on your child’s part, slightly lower grades are not, however, a definitive exclusion criterion for our courses.
The long-term Gymnasium project requires a certain level of maturity and a high willingness to perform. Your child must be prepared to spend around two hours per week on homework at home—sometimes a little more for weaker students.
Every year, we are excited anew to see how our protégés approach the task. Our job: to offer each individual the optimal conditions so that he or she passes the entrance exam for the long-term Gymnasium!