Schnepfenthal Salzmann School

The Schnepfenthal Institution is a boarding school in the district of Gotha, Germany, founded in 1784.While adhering to national educational guidelines on science and mathematics, it is also one of the top schools in Germany for the study of foreign languages. In addition to compulsory education in English and German, students in 6th grade choose from Arabic, Chinese and Japanese. Latin is taught in year 5, and the student may continue studying Latin throughout his education at the Salzmannschool, if he wishes. In year 8, students must choose from French, Italian, Russian and Spanish. 9th grade students have to choose among three of those four languages again, depending on which language they began studying in year 8.It is amongst a handful of government supported schools specifically catering to the academically talented in Germany, along with institutions such as Pforta and the Landesgymnasium für Hochbegabte Schwäbisch Gmünd. To gain admission, prospective students have to pass a special entrance examination facilitated by faculty from the University of Erfurt.LocationLocated on the northern slopes of the vast 5,500km2 Thuringian Forest, the school is in Walterhausen in the district of Gotha, near Castle Reinhardsbrunn. Gotha is best known as the ducal capital of the Saxe-Coburg Gotha dynasty, today's British royal family. Reinhardsbrunn was built by Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, father-in-law to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. It was also where Queen Victoria first met Prince Albert.