The Pestalozzi-Fröbel-Haus (PFH) in Berlin is an institution with a long standing tradition and and a unique profile in the training of nursery-school teachers and social pedagogues working in all fields of social education. It was founded in 1874 by Henriette Schrader-Breymann, who wanted to ensure the high quality of staff working in the "kindergartens” set up by her in the tradition of Friedrich Fröbel. Today, the PFH comprises

  • a college of social education
  • an advanced technical college for social care
  • 11 day care centres
  • neighbourhood centres comprising a family advice centre, a centre for educational advisors, an artist’s school for children, parent-child groups etc.
  • youth welfare projects
  • primary school projects for children from 6 to 12 years.

The PFH is part of an international net of educational institutions and since 1995 part of a network supported by the Commission of the European Union fostering study visits and placements of students and staff in all countries of the EU. The PFH is especially successful in supporting students to spend one term working in childcare provisions in Europe.

The PFH cooperates with universities and is successful in acquiring financial means for model projects, aiming at developing day care centres into centres of education for children and their families. Outstanding examples are the model project Early Excellence in the PFH and the pilot project Children and Family Centre Schillerstraße ,the first Early Excellence Centre in Germany, built up with financial support of the Heinz and Heide Dürr Foundation in close cooperation with the Pen Green Centre in Corby, UK. Part of this cooperation are mutual study visits of the staff of both centres.

The training of social pedagogues requires two places of studying: the school as the place of theoretical preparation and the educational institution as the place where knowledge can be tested and experience can be gained. The PFH offers both places of studying to its students under one roof and can thus provide a unique learning experience by relating the curriculum to the Berlin Educational Programme, which in turn inspires also the staff of the school and the other institutions of the PFH.

A continuous development of quality standards is fundamental to the PFH-profile, including regular staff training measures.