A “School to Feel Good”: Posters show what Elementary School Children want
2026-11-06 There was a lot of curiosity when some fourth-graders from the Im Roten Felde Elementary School were presented with the results of the first Lüneburg Education Conference. The girls and boys had participated in the conference earlier this year. The key findings are now on display at their school—visualized in a child-friendly way and compiled into a poster.
“What do children need to feel comfortable at school?” That was the central question of the Bildungskonferenz, which the Hanseatic City of Lüneburg and the Leuphana Innovation Community for School Improvement and Leadership had hosted in the university’s main building.
In the meantime, the results were digitized, evaluated by researchers, and summarized by topic. The analysis revealed three key areas: the organization of classes and recess, and school as a place to live.
The responses varied widely: from imaginative ideas like conveyor belts for backpacks or a pool in the schoolyard to very concrete wishes such as more quiet spaces, more flexible recess periods, or more greenery in the schoolyard.
“Children are experts when it comes to their own learning and well-being,” says Simone Abels, vice president for teacher education at Leuphana. She and her team played a key role in preparing the content for the education conference. “That’s why it’s so important that we all engage in dialogue together and use these insights as a starting point to bring about lasting change in schools.”
To ensure exactly that happens, the findings are now displayed prominently and colorfully in elementary schools—because, like the Im Roten Felde Elementary School, all municipal elementary schools have now received posters summarizing the results for the entire school.
Since many of the students’ suggestions address social interaction and organizational challenges, they are already being gradually implemented in the schools. The individual elementary schools decide for themselves how to proceed.
The Hanseatic City is incorporating other aspects—such as classroom design and the desire for greater cleanliness—into the framework plan for all-day elementary schools, so that these wishes can become a reality.
“I’ve been impressed by the ideas the children come up with when you give them the space,” says Hendrik Garbers, principal of the Im Roten Felde Elementary School. “Our student council is already very active and frequently refers to the discussion points from the education conference. This year, for example, we conducted a school-wide survey and made the restrooms more cheerful to take a step closer to fulfilling the desire for clean restrooms.”
One thing is already certain: Following this year’s successful debut, there will be another Bildungskonferenz in 2027. Planning for it will begin shortly. As soon as concrete information is available, the City of Lüneburg and Leuphana will provide updates.
“We neither want nor can develop the city’s educational landscape behind closed doors,” emphasizes Jutta Bauer, department head at the City of Lüneburg. “For our educational landscape to succeed, we need the practical experience and knowledge of those directly involved. That’s why the education conference is so important and should continue in the future,” says Bauer.
Until the next edition, anyone who missed the first education conference can visit www.hansestadt-lueneburg.de/bildungskonferenz. There, you'll find, among other things, a video of the event and the opportunity to experience the conference virtually.