Quality Management at Steinmühle

Good work and a great selection at the Steinmühle—it’s not just “a feeling”

Our staff at the school and boarding school are qualified in their respective fields; in their day-to-day work at the school and boarding school, they are empathetic, strong communicators, and team players. All of these qualities are essential for working successfully at Steinmühle and for creating a place where young people enjoy living or visiting every day.
However, our own perceptions and convictions regarding quality are not enough for us. That is why we adhere to a quality management (QM) system at both the boarding school and the school.

Quality Management at the Boarding School

The quality manager at the boarding school is Nils Schwandt, a long-time, experienced boarding school educator and house director. He is responsible for conducting regular internal and external audits.

Internal Audit

As a member of the Boarding School Association (DIV) e.V., its comprehensive audit catalog serves as the basis for regularly assessing the current status at member boarding schools, including Steinmühle Boarding School. We document whether the minimum standards are being met in all areas. If any gaps are identified, corrective measures are taken and the standards are re-evaluated.

External Audit

In addition to the assessments based on the audit checklist, the Steinmühle Boarding School also undergoes an external review conducted by quality managers from two other DIV boarding schools. This external “overview” once again ensures transparency in determining quality standards.

The establishment of quality standards and the procedures for implementing them represent an exclusive initiative of the member boarding schools of the Internate Vereinigung e.V. (DIV) as part of a voluntary self-regulatory process.
Accordingly, as a DIV boarding school, Steinmühle voluntarily submits to the DIV’s assessment criteria, thereby continually identifying potential areas for improvement and offering the highest possible level of transparency in all areas.

Quality Management in Schools

The school’s quality manager is Dirk Lange, a high school teacher and member of the school administration.
The quality criteria for Steinmühle are derived from the school’s own system. The school relies on evaluations. Primarily in structural and organizational areas, anonymous surveys of parents, students, and staff are used to assess current conditions as well as identify areas where changes are needed.
To gain insight into how the staff works together, individual evaluations are also conducted with staff members that initially have no apparent thematic connection to teaching or boarding school work with young people.

The data collected and the results of the evaluations are overlaid, provided there is overlap in their content. They highlight areas where changes may be necessary, serve as the basis for adjustments, or confirm—in a positive sense—that the current approach is effective.

All the results of the anonymous surveys—which are conducted periodically depending on the topic—serve as important guidelines for Steinmühle in developing its school structure model. They reflect parent satisfaction and provide an assessment of which standards the school and boarding school should offer and, consequently, continue to expand.