On 21 January 2026, we were invited to a special event: the start-of-year celebration and fifth anniversary of the Sonnenstraße Family Primary School Centre (FGZ for short). We were delighted to receive this invitation, as Schulz & Sohn has been accompanying and supporting this school since 2020.
The event impressively demonstrated what makes the Family Primary School Centre so special and why supporting its work is so important.
A place where children take the centre stage
The FGZ Sonnenstraße is located in the heart of Oberbilk, a large district of Düsseldorf with particular social challenges. Many children start their school life with unequal opportunities. This is exactly where the FGZ comes in: the aim is to give all children fair educational opportunities and to empower them from the very beginning. This starts with an initiative in Year 0, where children can get a taste of everyday school life before they start Year 1, to make the transition to school easier. What makes this initiative special is its holistic approach. School is not only seen as a place of learning, but also as a social space for children, parents, and families. Education, trust and community go hand in hand here.
The future goals of the Sonnenstraße Family Primary School Centre are clear: to provide support at an earlier stage, to be closer to the children and their families, and to accompany them over the long term.
To this end, the FGZ wants to start working with children at an early age, further expand its cooperation with daycare centres and regularly be present at central locations in the district, such as Lessingplatz. This allows families to be approached at an early stage, trust to be built, and reliable relationships to develop.
Through this early and open support, the FGZ aims to have a preventive effect and strengthen children even before they enter nursery school. The goal is to give every child a good and appropriate start and to help shape the best possible educational path from the very beginning.
What sets the FGZ Sonnenstraße apart
- Highly committed, motivating and appreciative teachers, school management, social educators, volunteers, and parents
- Cross-year learning in grades 1-4, where children learn from each other and are encouraged in their personal development
- Close cooperation with parents as important educational partners
- A wide range of services for families, tailored to their actual needs, regardless of whether their children attend the FGZ as schoolchildren
- Support, advice, and networking in the neighbourhood on Open Fridays, creative afternoons with support services for young and old
With this commitment, the Family Primary School Centre aims to break a cycle in which educational disadvantages would otherwise continue to grow. Helping, supporting and strengthening at an early stage – that is the vision.
Why this commitment is important to us
At Schulz & Sohn, we see it as part of our responsibility to support long-term projects that promote education, equal opportunities and cohesion. The Sonnenstraße Family Primary School Centre shows how much can be achieved when people believe in an idea together and bring it to life.
We are proud to have been supporting this work for many years and to continue to be part of this network.
A big thank you to the entire team at the Sonnenstraße Family Primary School Centre for the invitation and for their daily work for children, families and the Oberbilk district.
