EXERCISE SPACES FOR STARTCHANCEN SCHOOLS
Germany’s Startchancen programme invests in around 4,000 schools. Several federal states explicitly list schoolyard design with exercise and sports facilities as fundable under Pillar I. Here is how a BARbara calisthenics station fits in — pedagogically justified, standard-compliant and plannable.
Can Startchancen schools get a calisthenics station funded? In several federal states, yes: the Pillar I guidelines of e.g. Bavaria, Saxony, Lower Saxony, Berlin, Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate name schoolyard design with exercise and sports facilities as eligible — provided it improves the pedagogical learning environment and is not mere maintenance. The application is made by the school authority (Schulträger); rates and procedures differ by state.
Three pillars — where an exercise space fits
Pillar I · Investment
Construction and equipment of a modern, accessible learning environment. This is where the station itself can be funded — applied for by the school authority.
Pillar II · Opportunity budget
Funds the school uses for school and teaching development — e.g. clubs, movement programmes and usage concepts around the new space.
Pillar III · Staff
Multi-professional teams such as school social work — the people who use the space daily for breaks, prevention and all-day programmes.
Official programme information: BMBFSFJ – Startchancen-Programm
Three paths into the topic
Lack of exercise in the schoolyard
Many schoolyards are sealed surfaces without any exercise offer. Why that matters – and what helps.
Breaks, conflicts & exercise
Without an offer, breaks quickly turn into boredom and conflict. Exercise gives energy a direction.
The schoolyard as a living space
Startchancen wants schools to be living spaces. The outdoor area is often forgotten.
BARbara as a schoolyard exercise space
Breaks, PE, all-day school, clubs: how one compact station serves the whole school day.
Short pedagogical concept (template)
The free Word template for your application: need, goals, usage plan, inclusion – pre-structured.
Inclusion & accessibility
Heterogeneous groups need offers on many levels. How a station becomes inclusive.
Funding via Pillar I
School, school authority, state: who does what – with an overview of all 16 federal states.
From idea to opening
Seven steps from the first call to the opening – who does what and when.
Checklist for school authorities
Standard, surface, maintenance, variants, procurement – everything the school authority needs to check.
Free short-concept template
Many states require a short pedagogical concept for Pillar I. Our template already covers the BARbara-specific parts — you add your school’s situation.
Get the templateWe are currently in talks with interested schools. As soon as a first school project is realised, we will document it here — with real figures only.
The inclusive sport area in Neinstedt (Saxony-Anhalt) is a municipal project, not a school — but it shows how an inclusive BARbara site was funded with support from Lotto Sachsen-Anhalt.
View the Neinstedt case studyFederal states with their own page
Saxony-Anhalt
per guideline up to 80%
Read moreSaxony
per guideline up to 70%
Read moreBavaria
per guideline up to 70% (up to 90% for financially weak authorities)
Read moreBaden-Württemberg
per guideline up to 70%
Read moreLower Saxony
per guideline up to 70%
Read moreBerlin
per guideline eligible costs covered in full (max. 70% federal, min. 30% state)
Read moreRhineland-Palatinate
Read moreFrequently asked questions
What is the Startchancen programme?
A joint programme of the German federal government and the states: around €20 billion over 10 years for about 4,000 schools with a high share of disadvantaged pupils, starting in the 2024/25 school year. It has three pillars: investment (~40%), opportunity budget (~30%) and staff (~30%).
Who applies for Pillar I funding?
The school authority (Schulträger — usually the municipality or district), not the school itself. The school contributes the pedagogical justification, often in the form of a short pedagogical concept.
Is a calisthenics station automatically fundable?
No. Eligibility depends on the respective state guideline and the individual review. Several guidelines explicitly name exercise and sports facilities in outdoor areas — the decisive factor is the pedagogical added value. Pure maintenance is excluded.
What does a BARbara station cost?
Around €15,000 — fully ready to use, including groundwork and installation. Note that some states have minimum project sizes, so the station may need to be part of a larger schoolyard measure.
Do you help with the application?
We provide a free short-concept template, product and standard documentation (DIN EN 16630) and a firm quote for the application. The application itself is submitted by the school authority; we do not promise any funding rate or approval.
Share this page with your school authority or staff
Planning a project at your school?
Tell us about your school in the Park Finder or get in touch directly — we provide documentation and a firm quote for the application.