Naturally, physical education holds a special place in the canon of school subjects. It has an exceptional potential to shape and influence pupils' behaviour and personality. The aim of this subject therefore is to provide a multi-faceted development of skills, knowledge, competencies and abilities. Its objectives include maintaining good health, providing meaningful leisure time activities, developing a positive self-image, deepening of social skills and acquiring the ability to actively shape life at school. In this respect, not only are the clear rules of sports important, but also the purpose-driven exercises/games, the aim of which is to prevent health problems or to convey certain experiences of movement based on their educational value. Above all, the primary objective of physical education should be to instil and promote a long-lasting interest in sports in the pupils and to equip them with the necessary requirements and skills.
In general, physical education classes are held in mixed groups with pupils from across all language sections. The sports' teachers always strive to provide the pupils with a varied and interesting sports' lessons. By taking differential measures, the skills of weaker pupils are equally well promoted as those of stronger ones. The new curriculum of the European Schools also provides more flexibility in teaching regarding the choice of the lessons' content and activities. This allows for individual circumstances to be considered and for a selection of content from the extensive overall curriculum that is tailored to the requirements of the particular class situation and school conditions.
Due to the lack of sports' hall space, caused by an ever-increasing pupils' numbers, physical education classes have to be partly held in the sports' centre in the Lauenstein street. The subject sports is not only limited to the compulsory school lessons as outlined in the curriculum, but is extended by the extra-curricular school sport activities, i.e. during class trips or as part of school competitions and events.
The sports' activities outside the classroom play an important role at the ESM. Without the many dance and gymnastics performances, the flag-waving school groups, the National Youth Games, the ski and snowboard races, the sport activities during the breaks as well as the football and basketball tournaments, school life at the ESM would be hard to imagine. One sports' highlight is held every two years: the Eurosport competitions. After a long-term preparation phase during daily school breaks and in sports' classes, 30 pupils compete against their counterparts from the other European schools in various disciplines. However, the Eurosport competitions' focus is not merely on performance, but also on cultural exchange.