The School for the Sick teaches pupils who are unable to attend regular classes for health reasons and are expected to be absent from their usual school for more than six weeks. It maintains branches in clinics or similar facilities. Another form of teaching is home schooling for pupils who are unable to make the journey to school.

Lessons are based on individual capacity and take place in small groups or individually.

The aim is to enable pupils who are ill to catch up with lessons at their school of origin and to support them in planning their future schooling. The school for the sick is authorized to issue school-leaving certificates for all curricula according to which it teaches.