Education and Schools in Denmark

Education and schools in Denmark are of an exceedingly high standard. Schools across the country are subsidised by the government and, as a result, have modern facilities and highly qualified staff. There are also several excellent private and international schools in Denmark. 

All municipalities in Denmark provide free education for all children. Parents can enrol their children at any municipal school that has space, which can either be in their neighbourhood or another school in their municipality or a neighbouring municipality.

Children can enter nursery school from as early as nine months old, and most are enrolled in public kindergartens by age three. Schooling is compulsory from ages 6 to 16 and a trade or academic approach must be chosen at the end of their primary school years. 

Not many expat children speak Danish when they arrive in Denmark, but this is not a barrier to enrolment in a municipal school. Non-Danish-speaking children are either placed in a reception class with other non-Danish-speaking pupils or are placed in a regular Danish-speaking class but are given extra support in the language.

Useful links

• Danish Ministry of Children and Education

Private schools in Denmark

Most parents opt to send their children to their local municipal school, but some pick a private school. Private schools in Denmark are self-governing institutions, required to provide education to the standards of municipal schools. 

The government partly funds them. There are many types of private schools and some are based on a specific philosophy, pedagogical line or religious belief.

International schools in Denmark

There is a growing number of both public and private international schools in Denmark. International education is recognised as a key factor in attracting and retaining expats. Most international schools in Denmark are in and around Copenhagen, but the rest of the country also has good coverage. Many of these schools have English as their primary language, while others teach primarily in German or French. The International Baccalaureate is the most commonly offered curriculum at these schools.

Useful links

• International Primary and Elementary Schools
• International Upper Secondary Schools

Special-needs education in Denmark

Denmark's Ministry of Education practices inclusive education and strives to ensure that all children with special educational needs are kept in mainstream schools with additional support. Children will be offered differentiated teaching and supplemental training in collaboration with the school's resource centre. 

Children will first need to be assessed by the interdisciplinary support (Den Tværfaglige Support) team, and the assigned psychologist will make recommendations in partnership with the parents. This will result in children either being placed in special needs schools, offered additional support or retained in a mainstream classroom. 

Useful links

• Interdisciplinary Support

Tutors in Denmark

Tutoring is a useful tool for expat children moving to Denmark. Tutors can help expat children learn Danish or maintain proficiency in their mother tongue. Tutoring is also helpful in adjusting to a new curriculum and assisting with challenging subjects such as mathematics and science. There are several tutoring companies available in Denmark, but parents can also reach out to their children's schools for a recommended list of tutors. 

Useful links

• TutorChase
• TeacherOn
• Spires Online Tutors