The pre-school class
The pre-school class is a voluntary form of school within the state school system. Municipalities are required to offer children places in pre-school classes from the autumn term of the year in which a child turns six until the child starts his/her compulsory schooling.
The pre-school system is to be seen as teaching on the same terms as other forms of schooling. Pre-school classes share their curriculum, Lpo 94, with compulsory school and out-of-school centres. From the autumn term of the year in which a child turns six, municipalities must offer all children places in pre-school classes. Children may be admitted earlier. A pre-school class must comprise a minimum of 525 hours per year and is free of charge.
Today approximately 96 per cent of all six-year-olds go to pre-school classes. The proportion of five-year-olds in pre-school classes is just over one per cent and of seven year olds, around one per cent. A small proportion of the total number of six-year-olds, two per cent, are enrolled in compulsory schools.
The aim of education in pre-school classes is to stimulate each child's development and learning and provide the basis for his/her future school career. One of the intentions of the pre-school class reform and integration was to implement the educational tradition of pre-schools in schools, with greater scope given to play, creativity and the child's own exploration. Another aim of the pre-school class is to bridge the gap between the pre-school and school systems. This bridge, in turn, is intended to improve standards in both systems.
The pre-school class follows Lpo 94, the national curriculum for the compulsory school system, pre-school classes and out-of school centres. Within these frameworks, the individual local authority decides how activities are to be run. Many municipalities have chosen to integrate their pre-school classes into the same premises as compulsory schools. One-third of municipalities have also chosen to integrate their activities so that they work together every day.
