Best schools in Copenhagen
Education in Copenhagen
A Danish education feels a lot like going back in time 40 years in the UK, when children had less academic pressure and more freedom. This can reduce anxiety in children and boost their confidence, which can be a real gift.
Generally, international schools run two separate schools-within-schools, one international and one Danish. Danes are generally not admitted to the international stream and vice versa except at Copenhagen International School which currently only runs an international stream. This is the option usually chosen by Danes who’ve lived overseas and want an international education for their children.
If you’re settling permanently in Denmark and want your children to speak Danish, a local Danish school could be a good choice. The kommune (borough) where you live will assign your children to a school. All Danish residents are entitled to send their children to local schools and there are classes specifically aimed at getting children up to speed, in Danish, before they transition into local school. You’ll be able to find information on your kommune website.
It’s usually possible to choose to live within biking distance of your school, so with a fabulous cycle-lane network, cycling is a popular choice. Parents with small children might invest in a cargo bike to ferry their offspring to and from school. Older children (from about 7+) tend to cycle by themselves.
There are buses, metros and trains within walking distance of all the international schools, so public transport is also an option. As in the UK, parking around schools is not usually easy, although that doesn’t stop people from driving, particularly in the cold, dark winter. Car-pooling isn’t really a thing, and the majority of schools do not run school buses.
Schools in Copenhagen (both international and local) do not have big playing fields, which means your child won’t be playing rugby or field hockey at school. But there are lots of after-school sports clubs - some of which are school-specific - so if a particular sport is very important to you, you may want to factor in their locations.
Choosing a school in Copenhagen
A couple of the international schools offer IGCSEs. There’s also a school offering the international primary curriculum, and two IB schools. Also available are the European Baccalaureate, the French curriculum, a Danish curriculum taught in English and a mix of Danish and British curricula.
If the school you like is full, join the waiting list, find a space in a school where you can and be prepared to move schools – and possibly even the curriculum - part way through your posting. None of this is unusual in Copenhagen.
The Danish believe primary age children should be learning to cooperate and work together, both in schoolwork and in resolving problems. This means that a lot of time is spent in lightly supervised play. This approach carries through into international schools too, and with schooling beginning a year later in Denmark compared to the UK, you will definitely see a difference in the academic standard in primary schools, with more material covered at a later age in Denmark.
If you know you’ll be returning to a UK primary school or early on in secondary school, consider how best to narrow any gap between content covered in Denmark versus the UK. Some families take the ‘little and often’ approach, using UK curriculum apps to keep maths etc ticking over, whilst some hire a tutor for their last six months or so to give a bespoke gap-filling service.
Special education needs in Copenhagen
Copenhagen International School is the only international school really catering for children with learning differences. There is a fully-staffed department of learning support teachers, and children with additional needs are given bespoke learning programmes. Onsite speech therapy and occupational therapy is also available. The Bridges programme at the school caters for children with more significant needs, who cannot manage a mainstream school environment.
Pre-schools, kindergarten and nurseries in Copenhagen
It’s normal in Denmark for both parents to work and so there are many full time nurseries (vuggestue) and pre-schools (bornehave) in Copenhagen. Bornehave take children up to age 6 (school starting age in Denmark), so this can be a great way to get young children learning Danish.
Vuggestue and bornehave children spend the majority of their time outside all year round. Expect a lower staff to child ratio than in the UK and to hear that your infant has been on outings and trips, only after they have taken place. It’s normal to see big pram-loads of toddlers out and about and to see very young children walking for playtime, on the beach or at a local park.
There are plenty of international (ie English speaking) pre-schools too. Pre-school childcare is subsidised by the state but you will need to pay the balance. Because most adults work in Copenhagen, there are often waiting lists for vuggestue and bornehave.
