13.2
Secondary school
General section
Chapter 13
Collaboration and division between school levels
13.1
Secondary school level
It is important that the learning of students who move between schools or study programs is as useful to them as possible. According to the law, two or more upper secondary schools can jointly prepare study program descriptions. Such cooperation or collaboration on the joint provision of study programs is part of making it easier for students to move between schools and gives small schools in cooperation with large schools the opportunity to offer a more diverse program. Schools can both offer the same study programs or join forces in implementing them in another way. In this way, one school can offer the first part of a study program and students can take the second part at a partner school. Schools can also join forces in teaching courses.
School collaboration can also include support services, such as a computer system or web services.
To ensure continuity and promote the well-being of students, it is important that there are active connections and information sharing between primary and secondary schools. Primary school students can begin their studies in secondary school concurrently with primary school if there is an agreement between the relevant primary and secondary schools on the implementation. Furthermore, an agreement must be made between the state and the municipality, which states, among other things, that the students and the organization of the study are the responsibility of the primary school.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture emphasizes a flexible division between primary and secondary schools. If students in primary schools meet the competency requirements in individual subjects in secondary schools, they are entitled to have the studies they have completed assessed as credits, as long as the studies fall within the curriculum and course descriptions of the relevant secondary school and the study requirements are comparable. A prerequisite for this type of study arrangement is formal cooperation between primary and secondary schools.
13.2.1
Relationship to proficiency levels in upper secondary school
The first level of upper secondary education overlaps with the lower secondary level of compulsory education in such a way that a description of the first level of upper secondary education is also a description of the competence that is aimed for at the end of compulsory education. Furthermore, the National Curriculum Guide for Compulsory Education has defined, at the end of compulsory education, a harmonised assessment scale linked to defined assessment criteria for individual subjects and areas of study.
The criteria for assessing key competences in compulsory school are aligned with the descriptions of key competences in upper secondary school and the description of the characteristics of the first level of competence. These criteria, together with descriptions of assessment at the end of compulsory school within different areas of study, are useful for upper secondary schools in the planning of study programmes intended to bridge the gap between compulsory and upper secondary school.
The purpose of the standardized assessment scale at the end of compulsory school is to provide a consistent description of students’ competence at the end of compulsory school, regardless of the school. Compulsory schools are responsible for ensuring that the assessment at the end of compulsory school is valid and reliable and that the assessment provides students, parents and upper secondary schools with the best possible guidance regarding the students’ next steps.
Upper secondary school courses are defined by proficiency level and students from primary schools begin their studies in courses at either the first or second proficiency level, depending on the prerequisites of the course and the students’ proficiency. Upper secondary schools use students’ grades at the end of primary school, among other things, to guide them in which courses at the first or second proficiency level are suitable for them to begin their studies.
At the end of compulsory school, the AD assessment scale is used and is defined as a student who receives a B, B+ or A has achieved the competence criteria in grade 10. The knowledge, skills and competence of students at the end of compulsory school are consistent with the description of the first competence level of upper secondary school. It can therefore be assumed that students who achieve the above criteria have the competence to begin studies in Icelandic, English, Danish and mathematics in upper secondary school at the second competence level. The assessment of which level is most suitable for each individual is in the hands of the relevant upper secondary school within the limits set by regulations and agreements.
13.3
University level
The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture emphasizes flexible transitions between school levels, and this also applies to transitions between upper secondary schools and universities. Educational institutions are given increased responsibility for developing learning opportunities at the boundaries of school levels to increase flexibility and students’ opportunities for transfer between school levels. In this way, diverse learning courses at the fourth qualification level can overlap with studies at the university level. Cooperation between adjacent school levels is a prerequisite for the possibility of assessing learning between school levels.
According to the Upper Secondary School Act, schools are permitted to offer studies following the completion of defined courses at the third qualification level. The studies are defined as additional studies at the fourth qualification level and are expressed in upper secondary school credits.
Studies at the fourth qualification level can be assessed for credits (ECTS) at the university level, cf. Act No. 63/2006. However, this is based on the criteria of each university institution, domestic or foreign. Upper secondary schools must always advertise studies at the fourth level in upper secondary school credits, but if there is a cooperation agreement on the assessment of the study with a higher education institution, this can be mentioned in the information on the study offer.
13.4
Working life
Collaboration between upper secondary schools and the business community is a prerequisite for the school system to be able to respond to the needs of the business community and also offer a diverse range of courses that will be useful to students in their jobs after graduation. The collaboration can take place in different ways and have different emphases.
In some upper secondary schools, professional councils have been formed with representatives from the business community, who, among other things, are advisory in decisions about emphases in studies in individual study programs. There is also widespread collaboration between upper secondary schools and the business community that takes into account the specific situation of the local community. This can focus on the needs of companies for educated personnel and/or the needs of the school’s students for workplace learning or vocational training. There are also examples of schools collaborating with workplaces that provide them with facilities for practical teaching in individual study courses.
One of the roles of vocational councils, which are established under the Upper Secondary School Act, is to promote mutual understanding and improved relations between the business community and schools. They define, among other things, the needs for knowledge, skills and competences on which curriculum descriptions for the relevant professions are based and provide comments on vocational curriculum descriptions that individual schools seek approval for.
13.5
Continuing education
The Act on Secondary Education No. 27/2010 is intended to meet the needs of individuals with a short period of formal schooling. Primarily, this concerns people who have left their education and entered the labour market without having completed a defined course of study at secondary school level.
Continuing education includes academic and career counseling, practical skills assessment, and studies according to curricula approved by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports. Among the goals of continuing education is to give individuals the opportunity to enhance their employability and provide them with increased opportunities for active participation in society. Studies within continuing education may be assessed for credits in upper secondary schools, and it is up to the administrators of each school to decide this. It is imperative that the portion of participants in continuing education who wish to return to formal upper secondary school studies have their studies assessed as much as possible. It is important that upper secondary schools and continuing education providers collaborate on the assessment of studies for credits and study offerings that take into account the abilities and needs of different students with a view to ensuring a diverse range of study offerings and easy paths forward in their studies.
13.6
Other collaborations
An effective way to implement provisions on basic elements in school work is through various collaborative projects with domestic and foreign parties. These can include, for example, collaborative projects with other schools, the local community, and non-governmental organizations.
There are various opportunities for collaborative projects between schools in Iceland and abroad, as well as student exchanges. Furthermore, upper secondary schools often have the opportunity to participate in conferences, research work, and international school competitions.
All of these aspects can be used to activate students’ social and cultural connections with communities near and far, as well as to enhance their awareness of sustainability, literacy, and creativity.