Secondary school
General section
Exemptions from the main curriculum
Upper secondary schools are responsible for ensuring that their work is in accordance with the National Curriculum Guide, but they also have extensive authority to adapt the curriculum to the needs of disabled students, the chronically ill, and those with learning difficulties. Various other reasons may give rise to school administrators granting exemptions from the National Curriculum Guide. Exemptions from academic progress or assessment must always be stated on students’ diplomas.
Subjects and study courses
Students with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and students with specific learning disabilities and/or other confirmed sensory difficulties that have been confirmed by a specialist in the relevant field, may apply to the school principal for an exemption from individual courses. However, students must take other courses in place of those from which they are exempted.
Students may also apply to the school principal for an exemption from one subject if they have such severe learning difficulties that they cannot master the subject matter. Such learning difficulties must be confirmed by a specialist in the relevant field. Students who have been granted an exemption from studying a subject in compulsory school may also apply for an exemption from the same subject in upper secondary school. However, they must take another subject instead. Before granting an exemption, the school principal must make it clear to the students that the exemption could limit their opportunities to study at a university or their opportunities to work in the relevant field of study if it is a vocational training course.
Sports
Students who engage in extensive physical training through a specialized association and/or sports club under the supervision of a specially trained coach, sports scientist or teacher, in parallel with their studies in upper secondary school, may request that the school principal grant them an exemption from certain courses or parts of courses in sports, physical education and health.
Students with a native language other than Icelandic
Upper secondary schools shall meet the needs of students of foreign origin by providing Icelandic language instruction and education about Icelandic society and culture, assistance with homework, peer support and other measures that may be useful. Each school shall establish a welcome plan that sets out the main points about school work in a language that students and guardians of minor students can understand. A welcome plan involves creating an individual curriculum that takes into account the background and language skills of the person concerned, developing learning methods to meet the needs of the students in question, organizing consultations between students and school staff and clearly informing them of the support the school provides, for example with homework and interpretation. Special attention shall be paid to students who are Icelandic but have spent long periods abroad. Many of them need similar assistance as students of foreign origin.
Secondary schools are permitted to evaluate students’ native language for credits in a free elective or for credits in lieu of another foreign language.
The aim should be that students with a mother tongue other than Icelandic are given the opportunity to maintain their mother tongue as an elective subject if they so wish. Secondary schools may offer such studies in local or distance learning or evaluate studies undertaken elsewhere. The relevant secondary school must then approve the study if students wish to have such studies evaluated for credits. Secondary schools are not responsible for the study but can act as contacts, for example, with databases, libraries, associations and other things that provide students with access to instruction in their own mother tongue.
Students whose mother tongue is not Icelandic have the right to instruction in Icelandic. The same applies to hearing-impaired students. Students who have lived outside the Nordic countries during compulsory school may apply to take another language instead of Nordic languages. Students who have been exempted from studying a Nordic language in compulsory school may also be exempted from studying a Nordic language in upper secondary school. However, they must take another subject instead.
Achievers
High achievers shall be accommodated in such a way that their absence during the study period due to competition and/or training trips does not count towards their school attendance grade. High achievers shall be accommodated in such a way that their absence during the examination period due to competition and/or training trips does not exclude students from undergoing assessment at the end of the school year or semester. Efforts shall be made to give students the opportunity to complete exams or final projects as far as possible.
An achiever is considered someone who has been selected for a youth national team or a national team in the relevant sport, competition, art or profession, or someone who has been selected to participate in and/or prepare for a Nordic Championship, European Championship, World Championship, Olympic Games or other comparable tournament in their discipline.
Once confirmation of the student’s planned participation is available, it is recommended that the school administrator make a special agreement with the student regarding any necessary exemptions, such as the student’s school attendance, assignment submission, and examination. The relevant special association/national team coach/national team committee shall submit a confirmed plan for participation in the projects before the start of the school year or semester. Efforts shall be made to give the student the opportunity to complete exams or final projects as far as possible.