Assessment for students of foreign origin
In autumn 2019, a new system will be introduced in Hafnarfjörður for the reception of primary school pupils of foreign origin, which involves carrying out a baseline assessment for these pupils when they start school in the municipality. The assessment is based on the Swedish model and was translated and adapted with permission from the Swedish school authorities, via the National Centre for Education.
In autumn 2019, a new system will be introduced in Hafnarfjörður for the reception of primary school pupils of foreign origin, which involves carrying out a baseline assessment for these pupils when they start school in the municipality. The assessment is based on the Swedish model and was translated and adapted with permission from the Swedish school authorities, via the National Centre for Education.
The aim is to strengthen the learning, well-being and social status of foreign students in primary schools.
The aim of the baseline assessment is to obtain the most accurate information possible about the academic level of international students who come to Iceland, as they begin their schooling here. The baseline assessment allows for the exploration of academic background, thereby enabling teachers and school administrators to organise each student's learning based on their strengths and needs. It assesses prior knowledge and experience, as well as literacy and numeracy. The project is designed, among other things, to strengthen the learning, well-being and social status of international students in primary schools. In each primary school, a designated member of staff will administer the baseline assessment and will have received training in its use.
The placement assessment was first introduced in one school in Reykjanesbær, Hafnarfjörður and Árborg in the spring. The schools in question are Lækjarskóli in Hafnarfjörður, Háaleitisskóli in Reykjanesbær and Vallaskóli in Árborg. The experience in these three participating schools demonstrates the importance of assessing the academic status and knowledge of international students. Work will now begin on implementing the baseline assessment as effectively as possible in all schools within the three municipalities.
Baseline assessment for a developing nursery
A working group from the municipalities of Árborg, Hafnarfjörður and Reykjanesbær has been working on the project for the past few years with a grant from the Sprotasjóður fund. Hafnarfjörður's representatives on the working group are a special education officer for primary schools and a multicultural teaching adviser at the Department of Education and Public Health. The municipalities behind the baseline assessment have now had a similar baseline assessment for nurseries translated. The assessment will begin to be rolled out this winter, and Vesturkot will be the participating nursery school in Hafnarfjörður.
Course on the implementation of site assessment
Due to the implementation of the standardised assessment, a course was held in mid-September at Hljómahöll in Reykjanesbær for representatives from all primary schools in Hafnarfjörður, Reykjanesbær and Árborg. The course was also attended by representatives from the Centre for Language and Literacy, the National Education Agency, the Teachers' Union of Iceland (KÍ) and Fellaskóli, who have been involved in the project. A similar course will be held for all primary schools in Reykjavík in October.