Since 2015, staff in the nursery schools of the Municipality of Hafnarfjörður have received study grants from the municipality to study early childhood education. Various pathways are available for those interested in becoming nursery teachers, such as the fact that the course is subsidised by the council and people keep their salaries during their studies. The initiative has, from the outset, aimed to increase the proportion of professionally qualified staff in the town's nurseries and, in turn, the number of nursery teachers, as well as to encourage further professional development among those already qualified.

Join in! I want to apply for a job

Annual scholarships for varying durations – depending on the course of study.

Special scholarships are awarded annually and are in the form of paid study leave, allowing students to study while working in a nursery, as well as covering the cost of registration fees and course materials. The scholarships are awarded for varying lengths of time, depending on the chosen course of study. Those undertaking the M.Ed degree in Early Childhood Education receive a grant for two years, while those in the full M.Ed programme receive grants for five years. Grants are also awarded to students on the Borgarholtsskóli Early Childhood Education Foundation Programme. For example, people with a school-leaving certificate can start by taking the early years educator course at Borgarholtsskóli, then go on to university to complete a diploma programme and gain the title of assistant early years teacher at bachelor's level. After that, it is possible to complete a master's degree. This culminates in a teaching licence for all school levels. Recently, the organisation and working hours in Hafnarfjörður's nurseries and primary schools were harmonised. In Hafnarfjörður today, the academic year for teachers in nurseries is comparable to the academic year for teachers in primary schools.

Very valuable when everyone is on the same page at the workplace.

The aim of early years teacher education is to prepare teachers to work with children and in partnership with parents and others involved in their upbringing and education. Early years staff need to understand the developmental process of children and be able to read their needs. The teacher's role is to select teaching methods, play materials and equipment that best stimulate children's development, and to share this knowledge with other members of the nursery staff. For nothing is more valuable than a school environment where everyone is in step; both qualified and unqualified staff, who share the same understanding of the nursery's learning objectives.