Legal system - Sweden

The basic principle guiding all Swedish education from child care to the transition period is 'a school for all' - access to equivalent education for all. This means that pupils in need of special support should not be treated or defined as a group that is any different from other pupils and their rights are not stated separately. The obligation for schools to attend to all pupils needs is, however, emphasised.

For all pupils in need of special support, an action plan of provision has to be drawn up by their teachers in consultation with the pupil themselves, their parents and specialist support teachers. This plan, which identifies needs and provision to meet them, is continuously evaluated and progress and changes of solutions are possible.

Pupils in need of special support have the right to specialist provision. All education corresponds as far as possible to the National curricula, but with the emphasis upon meeting individual learning needs. In a few circumstances, this provision is offered in special settings. Three national and five regional state-run special schools are available for pupils with visual impairment combined with additional disabilities (MDVI), deafness or hearing impairment combined with learning disabilities or severe speech and language disorders.

All pupils have the right to choose their school - either municipal or independent - as long as it can demonstrate that that school meets the pupils' educational needs. For more details, please access the following link:
http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/574/a/21538

Curricula

The curricula of the pre-primary class, compulsory and upper-secondary education are partly consistent in order to make these activities a homogenous system. The curricula states the leading values, tasks and goals for the activities, but does not state the means to reach them. The organisation of child care and school activities is the responsibility of the local authorities that should therefore ensure the possibilities of reaching the goals and following the curricula. The pedagogical staff of each unit is responsible for the pedagogical means and specific organisation of the operation.

The pre-primary curricula cover the following areas: norms and values, development and learning, influence of the child, pre-primary and home and co-operation with school and leisure-time centres.

The curriculum of compulsory education covers: norms and values, development and learning, influence of the pupils, school and home and co-operation with leisure-time centres, assessment and grades and the responsibility of the school-board.

The upper secondary school curriculum covers norms and values, development and learning, influence of the pupils, assessment and grades, responsibility of the school-board and finally the area of future education, employment and social life.

Curriculum in English can be found at http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/493

Early years education

The Education Act states that children are entitled to child care from the age of 1-12 (after entering compulsory school this takes the form of leisure time centres) if the parents work or study. Children in need of special support are entitled to child care whether their parents are occupied not. Activities should be based on individual needs and children in need of special support should receive care related to their needs.

Until 1998 child care was the responsibility of the National Board of Health and Welfare, but from that year all child care, pre-primary activities, leisure-time activities, compulsory education and upper secondary education are incorporated under the National Agency of Education.

Compulsory school

The nine-year basic compulsory school is for all children between seven and 16 years of age, but children can choose to start school at the age of six. The municipalities also have a duty to organise pre-primary activities from the age of five. In most municipalities these activities are integrated in the compulsory school.

Transition period

Upper secondary school

Almost all compulsory school students continue on directly to upper secondary school and the majority of these complete their upper secondary education in 3 years.
Upper secondary education is divided into 17 national 3-year programs. All of the programs shall offer a broad general education and basic eligibility to continue studies at the post-secondary level. Alongside the national programs, are also a number of specially designed- and individual study programs.

Adult Education

A person has the right to begin an upper secondary education in a regular upper secondary school up until the year he/she has turns 20. After that, there are different types of municipally run adult education programs. Among these are municipal adult education (Komvux) and education for adults with learning disabilities (Särvux). Komvux and Särvux are basic education, corresponding to compulsory school and programs for pupils with learning disabilities, respectively, and non-compulsory education, corresponding to regular upper secondary and upper secondary courses for pupils with learning disabilities, respectively.