The Fridaskolan schools – a brief information

The Fridaskolan schools in Vänersborg, Trollhättan and Uddevalla are independent elementary- and secondary schools providing education for children and adolescents aged 6-16. Since the autumn of 2006 there is also a Fridagymnasiet – a sixth form college in Vänersborg. The school company – Frida Utbildning (Frida Education) is owned by its personnel but the schools are financed mainly through public money, i.e. the amount that comes with each pupil who chooses to attend a Fridaskolan school.

Location - the wider area
The Fridaskolan schools are all situated in smaller towns but the pupils come from a much wider area, including neighbouring municipalities/towns. All municipalities where the Fridaskolan schools are situated, are small town environments featuring both rural areas and a few industrial parts. Since the school doesn’t have a designated pupil recruiting area, the pupils’ home addresses vary considerably from one year to another. However, most pupil’s live in town.

The schools are situated in a sound physical environment. The classrooms are all very different, a diversity that gives each classroom its own character and “atmosphere”. The schools’ settings provides a good outdoor environment too.

Fridaskolan schools in Vänersborg, Trollhättan and Uddevalla and the Frida college 
In 1993 five teachers came together and made their vision about diverse teaching and learning methods as well as a flat school organisation without hierarchy come true. The Fridaskolan school in Vänersborg was the first school and was founded 1993.

At present, the school in Vänersborg has 435 pupils aged 7-16 and a pre-school consisting of 40 children. The Trollhättan school, founded in 2001 has  475 pupils and Uddevalla , founded in 2003 has 420 pupils and the Frida College has 140 students. Furthermore, there are before- and after-school activities for 60-70 of the pupils on all premises. There are both boys and girls at the schools and both sexes are relatively equally represented.

The pupils are accepted according to application date. A pupil’s sisters or brothers are also given priority. School admission is made primarily in the pre-school class and for elementary form pupils (30 in each form) but also in form 6 where the number of pupils is increased to 60. The school is open to pupils from other municipalities too.

School work
The Fridaskolan schools are open to every one from the age of 6 and the compulsory schooling ends at the age of 16 or after nine years. The school is run independent of the municipality, owned by the personnel. Teaching is free of charge and should provide an education equal to the one given in public schools. The school profile as well as the teaching is characterised by pedagogic diversity. The learning is based on problem solving where learning is considered continuous and achieved both in and out of school.

There is no special degree offered at the Fridaskolan, but the school works according to the national curriculum and uses the national tests and diagnostic tests used in all Swedish public schools. 

Guidelines at the Fridaskolan - an environment for learning
A sound environment is essential for learning and the basis of a positive social development.
The Fridaskolan aims to provide such an environment through:
· clear social rules for the daily work and interaction, comprising respect and ”peace and quite” in the positive sense of the word.
· social openness
· strong belief in the pupils' abilities to seek and obtain the pieces to build  their own knowledge.
· strong belief in the staff’s competence.
· co-operation and flexibility characterising the work in all areas and among staff, as well as between staff and pupils.
· an ongoing dialogue between school direction and staff, pupils and parents to elucidate the aims and goals of the school.
· time and economic resources earmarked for development.
· schoolwork and activities characterised by diversity.
· continuous evaluations and follow-ups as natural parts of the work and activities
· staff influence in decision making
· influence as well as responsibilities for pupils and parents

Guidelines - Assessment
Each school is obliged to make a local plan following the guidelines from the National Agency of Education. There are continuous discussions with the pupils about the goals to be pursued and achieved in the different subjects, questions regarding pupil participation and the pupils’ practical occupational experience. The school is also responsible for stating the assessment criteria for the different marks.

Pupil involvement – Theme work
The teaching is organised according to knowledge areas or themes. The pupils take part in the planning and the work originates from their own questions. Pupils and teachers discuss together in order to come up with assignments that the pupils are to work with as a group and individually during a 6-week period. The teaching starts with the big picture and the pupils then follow the leads down to the more detailed and in-depth knowledge of the matter chosen by the group. The pupils are trained to work in a context and the tasks’ level of difficulty increases with age. One example of such an area is “When Earth Became a Planet”. Such a theme offers great possibilities for the pupils to understand the changes society in the 15th century underwent as well as the foregoing technical and philosophical discussions.

Social awareness
Every week, and in most cases every day, the class or the group are gathered in a so called “ring-conversation” with their tutor. This is the forum for discussions about important things that may arise among the pupils or current events in society that the pupils consider important and bring up for debate. This way, conflicts between pupils or between pupils and grown-ups may be discussed immediately and the pupils’ ability to feel empathy and imagine other people’s thoughts and feelings is trained. The Fridaskolan aims to create a feeling of togetherness and responsibility with the pupils by keeping the school as open as possible to all pupils. 

Our vision 
Through an ongoing discussion between teachers, pupils and parents, we try to develop the organisation and the contents of the schoolwork towards a multitude and diversity so that every child can find its way to learning. We wish that the pupils can work a lot outside of the school building and take responsibility through assignments and tasks they have chosen themselves in order to meet and achieve the goals they have set up for each area.

IUP- Individual Study Plan
Each pupil set their own goals, individually and together with their tutor. These goals are kept in the pupil’s individual study plan and is revised every term, at teacher/pupil/parent talks and when the pupils have shown progress or reached goals. Goals can be both to improve social skills or more study oriented towards goals in subjects or to further develop one of the pupil’s special interests or talents.   

Fridaskolan pupils = skilled back-packers – no charter package tourists who get everything served on a plate…
At the Fridaskolan schools we want our pupils to ask themselves the following questions:
Where do I want to go?
How do I get there?
How do I prepare myself best to reach my set goals and for changes that might occur during the trip towards my final destination?

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Senast uppdaterad: den 6 november 2008, 18:51

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