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Before your child starts school

Find out whether your child needs to attend a reception class, get information on language screening, enrol your child in a municipal primary and lower-secondary school, or see a list of schools in the municipality of Aarhus.

Content

    Children in Denmark start school in August in the year they turn 6. Find general information about the public primary and lower secondary public school system in Denmark

    If you are moving to Aarhus from abroad

    Children who have little or no knowledge of Danish, who would like to attend a Danish public school (Folkeskole) must first attend a reception class. This allows the child to learn a sufficient level of Danish to be able to transfer to an ordinary class. Your child can attend a reception class from the year the child turns 6 until the age of 17. 

    If your child is moving from kindergarten to a public school

    If your child has Danish as a second language, he or she may need support with developing their Danish language. We, therefore, carry out a language screening of your child before he or she moves from kindergarten to a public (municipal) primary and lower-secondary school (folkeskole).

    If changing from a private to a public school or moving to Aarhus 

    If you are moving to Aarhus from another municipality or your child is transitioning from private school to public school with Danish as a second language, support in developing Danish language skills may be needed. For this reason, we carry out language screening assessments with your child before changing schools.

     

    Reception classes in public schools (if your child has little or no knowledge of Danish)

    Do you wish for your child to be enrolled in a Danish public school (Folkeskolen) in Aarhus? And does your child have little or no knowledge of the Danish language? Then, your child must attend a reception class (modtagelsesklasse) before moving on to an ordinary class in a public school.

    Starting school with Danish as a second language - language screening

    Is your child starting school, changing from a private to a public school, or moving to Aarhus from another municipality? And does your child have Danish as a second language? Then your child may need support with developing their Danish language. We, therefore, carry out a language screening of your child before he or she attends a public school.

    Find the schools in Aarhus

    Find our municipal public schools (folkeskole), see our other school services and see the private and private independent schools located in the municipality of Aarhus.

    Enrol your child in a public school (folkeskole) – Digital school enrolment

    Children start school in grade 0 in the year they turn 6. You enrol your child in school in the year before they start school in grade 0. Are you moving to Aarhus from another municipality? Then your district school can help you.

    A good start at school

    Starting school is the beginning of a new and important period in your child’s life. We can help you get off to a good start at school.

    Last updated: 16 February 2024