SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

READER INSIGHTS

What schools do foreigners in Sweden send their children to and are they happy?

Most foreign parents in Sweden told The Local's survey they take advantage of the country's school choice system and send their children to international schools, or to private or non-profit free schools. Here's what they think of the quality of teaching.

What schools do foreigners in Sweden send their children to and are they happy?
File photo of students at the elite Sigtunaskolan in Sigtuna, between Stockholm and Uppsala. Photo: Lars Pehrson/SvD/TT

Our survey was not scientific, but out of the 157 people who responded before we closed it, 65 (41 percent) sent their child or children to a standard municipally-run school which did not offer an international programme as part of their teaching. More than a third (34 percent) sent their child to an international school offering the International Baccalaureate diploma (which could be municipal, private, or non-profit).

Almost a quarter (39 respondents, 24.4 percent) sent their children to a profit-making free school. And almost a fifth (29 respondents, 18 percent) sent their child or children to a free school run by a non-profit organisation.

The survey was carried out as part of The Local’s investigation into schools in Sweden. We’ve previously published interviews with foreign teachers at the IES (Internationella Engelska Skolan, International English School) free school chain herehere, and here, and are now looking into other schools as well.

Since the “free school reform” in 1992, private and non-profit companies have been able to run schools in Sweden, with the state paying them for each pupil educated. 

The system has come under growing criticism over the past ten years.

This has partly been due to a decline in the performance of Swedish pupils compared to those of other countries in the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The system of school choice has been blamed for increasing segregation. 

In the run-up to September’s election, schools are likely to be one of the big issues. 

Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson looks set to campaign on a pledge to ban free schools – dismissed as marknadsskolan, “schools driven by market forces” – from siphoning off profits. 

“The school system we have in Sweden today, which is unique in the world and no other country has chosen to imitate, is a system which essentially drives increased segregation,” she said in an interview in the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper at the end of last month. 

“Researchers are pretty much unanimous about that. Pupils with the worst prospects are collected together in one school and those with better prospects in another.”  

Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson of the centre-left Social Democrat party. Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/TT

Swedish schools too slow 

The most common complaint from parents who answered the survey was that the pace of education at municipality-run schools was too slow, and the level of academic demands placed on their children too low. 

“[It’s] very slow-paced,” complained a US mother living in Uppsala. [The] education is several years behind grade level in the US.” 

Mangla Sekhri, an Indian mother and IT director based in Stockholm, said she had pulled her children out of the local municipality school after a year and moved them to a school run by the IES chain.

“[I] just couldn’t continue due to [the] slow pace there. It was very slow, but now at IES things are much better-paced.” 

READ ALSO: 

“The only thing which bothers me is lower expectations on the kids, compared to Poland where we come from,” said a Polish respondent. 

“She’s ahead of the other children because she’d already finished two years of school in Guernsey. They don’t give her learning materials of a high enough level without us asking them to,” complained a father from the British Isles. 

Better integration at municipal schools 

For those who had chosen to send their children to a standard, municipality-run school, the big attraction was better integration, both in Sweden and in their local neighbourhood. 

“Their peers and friends at the school are generally their neighbours as well, [so it’s] easy to hang out with school friends,” said an American living on Sweden’s northwest coast, whose four children all went through the local municipal school. 

“My now eight-year-old daughter learned Swedish within months. One year on, she’s completely fluent. She has also made many Swedish friends and has playdates several days a week,” said a British father living in Gävle. 

“If you are an immigrant and planning to settle down in Sweden then municipal schools are good options for your child to learn Swedish quickly,” agreed a dad from Bangladesh, living in Malmö. 

More flexibility and better discipline at private schools

Many of those who had chosen to send their children to a privately-run free school seemed to prize the additional flexibility and better discipline they offered. 

“My child was already three years ahead academically and was very bored in lessons (had already learned everything in maths and science in the UK), so IES let him attend higher years group classes in these subjects,” reported an English respondent living in the middle of Sweden. 

“Free schools have stricter discipline and they focus more on studies,” said a mother from Sri Lanka whose child went to a school run by the Kunskapskolan chain. 

“I like the discipline and all the support that teachers give to the students,” said a mother whose child goes to a school run by IES. 

A parent whose child went to a school run by the AcadeMedia chain, said they were drawn by the additional subjects, such as music and theatre, on offer. 

Better possibilities to study internationally and move schools if posted elsewhere

Those who chose to send their children to schools running the International Baccalaureate programme did so either because they liked the programme’s more demanding curriculum or because they were only on a short or medium-term posting to Sweden and wanted to make it easier for their children to shift their education to a new country. 

One parent, whose child went to the British International School of Stockholm, cited the “ease of transferring to a new school when moving to a new country”, and “exposure to different cultures and points of view” as advantages. 

“I love the IB. It’s one of the best but also most challenging educational systems in the world and this is widely recognised,” said one parent, whose child goes to the international school run by the Bladins Foundation in Malmö.

“Here in Malmö, the big risk is that there are no options for the final years outside the one school. If your child doesn’t achieve the academic standard required, then you are screwed.” 

Who was happiest with their choice of school? 

There was little variation in parent satisfaction between those who sent their children to a municipal, private or international school. 

The parents who sent their children to standard municipal schools rated their school on average at 7.7 out of 10. Those who sent their children to a privately run free school rated their school at 8.2, while those who sent their children to a school run by a non-profit organisation rated their children’s school the highest at 8.6. 

Those whose children went to a school running the International Baccalaureate programme rated the school on average at 8.3. 

There was slightly more variation between types of schools when parents broke down their ratings, with standard municipal schools falling further behind on the level of discipline parents perceived at their children’s schools, and also on the quality of extra-curricular activities.

  Overall Teaching Happiness of child Discipline Extra-curricular
Standard municipal 7.7 7.4 8.3 7.1 6.6
For-profit 8.2 8 8.5 7.9 7.4
Non-profit 8.6 8.6 9 8.5 7.1
International school 8.25 8.2 8.8 8 7.3

Which individual schools/chains came out tops? 

The schools which won the highest approval rating tended to be the international schools run by non-profit foundations, such as British International School Stockholm, Bladins International in Malmö, The English School Gothenburg, Sigtunaskolan, and Stockholm International School (although note that there were only one to three respondents for each of these schools). 

When it came to the for-profit free school chains, there was more variation, with some parents loving their children’s schools and others disappointed. 

Four parents sending their children to the IES chain gave the school ten out of ten, but two IES parents gave their school four or five out of ten. It was a similar story with the Kunskapskolan chain, where one parent gave an eight, another a four.

“The best thing about my child’s school is how respectful the children are towards each other,” send one parent who sent her child to an IES school. “There is a culture of the children being kind and supportive of each other. The teachers have all been amazing, and it’s been really interesting for my child to meet teachers from a huge variety of different countries.” 

Several IES parents also praised how well organised their child’s school was, with high standards of cleanliness and discipline. 

“I chose IES because the school inculcates the right values that I would like my children to have – discipline, respect for teachers, diligence in studying, academic excellence,” one wrote. 

“The staff seem genuinely interested in our concerns. The kids enjoy being there and enjoy learning,” wrote another. 

On the negative side, one noted that “teachers are not paid as well as [at] public schools”, another that “teachers are very often changing”, and another that “no proper curriculum [had been] followed”. 

In general, the most dissatisfied parents had children at municipal schools, perhaps because they were less likely to have actively chosen them. Ten respondents gave their municipality-run school a four or five overall. 

“[There is] nothing to do in their free time and an extremely low level of teaching,” complained one parent, while another complained of “incompetent staff with a lack of social-emotional intelligence”, and another of “extremely large classes”. 

“I’m not entirely sure of the quality of the education,” wrote one Irish parent. “At least one of the teachers seems to think the Republic of Ireland is part of the UK.” 

A particular complaint about municipal schools was the way teachers seemed unwilling to use imaginative and engaging teaching methods. “Some teachers are not able to engage the class with interesting teaching methods,” complained an Australian father. 

Given the level of variation in answers to The Local’s questionnaire between both the best and worst municipality-run schools and the best and worst schools run by the free school chains, it is clearly important to talk to local parents about which school in your area of Sweden seems best. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

READER INSIGHTS

Readers reveal: Top tips for things to do in Sweden this summer

Sweden's summers are so gorgeous that you'd be a fool to spend much time abroad. From mountain hikes around Kebnekaise and Åredalen to the beaches of Österlen and Gotland, from upmarket brunches to loppis flea markets, here are our readers' top tips on what to do.

Readers reveal: Top tips for things to do in Sweden this summer

What to do 

Perhaps the best advice a reader gave when we asked on our Facebook page for top tips for things to do in Sweden this summer came from Jay, a Brit living in Skåne. 

“Do the things that Swedes do in summer! They’re the experts!” he suggests. 

What Swedes do is as generally as little as possible, or at least as little as possible that is pre-planned.

Astrid, a Swede based in the UK, sums up the general vibe. 

“Chill, relax & family time. Swimming on the fresh water lakes & rivers. Smooching round shops, loppis with lunch and coffee stops as you go. Or simply going to lake, make a fire, barbecue some chicken, and enjoy.” 

Mirella, a Dutchwoman married to a Swede, recommends visiting the outdoor Loppis events that spring up around the country. 

A loppis on Dalens football ground in the. Slottskogen park in Göteborg. Photo: Faramarz Gosheh/imagebank.sweden.se

Amanda from the UK says she made “memories that will live forever” by embracing Swedish raggare culture and visiting some of the classic car meets in Varberg and Falkenberg, where she say “hundreds of stunning vehicles, car obsessives, rockabillies, alternative cultures, people happy to show off their astonishing vehicles and share their stories”.

It was, she writes “one of the highlights of my life”. 

If you already live out in nature, you don’t even need to leave the house.  Alex, who lives outside Stockholm, says she plans to “literally live in the backyard and tend to the garden as we grow a lot of fruits and vegetables”, all washed down with frequent glasses of rosé wine. 

What to do in and near Stockholm 

Many Stockholmers disappear to their summer houses in the summer months, but there’s lots to do if you stay put. 

Dou recommends simply visiting Kungsträdgarten, the tree-lined park in central Stockholm which has a succession of events on its stages throughout the summer. 

Johanna instead suggests a visit to the Skansen park, with its historic houses from different parts of Sweden, its Zoo and its hugely popular open-air concerts. 

Annie loves doing the Haga parkrun every Saturday in the summer, which she says is a “really beautiful run, with loads of banter!”. 

Grace recommends a leisurely brunch at the “legendary” Grand Hotel Stockholm. 

For a more active day, Kathy enjoys kayaking on the waterways around Stockholm, while Heather Barrett suggests floating over the city in a hot air balloon. 

One of the most fantastic things about Stockholm, though, is the countryside, islands and charming towns outside it. 

Helene enjoys getting the ferry all the way to Sandhamn, the last major island in the Stockholm archipelago, while Ariel is content with stopping at Vaxholm, the medieval fortress and town that is the gateway to the islands.

The ferry boats to the archipelago are so accessible in Stockholm that Heather, with slight exaggeration, recommends that people “take the ferry to the islands hundreds of times” over the course of the summer.

Going in other direction, several people recommend taking a day trip to Mariefred and the historic Gripsholm Castle, others going south to the Riddersholm nature reserve on the coast near Norrköping. 

A taxi boat in Växholm. Photo: Anna Hållams, Visit Sweden

What to see and do in southern Sweden

A lot of people tipped the beaches and nature reserves in southern Sweden, with Venetia recommending Åhus beach on the east coast of Skåne for having the “softest sand”,  and Lara instead promoting the windy dunes of the Falsterbo peninsular. 

Mona said that visitors would “love” Österlen, the southeastern corner of Skåne cut off by the road between Ystad and Brösarp, and also recommended the coast a little further north in Blekinge, which she said was called the “garden of Sweden”. 

Mylinda instead recommended the beach at Råå on the west coast of Skåne near Helsingborg,  while Monika suggested going further north into Halland and staying at the sumptuous beachside Varberg Kusthotell. 

For Kira, the cities of Southern Sweden also had a lot to offer, recommending trips to the Sofiero Castle and Garden in Helsingborg, and the free Salsa and Bachata dancing on the beach in Malmö. 

To get around to all the places in the south, Cristina tipped getting the Sommarbiljett Skåne, the 829 kronor ticket getting you unlimited train and bus travel in Skåne from June 15th to August 15th. You can also get a Sommarbiljett Skåne och Blekinge for 1219 kronor. 

A field in Falsterbo, Skåna. Photo: Lucas Günther/imagebank.sweden.se

What to see in central Sweden

The forested, hilly and lake-filled county of Dalarna has a well-deserved reputation for folk culture and landscape and Sara recommends a visit to Lake Siljan, Sweden’s sixth largest lake, because “it’s so beautiful and so essentially Swedish”. 

Shelly wants to see the Säljbergsgrottan cave in the village of Järna, visit the Dalarna Museum in Falun, and see the Silvberg abandoned silver mines with their lakes filled with turquoise water.

Others suggest going a little further south, with Gunnel tipping Mariestad, the “pearl of lake Vänern”, with its “gorgeous” old town, prison museum, gourmet restaurants and lovely surrounding walking trails. 

Gary instead recommends the Läcko Slott castle on Vänern, and some of the other attractions of Skaraborg county, such as the burial place of the founder of Stockholm in Varnhem, viking burial grounds, and forest trails. 

Kim says the beautiful little town of Vadstena on Lake Vattern, with its historic buildings, will always be a favourite after she spent time studying there.  

A man dives off a boat into Lake Siljan in Dalarna. Photo: Johan Willner/Imagebank Sweden

For a longer holiday, Paulien recommends travelling on the Inlandsbanan, the rail track that goes from Kristinehamn in the centre of Sweden on Lake Vänern all the way up to Gällivare in Lapland.

For 2,395 kronor you can get a 14-day ticket, allowing you to hop on and off the train, although you have to pay extra to take a bicycle. You can also buy package tours with hotels and hotel entry included from 8,595 kronor to 14,995 kronor, depending on the number of nights. 

What to do in the summer in northern Sweden

Going further north, Ellen recommends the Nederhögen outdoor centre in Jämtland, and trips to the Fettjeåfallet and Sångbackfallet waterfalls in Klövsjö. Michaela instead mentions the walking trails in the Åredalen mountain area near Åre. 

For others, the best hikes are even further north with Mary Preyanka mentioning the trails around Hemavan or Nikkaloukta, the starting point of the hike up Kebnekaise, Sweden’s highest peak. 

Hiking near the mountain of Kebnekaise. Photo: Fredrik Broman/imagebank.sweden.se
SHOW COMMENTS