Kindergarten and childcare
There are three different types of kindergartens:
- Barnehage: The ordinary kindergarten. Either public or privately owned. Everyone can apply.
- Familiebarnehage: A small kindergarten for very young children, usually in the private home of an owner.
- Åpen barnehage: A drop-in kindergarten where the parents will accompany their children.
Here you will find a list of all kindergartens in Halden. The contact information will help you get in touch with kindergartens close and relevant to you.
("Åpningstider” means opening hours.)
When you have found the kindergartens you are interested in, you must apply for your child.
Apply for kindergarten i Halden. (in Norwegian)
Opening hours may vary, but most kindergartens are open from 06.45-07.00 to 16.45-17.00. Check with each kindergarten to be sure.
Most children attends Kindergarten for up to eight hours a day. It is also common to have one day a week set to be excursion day. That can either be a short trip to a neightbouring play ground or a full day trip to a local library, et cetera. The activity will vary from week to week. If your child wears diapers, make sure to bring the preferred type. The staff will change diapers throughout the day to make sure your child is dry and clean.
Parents follow their child indoors and help them take off outerwear and put on inside shoes. The child can eat breakfast during a set time. Play has a central place and is an arena for childrens development, learning language and social skills. Most kindergartens have a time during the day where they gather everyone. Children and adults are doing something together - singing, reading or recreating a story.
Children that sleep during the day, usually sleeps outside in a stroller. Staff will make sure they fall asleep, watch them and register how long they sleep for.
The Kindergarten usually provide lunch, some offer bread, milk and fruit, while other kindergartens have both bread and hot food. After lunch it is usually time for a planned activity. It is common to promote learning, and give the children an opportunity for participation. The staff uses a variety of working methods to adapt the activity to the individual children. The kindergarten will inspire to participate in different types of play both outside and inside. The staff will help all children to experience joy, excitement and a sense of belonging through play - alone and with others.
Children in Norwegian kindergartens spend a lot of time outdoors. It may come as a surprise for many that very young children playing outside during the snowy winters and all kinds of weather. However, the staff make sure that the kids are properly dressed and that they are not cold. The kindergarten staff will be able to tell you what you need for the different seasons. A lot of the equipment you need can be bought second hand.
t is common that kids are not ready to go home in the afternoon, even though it has been a long day in kindergarten. The staff will inform you about the day, and say good bye to the child.
Primary and lower secondary education
Primary and lower secondary education in Norway is compulsory. If you are staying in Norway for more than three months, and have children of primary and lower secondary education age, contact the Halden municipality to enrol the child in school. The parents must actively enrol the child in the school.
All state-run primary and lower secondary education in Norway is free of charge, and is financed by the municipalities. Primary and lower secondary education is ten years, and pupils normally start school in the year of their sixth birthday. This period of education is divided into two main stages. The first seven years (Years 1-7) are called the primary level (barnetrinnet), and the three subsequent years (Years 8-10) are called the lower secondary level (ungdomstrinnet). The school must provide, for example, all necessary teaching materials and equipment. Pupils bring their own lunch.
Read more about the primary and lower secondary education here (Norden.org)
SFO –Skolefritidsordningen – Before and after-school program
Before and after-school programmes (abbreviated as SFO in Norwegian): SFO is offered both before and after school and facilitates play and cultural and recreational activities under the supervision of qualified personnel. SFO takes place in or in connection to the premises of the school.
Participation in before and after-school programmes is voluntary. You may contact your municipality (or school) for more detailed information on attending SFO and the parental fee.
Upper secondary education
All young people who have completed primary and lower secondary education, or the equivalent, have a statutory right to three years of upper secondary education in Norway. Upper secondary education is voluntary and is financed by county councils.
Read more about upper secondary education here (Norden.org)
Do you want to study in Norway?
You generally apply for admission to higher education in Norway through the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (NUCAS /"Samordna opptak"). When you are admitted to higher education in Norway, your upper secondary grades (school credits) and any age points and additional points will be calculated.
Guide: Study in Norway (Norden.org)