We aim to provide the citizens of the Municipality of Hjørring with the best conditions for living an inspiring and meaningful life through education. Education is an essential factor in developing and maintaining a high quality of life. Therefore, it is our ambition to further enhance our reputation as an attractive municipality in terms of the educational opportunities on offer.
The new and larger municipality offers a broad variety of educational programmes, ranging from support for children’s learning in day-care centres over primary and secondary school, youth education and higher education to folk high schools and active liberal adult education.

Robust, authentic and varied schooling
The 27 primary and lower secondary schools in the municipality are united by a shared vision of providing robust, authentic and varied schooling for children and young people who are challenged by competent and motivated teachers, social educators and principals every day.

The school system must be robust in order to meet the future challenges presented by a global knowledge-based society demanding high-quality education. In their teaching activities, the schools must promote authentic learning situations based on experiences, on activities that require pupil involvement and on the musical dimension. In addition, the school system must be varied to ensure that the strengths and special characteristics of local areas are maintained, e.g. through strong parental involvement.

The municipality provides a wide-branching network of schools in the local communities. In all 27 locations children are offered a cohesive educational programme from they start nursery or day-care until the initial school phase is completed after Year 3 of primary school. The close collaboration established between kindergartens and schools ensures that children and their parents experience a natural progression as well as a sense of security, closeness and quality. Support is given to children with special needs, and preventive measures are given a high priority.

In the majority of schools pupils continue into the second phase from Year 4 to Year 6. During these years the academic foundation for the pupils’ later educational development is laid. Schools collaborate to ensure that all subjects are taught by highly qualified teachers who also have the ability to maintain a good social environment free of bullying.

In the last phase, from Year 7 to Year 9, pupils’ academic foundation is extended while increasing focus is placed on the application of knowledge and skills. This requires specialised academic knowledge from dedicated and competent teachers. All schools with classes in Years 7-9 offer specialisation in selected subjects to provide challenges for pupils with special interests and abilities. These specialised courses may be set up at individual schools, in collaboration with other schools and with youth education programmes.

As regards Year 10, the Municipality of Hjørring has decided to bring the pupils together at two centres in Sindal and Hjørring, providing an attractive opportunity for those pupils who require an additional year to enhance their skills before deciding on their future.

In addition, Hjørring offers a number of possibilities for parents who wish to send their children to independent or private schools which cater for parents’ special requirements for their children. There are also a number of continuation schools which contribute to ensuring a wide variety of educational opportunities for young people in the municipality.

Life after school?
Today this question is almost superfluous. Education is a lifelong process, and the knowledge-based society of the future requires that school-leavers continue their education on a qualifying youth education programme. Hjørring will make every effort to meet the national target of 95% of young school-leavers completing a youth education programme.

In order to succeed there must be a wide range of opportunities. These are offered by upper secondary schools, vocational schools and special youth education programmes for students who require support in their further development. Also, the municipality has a comprehensive adult education centre, VUC.

The close and successful collaboration between schools and youth education programmes is continuously being developed even further.

Higher education
Hjørring Seminarium (teacher training college), Hjørring Nursing College and the Social and Health Worker Course are some of the most important opportunities offered to young people in the Municipality of Hjørring, and these higher education programmes complete the picture of a vibrant educational scene.

Hjørring Seminarium educates both teachers for the school system and social educators for kindergartens, after-school programmes and special institutions. The teacher training college also continuously develops new medium-length courses, e.g. in tourism.

The Nursing College helps ensure that Hjørring’s extensive and growing hospital has a well-qualified nursing staff, and the social and health sectors have benefited greatly from the programme which was established a few years ago at the School in Hammer Bakker’s department in Hjørring.

These programmes form part of networks and consortia which cover the entire region of North Jutland and help ensure a high level of quality. In addition, there is collaboration with programmes in Aalborg in many areas – not least with Aalborg University.

Liberal adult education, folk high schools and the musical dimension
We round off our description of a vibrant educational scene by briefly introducing the opportunities within liberal adult education and cultural education.

Vrå Højskole has a very long tradition as a folk high school offering liberal adult education with emphasis on arts and crafts. The school also has a concert hall and an arts building which are frequently used by the local citizens of the area.

Educational associations flourish in the Municipality of Hjørring, offering a wide range of courses and adult education activities.

Hjørring Music School is one of the leading music schools in the country. The school offers e.g. high-level preparatory courses for the music conservatories (MGK). Hjørring Music School is being developed to also include a visual arts school and eventually a drama school.

A municipality with comprehensive educational opportunities
The Municipality of Hjørring is thus able to offer a complete range of educational options for children and young people. In addition, we have a comprehensive network of youth education programmes supplemented by a number of medium-term and higher education programmes. The municipality aims to maintain and extend its range of educational programmes in future, and we therefore work closely with other municipalities in Vendsyssel and with the regional educational institutions in Aalborg.