Skole

Skole is the term used in Danish and Norwegian to denote a formal educational institution for children and adolescents. It typically refers to institutions offering primary and secondary education, though the exact structure and terminology differ by country. In Danish, the public system of compulsory schooling is commonly referred to as folkeskolen. In Norwegian, the corresponding level is grunnskolen, with videregående skole serving as upper secondary education. The cognate Swedish word is skola, and related German terms include Schule, reflecting a shared Latin origin.

The word derives from the Latin schola, via Greek skolē, and spread through the medieval and early modern European languages, giving rise to similar terms in several Germanic languages.

Historically, schools in the Scandinavian region began as church-run or municipal institutions and gradually evolved into modern public education systems during the 18th through 20th centuries. Today, skole remains a general label for institutions of formal education in Danish and Norwegian, and it appears in various compound terms describing different stages, settings, and services related to schooling. The concept aligns with broader European patterns of organized education that include primary and lower secondary levels and multiple pathways within the school system.