Skolefridage

Skolefridage (skolefridager, singular skolefridag) is a term used in Norway to describe days when public schools are closed to pupils so that teachers and school staff can participate in professional development, planning, and administrative work. On these days the school building is typically not open to students, while educators attend in-service sessions, meetings, and curriculum work. The purpose is to improve teaching quality, coordination between teachers, and school operations.

The days are set by the local municipality and appear in the annual school calendar. The number and exact dates of skolefridage vary from municipality to municipality and from year to year. They are separate from national holidays and from school vacations, and not all schools in a municipality must observe the same days.

Impact on families and communities is a key aspect. Parents and guardians must arrange childcare or supervision for their children on skolefridage, and some municipalities provide municipal after-school programs or partner arrangements to support families. For schools, these days can help align practices, assess curricula, and plan for the coming term, potentially benefiting long-term educational outcomes.

While the concept is most closely associated with Norway, comparable arrangements exist in other Nordic countries under different terms. As a local policy instrument, skolefridage reflect regional decisions about how to balance teacher development with student access to schooling, and they remain subject to variation in local education governance.