skoleuken

Skoleuken is a term used in Norwegian to refer to the school week, the standard block of time during which students attend classes in a typical workweek. The word is a compound of skole (school) and uken (the week) in its definite form. It is commonly used in discussions of timetables, calendars, and educational planning, distinguishing the weekly schedule from the broader school year and from holidays.

A typical skoleuke runs from Monday to Friday, with daily schedules that include a sequence of subject periods, breaks, and meals. The exact length and structure of the skoleuke vary by country, region, school, and grade level. Some schools may offer extended hours, early-morning or after-school programs, and occasional Saturday sessions, while others emphasize shorter days or fewer periods.

In timetabling, the skoleuke is used to organize time plans and teaching hours, enabling the allocation of lessons, exams, and administrative activities within a consistent weekly framework. The concept is often discussed alongside the skoleår (school year), which defines the annual calendar and terms, and the holidays (ferier).

Etymology: from skole (school) + uken (the week). While the term is common in Norwegian education discourse, parallel forms exist in other Scandinavian languages, such as Swedish skolveckan and Danish skoleugen, reflecting the same idea of a weekly school schedule.