The week in Sweden was extremely inspiring. The Swedish school system has a clear priority that can be felt everywhere: the children and young people should feel good. This also includes plenty of exercise and good food. And despite this focus on wellbeing, the Swedish school system is very successful. Not in terms of tests that compare reading, writing and mathematical skills – in recent years they have performed almost as poorly as Germany in these – but only because the skills taught at their schools are not tested, namely creativity, responsibility and self-confidence. The success of the Swedish school system lies in strengthening children and young people so that they are able to lead a successful life. Sweden has the most start-ups in the world, and not only Volvos come from Sweden, but also Spotify.
The pictures show classrooms, which, for data protection reasons, were photographed without pupils. What is characteristic of the architecture of Swedish schools is that the rooms also reflect how highly Sweden values schools providing spaces in which children and young people feel comfortable and which give them the opportunity to develop. The following can be seen:
1. There are group rooms that pupils can book digitally.
2. In this classroom, pupils learn to make films, which they need, for example, for developing video games.
3. The common areas are designed according to the needs of the pupils. As well as table football, there are also board games. At this school there was no traditional PE lesson; instead, pupils booked training sessions in a fitness room that was always open. In addition, there were regular ball game sessions.
4. Schools must also offer lunch and snacks to all pupils.
5. The Vasa is the museum most visited by Swedish school classes, and the Swedes are very proud of this ship, which sank in the harbour of Stockholm on its maiden voyage.
6. The libraries are also places that look very inviting and that are also used for quiet individual work.
