Schools in Sønderborg

School options in Sønderborg – Danish, German, or international?

In Sønderborg, there is a broad selection of schools and after-school care facilities, with room for all families – whether you prefer a Danish state school, a German minority school, or an international school with instruction in English. A good education is the foundation for a secure upbringing, and Sønderborg Municipality actively works to ensure high quality and coherence throughout children’s educational journeys.

See the full list of schools, after-school care facilities, and youth clubs here.

Catchment area schools and free school choice

Your child is automatically assigned to a specific municipal school – the so-called catchment area school – depending on where you live. Your child is always guaranteed a place at the catchment area school, but in principle there is free school choice in Denmark. This means that as a parent you may also apply to have your child admitted to a different municipal school, provided there is a place available in the desired year group.

If your child has siblings already attending a particular school, your child is entitled to a place at that same school – regardless of whether it is the catchment area school or not. After-school care and youth club provision is offered at the school in which the child is enrolled.

To enrol your child, you should contact the school in the catchment area where you live. If you wish to choose a different school, simply contact that school directly, and they will advise you on the rules governing free school choice.

Municipal state schools in Sønderborg

Sønderborg’s state schools offer a broad and well-rounded education from reception class through to Year 10, and all collaborate with VidensBy Sønderborg on the planning and development of teaching. You can find your child’s catchment area school using the municipality’s school catchment area map.

VidensBy Sønderborg

VidensBy Sønderborg is the driving force behind the development of state schools and early years settings in the municipality. Through collaboration across schools, institutions, and the business community, the department works to ensure that children and young people experience a meaningful and high-quality daily life – with a focus on, amongst other things, environmental education, digital literacy, and open school initiatives.

With an Erasmus+ accreditation, over 100 members of staff travel to Europe each year to bring back new knowledge, whilst Sønderborg simultaneously welcomes around 200 international visitors. This international collaboration helps to raise both academic standards and a sense of community in the municipality’s schools.

Independent and free schools in Sønderborg

If you would like your child to attend an independent or free school, you should contact the school directly to enquire about enrolment and admission criteria. You must, however, still inform the Schools Administration in Sønderborg Municipality of your school preference, as the municipality has a statutory duty to monitor that the compulsory education requirement is being met.

Deutsche Schule Sonderburg – for the German minority

Deutsche Schule Sonderburg is a school belonging to the German minority in Sønderborg Municipality. The school has been established in accordance with Danish free school legislation and offers education from reception class through to Year 11.

Teaching is conducted in German as the mother tongue across all subjects – with the exception of Danish, which is taught to the mother-tongue level in Danish. From Year 4, English is offered as a foreign language. The school thus provides pupils with a solid grounding in the German language and culture, with a strong sense of belonging to the national minority community in Southern Jutland.

If you wish to enrol your child at Deutsche Schule Sonderburg, please contact the school’s office.

Sønderborg International School – instruction in English and Danish

Sønderborg International School (SIS) offers multilingual and multicultural education at nursery and primary school level. Teaching is conducted in both English and Danish in accordance with the Cambridge curriculum and Danish state school legislation.

SIS is characterised by:

• Small classes of 12–20 pupils, fostering close relationships and a high academic standard
• A unique learning environment with a coherent educational pathway from nursery through to upper secondary school
• Progression opportunities upon completion of schooling, to both international and Danish educational institutions

Pupils who speak Danish at mother-tongue level may follow Danish mother-tongue tuition in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s Common Objectives framework. The programme concludes with the Danish school leaving examination for Year 10.

SIS places great emphasis on a holistic learning and social environment that supports each child’s academic, physical, and emotional development – from forest school to IGCSE examinations.

If you wish to enrol your child at Sønderborg International School, this is done by completing the application form here. A registration fee of 600 DKK per child is also required upon enrolment.

The Youth Centre and Year 10

For young people between the ages of 15 and 25, the Youth Centre (Ungecenteret) in Sønderborg offers a wide range of guidance and support services. The centre helps young people make decisions about education and employment, and provides specialist advice where needed – including access to psychologists and other experts.

The Youth Centre covers everything from youth school and Year 10 to integration initiatives, future educational opportunities, and youth counselling. It serves as the direct point of contact for the municipality’s services for young people and acts as a unified link to further education following compulsory schooling.

After-school care – supervision and community outside school hours

After-school care (SFO) is a provision for children in the younger year groups, offering a safe and educationally structured environment outside of school hours. In Sønderborg, all municipal state schools and several independent schools offer after-school care to enrolled pupils – the provision automatically follows the child’s school placement, so your child will attend after-school care at the same school in which they are enrolled.

In after-school care, children have the opportunity to play, express themselves creatively, and form friendships in a structured yet informal environment. It is an important complement to the school day, where learning and wellbeing go hand in hand.

As children grow older, they typically move on to a youth club – likewise a leisure provision attached to the school and aimed at slightly older pupils.