Special school
A neutral page on the special school as a teaching offer, when a pupil is referred to it, and how special education still sits inside the broader folkeskole rules.
Short answer
A special school is a teaching offer for pupils where it is assessed to be more appropriate to teach the pupil in a special class or special school than only in the general classroom.
Special school. A special school is a teaching offer for pupils where it is assessed to be most appropriate for the pupil to be taught in a special class or special school for shorter or longer periods. A special school is therefore not simply another word for support inside the ordinary classroom.
Why it matters
Many people use special school as a catch-all term for any extra support, but the ministry describes special educational support as something that is primarily given inside mainstream teaching. Referral to a special class or special school is a distinct step.
The concept matters for school choice because special education is tied both to the pupil's academic benefit and to the possibility of active participation in the social community of the class.
Data and methodology connection
The Ministry of Children and Education states that special educational support is primarily provided within general teaching. Referral to a special class or special school presupposes that such a setting is the most appropriate educational solution for the pupil.
The ministry also states that special education normally follows the folkeskole rules on subjects, Common Objectives, pupil plans, national tests, and leaving exams. That means the special school is a distinct offer within the same wider legal framework.
Sources
Clarifications
Does special school mean support in the ordinary classroom is ruled out?
No. The ministry describes support in mainstream teaching as the default. A special school or special class comes into play when it is assessed to be the most appropriate setting for the pupil.
Do special schools follow the same rules on subjects and exams as the folkeskole?
Normally yes. Special education follows the folkeskole rules on subjects, Common Objectives, and exams, although specific exemptions or waivers may apply in individual cases.
DanskeGrundskoler.dk. (2026). "Special school". Skoleviden. https://danskegrundskoler.dk/en/skoleviden/specialskole