The new preschool day structure will take effect in autumn

Exciting changes ahead for the towns preschools

Children’s preschool day in Hafnarfjörður will undergo considerable changes as of September the 1st, 2024. The restructuring of the day to day of preschoolers is in response to requests from parents, staff, the business sector and last but not least the needs of the children themselves. Activities within the preschool day will be twofold, with professional activities and play time, preschool fees will be lower in line with flexible stay hours, the preschool calendar will be 180 days, but for other days, children will need to be specially registered. Shortening the length of a child´s stay is considered to have a great and positive impact not only on the school and staff, but most importantly on the children themselves.

“We continue to take important steps to the future towards even more successful preschools and an environment that speaks more in tune with today’s needs with professionals at the helm,” says Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Mayor of Hafnarfjörður. “The goal of Hafnarfjarðarbær has been very clear from the beginning of this journey and that is to increase the number of professionals within preschools, with children’s success and well-being in mind and for the benefit of preschool activities. We have done this by strengthening the education and health of staff, coordinating the years of service and working hours at the pre-school and primary school levels, increasing flexibility in work through lifelong learning and shortening the working day and creating real opportunities for professional work in an ever-changing environment. All this and more in just over a year, and we’re already harvesting. Hafnarfjarðarleiðin (The Hafnarfjörður way) is a long distance run, not a sprint, and requires collaboration and further conversation between everyone,” says Rósa.

Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, mayor, with a group of preschool children in Hafnarfjörður.

Splitting up the kindergarten day – dual activities within the day

Systematic professional activities and structured teaching take place from 9-15 a.m. In addition, there are activity and play hours from 7:30-9 p.m. and after 3 p.m.

The Preschool calendar – registration days

Changes will be made to the preschool calendar. The preschool year will be 180 days, other days become so-called registration days. On registration days, parents and custodians must register their child for preschool daycare, otherwise they are considered to be on vacation. Children continue to take four weeks of uninterrupted summer vacation.

Reduction in preschool fees and flexible daycare

Fees for 30 hours and less per week are reduced significantly, or by up to 30%. Fees for a 40 hour stay per week will remain the same. A variable length of daycare stay will be offered between days and the only requirement is that the minimum stay is 4 hours per day every weekday. It will be possible to arrange registrations so that the stay varies from day to day.

All of Hafnarfjarðarbær’s actions in recent years and since early 2023, have had the aim of stimulating the interest of skilled professionals and enticing them into diverse and vibrant jobs in Hafnarfjörður preschools.

More information on changes to the daily preschool structure in Hafnarfjörður (Icelandic)

Hafnarfjarðarleiðin – detailed information on the working environment of pre-school staff (Icelandic)