Brundalen skole was built in 1973 as the first so-called open school in Trondheim. In 1997 the school was enlarged in order to be able to host children from the age of six (school age used to start at the age of seven before). Additionally the school got skolefritidsordning (SFO), i.e. a "school freetime arrangement" allowing the children to come to school early in the morning and stay till 16:30 in the afternoon to play and do their homework etc. while their parents are at work. In 2000 the oldest part of the school was rehabilitated. The school got a new heating and ventilation system and was adjustments were made for handicapped children.

• Family groups
  All classes work in small, stable groups in order to give each child the feeling of safety and belonging to a group. These groups are also an important arena for the development of social competence and professional collaboration. The same groups are used as a centre for parents' meetings and professional, school related conversations.

• "Godfathers" and "godmothers"/Blending of age groups
  When a child starts at school at first level ("class") a so-called "godfather" or "godmother" from fourth grade is appointed to be a friend and assistent. First and fourth grade are collaborating on, among other things, music and drama lessons, expeditions and other activities that help the childre to get to know each other and feel safe in each others' company. The classes keep together for three years (i.e., 1/3, 2/5, 3/6).

• "Outdoor school"
  Children learn best when they are active themselves. To be outside creates space both for physical and mental activities. Each class has a fixed outdoor day on its timetable together with its collaboration class every week the whole year through. This outdoor day is, among other things, supposed to give inspirations for subsequent work. Children and adults get to know each other better by doing things together in different environments and the children feel safer by exploring their nabourhood. Outdoor activities and trips are planned by the school.

• Aesthetic expressions
  All children at Brundalen skole are given the possibility to participate in different kinds of music activities. The classes play, dance, sing, dramatize and express themselves through art and craft activities.

• Competence to act
  In an open school like Brundalen it is especially important to interact with each other in a proper way. Therefore, we continuously work on learning and practising good social skills. This way we hope that everybody is looking forward to going to school every day.

• Collaboration - home - school - nabourhood
  The school has developed an action plan for collaboration activities. The plan is always discussed on the first parent meeting for first graders in the autumn.

• Learning through collaboration
  When the children go to an open school in sit together in their groups they get a lot of training in interacting with other people - just like in their life outside school (family, friends, work). Being able to collaborate is not something innate. Therefore, we are working consciously on learning and practising it. Learning through collaboration is a method that helps us doing so. Scientific research shows that learning through collaboration is the best way to learn - both professionally and socially. "What children do together today, they will do alone tomorrow" (Vygotsky).

School activities

• School choir
  Brundalen skole has to choirs; one for 3rd and 4th grade and one for 5th-7th grade. The children in 1st and 2nd grade have their own music and drama activities.

• Art
  The entire school collaborates every year on arranging an art week with a common topic. The goal is to learn something about art. At the same time, the children are supposed to be active artists themselves and to contribute with one or several products during this week. The school also hires travelling exhibitions every year to bring art as close as possible into everyday school life and to inspire the children to experience and produce art themselves. All classes also have the possibility to visit the local art exhibitions in Trondheim one or several times during their time as pupils at Brundalen.

• Brundalen evenings
  Brundalen evenings are arrangements for the whole school where family and friends are welcome to gather at school for an evening in the autumn and one in the spring. One goal for this arrangement is that all children at school participate; everyone is, for instance, supposed to be on stage, either together with the rest of the class, or alone if they wish to.

• Children's gathering
  At the children's gathering all classes contribute with music, dance, drama, reading of poems, fairy tales etc. There are several children's gatherings during the year, and there are special events before Christmas, Eastern and summer vacation.

• Activity days
  There are at least two activity days during the year including all classes at school. One day with winter activities (skiing, skating, sledging, building snowmen etc.), and one late in the spring where the activities are mostly outdoor games, leisure activities, ball games (soccer) and other games. Among other things, the endgame of the spring soccer tournament takes place this day. If the weather allows it, children and adults gather around a fire and eat saussages have a good time :-)

• May 17 - the Norwegian National Day
  In Norway, all schools are involved in the celebration of the National Day. At Brundalen skole the celebration starts with a speech by pupils from 7th grade and some songs. The children represent Brundalen skolen when marching trough the centre of the town carrying the school flag. (All schools and a variety of organisations are marching through towns and villages in Nroway on the National day carrying flags and celebrating the day).

Organisation of the school day

Brundalen skole has two "classes" for each age level. These classes share a so-called landscape, i.e. there are no separate physical classrooms for each class. Also theses classes collaborate intensively on many tasks during the day. The adults on the team work together in teams and have joint responsibility for the children troughout the school day, no matter whether the children are working inside outside outside or have spare time.

The school opens at 7.30 a.m. for those children that attent the "school freetime arrangement" (SFO). School starts at 8.30 a.m. for all classes at all levels. 1st and 2nd grade have ordinary school four days the week and the possibility to attend the SFO on the 5th day. The "curriculum 1997" (L97) defines what the children are supposed to learn and all children in Trondheim municipality get the same amount of lessons per year. The number of lessons per subject may vary from one week to the other depending on what topic the children are concentrating on.