Information in English
The Alströmer Upper Secondary School is situated in the town of Alingsås (21,000 inhabitants), 50 km north-east of Göteborg (Gothenburg) in the west of Sweden, close to the West Coast.
The school has got 1,250 students, aged (15) 16 - 19 (20), divided into twelve programs as off August 2011.
A totally renovated school
The school was totally renovated during the last years of the 90s. That is why it now offers modern facilities such as a Technical and Natural Science Centre, a large Media department with television studio and broadcasting studios, a Music house with a recording studio and practice rooms. Modern workshops for the Vehicles-, Industry- and Building Programs make these programs attractive. The Health Care Program offers hospital beds and dummies to practise on. Business and Administration has got a network of over 4,000 schools worldwide, with which their student-run "companies" do business. Sports facilities are well cared for in a large sports hall and a sports field. These few examples hopefully show the potentials of the Alströmer Upper Secondary School.
A student-friendly school
All over the Alströmer upper Secondary School you will find a large number of computers, some of which can be used by the students at any time during the day. Every student has got his or her own password as well as an e-mail address.
The centrally located cafeteria houses 100 students and is open all day. So is the library, which is connected to the service of the town library. Free lunch is served in the students´ restaurant.
A school with an international profile
We have an annual student exchange with Husum, Germany.
Other visits to England and other countries are offered whenever suitable. The Alströmer Upper Secondary School receives exchange students every year. So far they have represented countries like Japan, Brazil, Germany, the USA, Switzerland, China, Australia and New Zealand.
Upper Secondary Schools in Alingsås
Alingsås, as every other town or municipality in Sweden, is required by law to offer all students who have completed compulsory school (years 1 - 9) an upper secondary education (years 10 - 12). The Alströmer Upper Secondary School is the only upper secondary school in the municipality.
Upper Secondary Education in Sweden
Upper secondary education is free and a non-compulsory form of school. Education is regulated in program objectives, course syllabi and grading criteria. There are 17 national programs, all of which are 3-year programs. The programs provide a broad general education and eligibility to study at the university or post-secondary level.
All of the national programs include the eight core subjects of English, the Arts, Physical Education and Health, Mathematics, General Science, Social Studies, Swedish (or Swedish as a Second Language) and Religion.
Every program gets its character from its subjects specific to that program. Thirteen of the programs contain at least 15 weeks at a workplace outside the school, so called 'workplace training'. If a program is not offered in their own municipality, students may attend the program in another municipality.
National Programs in Sweden offered at the Alströmer Upper Secondary School:
Child and Recreation/Recreational, Educational and Social Activities Construction/Construction, Building, Painting, Metalwork
Electrical Engineering/Automation, Electronics, Electrical- and Computer Technology
Energy/Operation and Maintenance, Marine Technology, Heating, Ventilation and Sanitation
Arts/Art and Design, Dance, Music and Theatre
Vehicle Engineering/Aeronautics, Coachwork, Motor Vehicle Mechanics and Engineering, Transport
Business and Administration/Business and Services, Travel and Tourism Handicrafts/Various trades and crafts
Hotel, Restaurant and Catering/Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Services
Industry/Local specializations, country-wide recruiting
Foods/Local specializations, country-wide recruiting
Media/Media Production, Printing Technology
Use of Natural Resources/Local specializations
Natural Science/Mathematics and Computer Sciences, Environmental Science, Natural Sciences
Health Care/No national specializations · Social Science/Economics, Liberal Arts, Social Sciences, Languages
Technology/Local specializations
Individual Programs
Individual programs can vary in length and content and are determined by the needs of the individual student, e.g. if a student has not passed grades in Swedish, English and Mathematics in the compulsory school. Very often the students go to school only a few days a week. The rest of the time is spent in factories, offices or elsewhere in so called 'workplace training'.
Courses and grades
In upper secondary school subjects are divided into courses. Grades are given for every course completed. Every course has a syllabus stating the objectives to be achieved. There are also grading criteria for every course stating the required level of achievement for the grades of Pass, Pass with Distinction and Pass with Special Distinction. There are both national courses with nationally approved syllabi and grading criteria, and local courses with syllabi and grading criteria approved by the municipality.
Leaving Certificates
At the end of the upper secondary school program, students receive a final grade (leaving certificate), which is a compilation of the grades for all of the courses included in the study program. A student in upper secondary school can sit for examination in a course included in the program before grades have been set or if he/she has received the grade of Fail for the course.
Choice of Upper Secondary Schools
Most upper secondary schools are municipal and most students attend a school in the municipality where they reside. Students may however choose to attend a school in another municipality, e.g. if the program desired is not offered in their own municipality. Students may also opt to attend a privately run (independent) upper secondary school.
