100% Graduation Rate at Yrkesgymnasiet Norrköping: “Incredibly Important Work”
May 29, 2024
Yrkesgymnasiet Norrköping achieves a 100% graduation rate, with virtually all students securing employment immediately after graduation. Principal Anna Thor discusses the school's successful methods and the importance of its mission.
In the most recent measurement (academic year 2023), Yrkesgymnasiet Norrköping had a graduation rate of 100%—a figure well above the Swedish average for upper secondary vocational education. This result stems from strategic efforts in maintaining a focused learning environment and support in the classroom, close collaborations and thorough follow-ups with workplace learning placements (APL), and a school climate characterized by safety.
Anna Thor has been the school’s principal for the past two years. It has been a rewarding journey leading the efforts to ensure knowledge and competence among Norrköping’s high school students. Anna Thor is proud of the daily dedication of the staff that has propelled the school to the top tier.
– They are absolutely fantastic and always support our students.
She highlights three key areas where the school excels: classroom instruction, workplace learning, and a supportive school spirit.
Classroom
According to her, a classroom should have a focused learning environment, additional support for those who need it, and a structured and continuous effort towards achieving goals. To ensure these aspects, Yrkesgymnasiet Norrköping works both collaboratively and strategically.
Motivation and Self-Esteem: One challenge is motivating students who have already decided they won’t succeed in high school. Some students come from elementary school with the belief that they cannot succeed in subjects like math or English. The work here involves changing students’ self-perception, helping them understand that with the right support, they can succeed and reach their goals.
Student Reviews: The school conducts bi-weekly ELG (student reviews). This is an opportunity to assess students’ status and identify where additional support is needed. Teachers also use a system to jointly document specific actions and support needs.
Close Collaboration: Teachers work closely together to ensure everyone is aligned. This creates a unified overview and allows them to support each other.
Strategic Placement: Teachers select strategic seating arrangements in the classroom. They scan student groups and position them to maximize focus and learning.
Workplace Learning (APL)
To create the most rewarding apprenticeship setup, Yrkesgymnasiet Norrköping puts together several key components. This involves choosing the right companies, training mentors, and conducting regular follow-ups throughout the apprenticeship period.
Teacher Selection: Vocational teachers use their industry expertise and network to screen potential partner companies. They engage in dialogue and establish collaborations with workplaces that can provide the necessary elements of the curriculum.
Screening: Before starting a collaboration, the school analyzes the company. They visit the workplace, explain Yrkesgymnasiet’s setup, assess the tasks aligned with the curriculum goals, and evaluate the feasibility.
Matching Students: The school assesses each student and tries to place them in the workplace where they will fit best. This is crucial because the student will spend over 50% of their high school time at the company and become part of the workgroup. Proper matching from the start increases the likelihood of the student staying on and getting a job after graduation.
Introduction and Training: As an initial step, the partner company undergoes one of Skolverket’s training programs. Even though mentors have extensive professional expertise, this training provides them with additional pedagogical knowledge. It is important for them to understand the responsibility of hosting a 15-year-old at their workplace.
Regular Follow-Ups: Each month during the apprenticeship period, the school conducts tri-partite meetings. These involve the student, mentor, and vocational teacher to evaluate the work.
School Spirit
The element that ties together the school’s successful classroom instruction and workplace learning is the supportive community. The latest student survey gave a score of 9.38 out of 10 in the category of Safety. This means that almost all students rated their sense of safety at school as the highest.
Engaged Teachers: The teachers’ enthusiasm is infectious. Students are taught by competent adults who care about their development.
Family Feel: Knowing everyone helps teachers identify support needs and students feel more comfortable asking for help.
Shared Responsibility: The staff and students together create and maintain a pleasant study environment. When students also recognize the value of such an environment, it supports the work of creating safety.
Important Mission
Anna Thor emphasizes that none of these successful points would be possible without the school’s staff.
– I am extremely grateful and proud of our team, who supports our students day in and day out. Their dedication permeates the entire school.
And this pride is shared with the staff. The entire team feels a deep sense of pride in their mission:
– We have an incredibly important job. Everyone understands how crucial it is to help a 15-year-old who has chosen their dream profession, gotten into their first choice, and sees a new future ahead. It’s wonderful that we manage to support them so effectively.
Fact
Anna Thor:
Age: 43
Occupation: Principal at Yrkesgymnasiet Norrköping
Residence: Norrköping
Best thing about Yrkesgymnasiet: “Our cohesion and quality.”
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