Montage. Till höger: en bild på två Yrkesgymnasiet-elever iförda gula varselkläder och vita hjälmar som sågar en planka.

No Student Left Behind: Yrkesgymnasiet Skarpnäck Achieves 100% Graduation Rate

Yrkesgymnasiet Skarpnäck is the school that achieves a 100% graduation rate and ensures that no student becomes a dropout. Principal Alexanthra Gudopoulou shares how the school works to teach students a trade from the ground up, ensure graduation, and reverse the trend of absenteeism.

Vocational students at Yrkesgymnasiet are leading Sweden in goal fulfillment for upper secondary vocational education. Additionally, 9 out of 10 secure employment shortly after graduation. This article is part of a series highlighting the successes of the schools and the efforts behind them.

In the 2024 academic year, 100% of students from Yrkesgymnasiet Skarpnäck’s seven vocational programs are graduating, which is well above the Swedish average. Additionally, nearly all students find employment soon after graduation. The school’s success is due to well-established routines for the apprenticeship model, active classroom leadership, and the ability to bring back students who have been absent.

“The school feels like home, and we all work together for the students,” says Principal Alexanthra Gudopoulou.

Yrkesgymnasiet’s approach involves workplace-based learning, where students learn their trade by working at real companies. Initially, this might feel unusual, but students quickly recognize the strength of this teaching method. They make rapid progress in their vocational skills, become valuable to employers, and have excellent chances of employment.

“This is different from a traditional school, but we apply the same principles to workplaces and do not compromise on guidelines or policies,” says Alexanthra Gudopoulou.

The school conducts regular visits and follow-ups with partner companies, involving not just vocational teachers but also the principal, special educators, counselors, and school nurses. Mentors are carefully selected for each student to ensure the best possible match.

“It is an ongoing effort involving all functions,” Gudopoulou adds.

Turning the Trend for Dropouts

The apprenticeship model is a major motivator for students, but there are always those who, due to mental health issues or other reasons, risk becoming dropouts. The school works hard to reach these students and support them back to school.

“We have had about 20% absenteeism but have managed to reverse the trend for all these students.”

The teachers’ personal commitment to this work is supported by the school’s student health system. Every two weeks, the entire staff holds student review meetings to determine and follow up on targeted interventions. At the same time, the student health team is an integral part of the school; they interact with students in classrooms and hallways, thus identifying needs. The school also follows an annual cycle where strategies and interventions are marked based on previous analyses.

In the classroom, teachers work with active leadership, group-level adaptations, and subject integration.

“The combination of group-level support and early analyses of each student’s individual needs minimizes the risk of losing any student,” explains Gudopoulou.

Conveying the value of knowledge is also crucial:

“It is essential to create an understanding that the more knowledge you have, the more confident you will be in your profession. All the trades we work with involve working with people, meaning we need to communicate and interact with others. It is important to empower our students in this.”

Fact

Principal Alexanthra

Name: Alexanthra Gudopoulou
Age: 42
Occupation: Principal at Yrkesgymnasiet Skarpnäck
Working at Yrkesgymnasiet: Since 2016 at the schools in Stockholm, Principal in Skarpnäck since 2019
Best thing about working at Yrkesgymnasiet Skarpnäck? “Being part of the students’ and staff’s lives and supporting them towards success.”

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