Changes in Learning Support

Changes in Learning Support for Pupils in School

As of August 1, 2025, legislation concerning learning support for pupils in early childhood and basic education will change. The aim of the reform is to make support more flexible and accessible, so that all pupils have the best possible conditions to succeed in school. The new approach focuses on preventing learning difficulties and supporting pupils within mainstream education, so that as many as possible can participate in classroom instruction.

The main change is that the former “three-tiered support system” will be removed. Teaching will be planned in a way that makes it easier to provide support directly in the classroom and will be based on hands on pedagogical solutions and support measures tailored to the needs of the group and individual pupils. These include forming flexible teaching groups to better meet learning objectives and to enable teachers to address pupils’ needs more effectively.

How does the new support work in practice?

All pupils are primarily entitled to support provided within the class or group – so-called group-specific support measures, such as:

✔ General remedial teaching when needed ✔ Support in the language of instruction ✔ Special education teacher support during lessons

If these are not sufficient, the pupil may receive individualized support measures, such as:

✔ Teaching in a small group with a special education teacher or special class teacher ✔ Teaching in a special class

Individual support measures require an official administrative decision by the education provider.

Limiting the Scope of the Curriculum

What was currently referred to as an “individualised curriculum” will in the future be called a “limited curriculum”. Limiting the curriculum is a last-resort measure and is only used when a pupil, despite receiving both group-specific and individualized support, is unable to meet the objectives of the general curriculum with a passing grade (grade 5).

From August 1, 2025, pupils with a limited curriculum will receive verbal assessments up to the end of grade 9. In their final certificate, the grade will automatically be marked as a 5 with an asterisk (*).

The reform includes a transition period lasting until August 31, 2026. During this time, existing support decisions will be updated to comply with the new legislation. This means that the learning plans of pupils currently receiving intensified or special support will be reviewed and revised during the coming school year.