Educational assessment in Danish schools

This profile describes the methods used for assessing pupils in Danish schools. The Danish school system is rooted in traditions going back almost 200 years. The per pupil expenditure is the highest of any country at the level of primary education and at the lower secondary level is only exceeded by three countries. Public satisfaction with the system has generally been high, but international comparisons have shown disappointing results. This may be a result of complacency and possibly also of a weak evaluation culture in a country without a national curriculum, without marking before grade eight, and without national tests of proficiency before the end of grade nine. However, there are changes underway in terms of strengthening the evaluation culture.