In December 2023, 19,765 children attended pre-primary schools in Iceland, a decrease of 145 (-0.7%) children from the previous year. No children were reported attending the two preschools in Grindavík, but in December 2022 189 children had attended those schools. In all, there were 261 pre-primary schools operating in December 2023, three fewer than in the previous year.
The proportion of 1-5 year old children attending pre-primary schools decreased by two percentage points from the previous year, from 88% to 86%. The proportion of preschool children, as a share of the population in the corresponding age group, decreased among one year olds, two year olds, four year olds and five year olds, while the proportion of three year olds was unchanged from the previous year. The proportion of children attending pre-primary schools varies greatly by region, from 96% in the Westfjords and 95% in the Northwest to 72% in the Southwest.
The largest decrease from the previous year was among one year old children, with 44% attending compared with 54% in the previous year. The highest proportion of one year old children attending pre-primary school was found in the Westfjords (77%), in the Northwest (73%), and in the East (71%). The proportion of one year old children attending was by far the lowest in the Southwest, at 10%.
More children receive special support
In December 2023, 2,473 children received special support because of a handicap, social or emotional difficulties, a total of 12.5% of all pre-school children, more than ever before. In 2022, 11.7% of children received special support which was at that time the highest proportion of children receiving support measured by Statistics Iceland. As in previous years boys were more numerous among children receiving support in 2023, or 1,596 boys compared with 877 girls.
Changes in the attendance of children in the Capital region outside of Reykjavík
After changes were made in the tariffs for pre-primary schools in Kópavogur, there have been changes in the daily attendance of children in the Capital region outside of Reykjavík, where Kópavogur is located, compared with the previous year. The number of children who attend school for six hours increased from 94 to 492 and the number of children attending school for seven hours increased from 385 to 620. On the other hand, the number of children attending school for eight or nine hours daily decreased from the previous year.
Most pre-primary schools are open for 48-49 weeks during the year
It is most common for pre-primary schools to be open for 48-49 weeks during the year. A total of 177 out of 261 schools were open for 48-49 weeks in 2023, and 59 schools were open for 46-47 weeks. In all, 17 schools were open all of 2023.