Improvements to preschool learning and work environments

The proposals are based on guardians' income, calculated from the total annual income reported on their tax returns. Staff and sibling discounts will still apply.

What is the base fee for 38 hours of stay per week?

The base fee is 16,000 kr. per month for 38 hours of stay per week. A food fee is also added.

For each half-hour beyond 38 hours, 4,000 kr. is added to the education fee.

For the first half-hour under 38 hours, the fee decreases by 2,000 kr.

After that, the fee decreases by 400 kr. for each half-hour.

The education fee for 30 hours is 8,000 kr.

Under the proposals, the food fee remains unchanged. It is 14,774 kr. for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack. If hours of stay are under 35 hours, the afternoon snack is not included, and the fee becomes 11,820 kr. Food fees change regularly.

A 25% discount on the education fee applies.

For single parents

• Annual income under 6.5 million kr. → 80% discount on education fee
• Annual income between 6.5-9.5 million kr. → 40% discount on education fee

For married couples or cohabitants

• Annual income under 9.5 million kr. → 60% discount on education fee
• Annual income between 9.5-12 million kr. → 30% discount on education fee

Special discounts for these groups will be discontinued. Instead, new income criteria will ensure that those with the lowest incomes receive discounts.

Reykjavík preschool staff receive a 40% discount on education fees.

No, the highest discount applies, and discounts are not combined.

The sibling discount is 100% of the education fee for the older child, plus 100% off the food fee for the third child and any subsequent children.

Children can be enrolled in care for a minimum of 30 hours per week. This attendance covers the time of day when the preschool's core educational activities primarily take place, or about 5-6 hours per day. Maximum hours of stay are 42.5 hours per week, which equals about 8.5 hours per day. You can choose different hours of stay for different days of the week.

• For each half-hour beyond 38 hours, 4,000 kr. is added to the education fee.
• For the first half-hour under 38 hours, the fee decreases by 2,000 kr.
• After that, the fee decreases by 4,000 kr. for each half-hour.
• The education fee for 30 hours is 8,000 kr.

Shorter hours of stay enable preschools to plan their educational programs more effectively and ensure more stable operations. It also makes it easier to meet new staff work-hour agreements and reduces the likelihood of service disruptions due to understaffing.

Requests for changes in hours of stay are sent through Vala.
The preschool director must approve the change, and it typically takes effect after one month.

Yes. You can choose different hours of stay for different days of the week, depending on your family's wishes and needs. You can test different schedules in the calculator to see the impact on fees.

Optional care days are aligned with the City's primary school holidays around Easter, winter break, and Christmas. Care on optional care days is voluntary. If care is desired for a child on these days, you must register separately and pay for those days – 4,000 kr. per day.

Each optional care day costs 4,000 kr., which is added to the monthly fee.

Under the new proposals, registration for all optional care days would take place each September. To register, visit minarsidur.reykjavik.is.

When a child is registered for optional care days, they can attend preschool on those days. Optional care days aren't included in the monthly fee. Each day costs 4,000 kr., which gets added to that month's charges.

Registration helps the preschool plan its operations. This registration allows the preschool to schedule the appropriate number of staff and plan for meals.

If the child isn't registered for optional care days, they cannot attend preschool on those days. If parents don't use any optional care days from September to April, the May education fee is waived.

Preschools aim for maximum staffing relative to the number of children present from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays. Fewer staff are scheduled during other times.

Staff work 36 hours per week, but many children stay 40 hours or more per week. This creates imbalances and puts stress on staff, children, and parents. These proposals are intended to address this issue more effectively.

49 of 67 city-run preschools had to resort to such measures at some point during the year. In most cases, this was a safety precaution due to insufficient staffing.

Preschools will remain open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. all weekdays.

Preschools are closed six days a year for planning days. Three of these coincide with staff professional development days or student holidays in the primary schools. Planning days are published in the school calendar and announced well in advance.

Preschools are closed on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, and for an average of 20 weekdays for summer vacation.

The preschool will be open to children who are registered for care on optional care days. Staffing will match the number of children who need care on these days. The cost is 4,000 kr. for each optional care day.

Children in Reykjavík preschools take at least 20 weekdays of summer vacation. The preschool director decides whether the preschool will stay open all summer or close for 10-20 consecutive weekdays. If your child's preschool stays open all summer, you can request to split the summer vacation into two parts. Please send requests to split a child's summer vacation to the relevant preschool director.

All hours at the preschool are quality hours designed for children's age, development, and individual circumstances. However, the preschool should organize the key elements of its curriculum within a 5- to 6-hour period each day in a predictable and purposeful way.

The preschool director determines how this time is specifically used. This is when the preschool's main activities take place: core educational programming based on the national curriculum, the preschool's own policies and philosophy, and the Reykjavík Education Policy.

This includes group activities, field trips, teacher-guided play, and educational documentation. Outside this time, the structure is more flexible and emphasizes free, spontaneous play, safety, well-being, and individualized care.