Instead of opening new schools during the 2023/2024 academic year, preparation was underway for two ambitious school moves. Two operating schools, including all of their staff and students, have now been moved to new, purpose-built premises, ready for the start of a new school year, as part of a process of continuous improvement. One of these is in Gothenburg where the year four to nine school in Krokslätt relocated, changed name to Södra Änggården and became a preschool to year nine school. The second is located in Stockholm where the school in Liljeholmen moved to new premises.
The brand-new school in Liljeholmen, over 10,000 square metres in size, opened its doors in August 2024 as one of the largest compulsory schools in Sweden. At the same time, operations were expanded to include students all the way from preschool to year nine, and a fritids centre. Today the school has about 1,100 students and around 120 employees.
When IES Liljeholmen first opened in 2014, there was already an intention to move after four years as the premises were not really suitable for the fast-growing school. But it took more than twice as long to complete the complicated puzzle of placement, design proposals, permits and contract-signing. In 2023, construction started at the new address in Liljeholmen and just over a year later the school was ready.
“Bringing the logistics together – managing to pack everything at the former site and moving it to the new premises before the start of the school year – has been a tough process but completely worth it. We’ve now created a lovely school environment in outstanding premises,” says James Northcott, principal of IES Liljeholmen.
“Above all it’s great that there’s such a lot of interest in the school. A school of this size requires a great deal from its school buildings and needs a good playground. We now have that, and it has made things so much better for our students and our staff,” he continues.