Pupil assessment practices, progression rules, and certification in Iceland’s compulsory school system. 

1. Pupil assessment 

Assessment in compulsory schools (grunnskólar) is primarily school-based and continuous. Teachers are responsible for ongoing formative assessment. The National Curriculum Guide emphasises that assessment should support learning and inform instruction. Teachers use a variety of methods, including observation, portfolios, written and oral tasks, and project-based assessments. 

Parents receive regular reports on their child’s progress, typically through formal parent-teacher conferences and written reports. Individual learning plans are developed for pupils who require additional support. The Directorate for Education and School Services (Miðstöð menntunar og skólaþjónustu), established in spring 2024 administers the national coordinated examinations   named Matsferill The Matsferill examinations are given in grades 4, 6, and 9, at present only in Icelandic and mathematics. Their primary purpose is diagnostic: to assess system-level performance and identify areas needing attention, rather than to determine individual grades. 

Matsferill – The Icelandic Student Assessment Profile (ISAP) introduced in 2025 has the purpose to improve student learning outcomes in Iceland through regular and purposeful assessment. Matsferill provides a structured overview of students’ learning and progress in compulsory education. 

Within ISA, students complete status and progress assessments in: 

Reading fluency 

Reading comprehension 

Mathematics 

The reading comprehension and mathematics assessments are developed for all year groups from grade 4 to grade 10. They are mandatory for students in grades 4, 6 and 9. Reading fluency assessments are optional and available for all year groups. In addition to status and progress assessments, ISAP includes screening and diagnostic tools for learning difficulties, as well as other resources that teachers use to support teaching and evaluate learning outcomes. 

Matsferill provides students, parents and teachers with clear information about a student’s status and progress. This information supports teaching and learning. It helps ensure that students receive appropriate support or greater challenges, depending on their needs. 

Schools, municipalities and education authorities also gain an overview at a broader level. This enables school leaders and policymakers to identify challenges and plan improvements. 

In this way, Matsferill supports continuous improvement in the education system. 

The Regulation on the Organization and Implementation of Standardized Assessment in Compulsory Schools (Reglugerð um fyrirkomulag og framkvæmd samræmds námsmats í grunnskólum nr. 191/2026) stipulates the implementation of the exams. According to the National Curriculum Guide Assessment criteria are presented at the end of compulsory school for subjects and areas of study and describe how well a student has mastered a defined competence. The descriptions are linked to grades A, B, B+, C, C+ and D and are defined for the top grade of compulsory school (grade 10). This assessment scale is to be used by schools when graduating students from compulsory school. Compulsory schools have been encouraged to use this assessment scale for other grades of the compulsory schoolstage but there are schools that use also the grading scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest. 

Assessment criteria are also presented for key competences in compulsory school. Key competences highlight the importance of the compulsory school, creating a platform for students to develop competences that prepare them for participation in a democratic society. 

The grading system is determined by individual schools and the National Curriculum Guide. External standardised assessment coexists with teacher-led continuous assessment. 

2. Progression of pupils 

Progression through compulsory school is generally automatic. Grade repetition is legally possible under the Compulsory School Act but is extremely rare in practice. The emphasis is on providing differentiated support within the existing grade structure rather than holding pupils back. 

If a pupil is struggling, the school is expected to adjust instruction and provide special educational support in collaboration with parents. The decision to retain a pupil in a grade, if ever taken, involves the school, parents, and the municipality. 

3. Certification 

Upon completing grade 10, pupils receive a Compulsory School Certificate (grunnskólapróf). This document lists the courses completed and the grades achieved. It is issued by the individual school. 

 All pupils who have completed compulsory schooling or reached the age of 16 have the right to enter upper secondary school. Specific upper secondary programmes may set additional admission criteria based on grades in particular subjects.