There are two ways of carrying out evaluation in the folkeskole: continuous evaluation and the evaluation made at examinations.
Continuous evaluation
The student's benefit from the teaching is being evaluated on a continuous basis. This evaluation forms the basis of the guidance of the individual pupil with a view to the further planning of the teaching.
In addition to the basic skills, the folkeskole is required by law to help promote the personal and social development of each individual student according to their capability. Working methods are modified towards the pupil's attainment of greater self-reliance and maturity. This aspect of pedagogic policy requires close co-operation between school and home, and an ongoing dialogue is sought between teachers, parents and pupils.
The act is very clear on this point, requiring that pupils and parents be regularly informed of the school's opinion about how each student is profiting from their schooling. In this case, regularly means at least twice a year and refers explicitly to information as to the student's personal and social development as well as his purely academic attainment.
In the 1st to 8th year, information is given either in writing or, which is more common, as part of the conversational exchanges between all three parties: pupil, parents and class teacher - which are a regular feature of Danish school life.
In the 9th to 11th year, the information system is increased to include a written report at least twice a year giving the pupil's standpoint in academic achievement and in application. For pupils at this level, the evaluation of the level of attainment in the individual subjects is expressed in marks.
Marks are given according to the 7-point marking scale indicating the performance of the pupil:
12: For an excellent performance
10: For a very good performance
7: For a good performance
4: For a fair performance
02: For an adequate performance
00: For an inadequate performance
-3: For an unacceptable performance
The last such marks are given immediately before the written examinations and express the pupils' proficiency in the subject at that particular time.
The marking scale was changed April 2007 (order by Danish ministry of Education, Order no. 262 of 20 March 2007), to be comparable to the ECTS grading scale:
The grade 12 on the 7-point grading scale corresponds to an A on the ECTS scale
The grade 10 on the 7-point grading scale corresponds to a B on the ECTS scale
The grade 7 on the 7-point grading scale corresponds to a C on the ECTS scale
The grade 4 on the 7-point grading scale corresponds to a D on the ECTS scale
The grade 02 on the 7-point grading scale corresponds to an E on the ECTS scale
The grade 00 on the 7-point grading scale corresponds to an Fx on the ECTS scale
The grade -3 on the 7-point grading scale corresponds to an F on the ECTS scale
Examinations
Examinations are held at two levels: The leaving examination after the 10th and 11th year and the 11th form examination. Standard rules have been developed for all the examinations with a view to ensuring uniformity throughout the country. For the same reason, the written examination questions are set and marked at central level. Examinations are not compulsory. The pupils decide whether or not to sit for examinations in a subject upon consultation with the school, or in practice, their own teachers and their parents. But, in general 90- 95% write the leaving examination after the 10th year of the folkeskole and 85-90% write the leaving examination after the 11th year.