The school at the heart of the village
Schools shape the future of society. Well-functioning schools are an investment in future welfare, ensuring our position as a competitive knowledge nation on the global stage. At RWS, through our preschools and elementary schools, we aim to be a positive force in building a sustainable society for the future—both locally and globally.
“It takes a village to raise a child” is an old African proverb expressing the necessity of all adults in a child’s or youth’s surroundings contributing to their personal development. In Swedish society, this can involve the home, school, community organizations, service facilities, housing associations, and more. For this reason, we operate our schools under the motto “The school at the heart of the community.” Our ambition is for the school—both its activities and facilities—to be a shared concern for everyone in the local community. The school should be an important meeting place for all, fostering close and trusting collaboration with various stakeholders.
The schools’ operations are based on a clear set of values and direction, guided by a vision, mission, key principles, and guiding principles for how the activities are conducted. Our overarching ambition is to challenge, support, and coach each child and student in their personal development—in knowledge, social skills, and character traits—while creating a sense of security and contributing to their overall well-being.
The role of schools in the society
Our schools should reflect the surrounding society.
In our schools, children and students from diverse backgrounds and with varying abilities come together. Everyone is given the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Children and students should have schools as close to home as possible.
They should be able to walk or cycle to school on safe routes. This encourages physical activity, is practical for parents, and sustainable for society. It also provides students with excellent opportunities to build friendships both during school and in their free time.
Our schools should contribute to a sustainable society.
We aim to shape a sustainable society through quality education and by fostering the well-being of children and young people with strong values and character traits. Additionally, we want to contribute to a socially and environmentally sustainable society.
Our schools should be a shared meeting place.
Our ambition is for the school’s facilities and grounds to serve as a meeting place for children, young people, and adults in the local community. This can include collaboration with local organizations, sports activities, study groups, art exhibitions, cooking classes, and other shared activities for residents of the area.
Our schools should develop a trusting collaboration with municipal representatives.
The municipality, through democratic elections, has the primary responsibility for ensuring that all children and young people receive a quality education. To achieve this, we, as a school operator, strive to develop close and trusting partnerships with the municipal administrations in which we operate.
