ECC Regulations

The Preschool and Kindergarten programmes, Early Childhood Centre AS (ECC AS), of the International School of Bergen are owned and operated by Stiftelsen International School of Bergen.

The ECC AS operates as a non-profit educational institution. The ECC AS is run as a separate entity and governed by a Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees consists of six members: three elected by the parents, one by the staff and one by the sponsoring companies. The sixth member is selected from the local community by the Board members.  

The ECC AS provides an internationally acknowledged education serving the business and Bergen communities.  The language of instruction is English. 

The ECC AS follow the Norwegian Kindergarten Act and work in line with the Framework Plan for Kindergartens - contents and tasks.

The Kindergarten must, in collaboration and close understanding with the home, safeguard the children's need for care and play, and promote learning and formation as a basis for an all-round development. The Kindergarten must be based on fundamental values in the Christian and humanist heritage and tradition, such as respect for human dignity and nature, on intellectual freedom, charity, forgiveness, equality and solidarity, values that also appear in different religions and beliefs and are rooted in human rights.

The children must be able to develop their creative zest, sense of wonder and need to investigate. They must learn to take care of themselves, each other and nature. The children must develop basic knowledge and skills. They must have the right to participate in accordance with their age and abilities.

The Kindergartens must meet the children with trust and respect, and acknowledge the intrinsic value of childhood. They must contribute to well-being and joy in play and learning, and must be a challenging and safe place for community life and friendship. The Kindergarten must promote democracy and equality and counteract all forms of discrimination.

(The Norwegian Kindergarten act, Section 1)

The ECC AS is non-sectarian (Referring to The Norwegian Kindergarten act Section 1a).

The preschool and kindergarten programmes are open to the children, aged 1-6, of internationally mobile families* living in or moving to the Bergen region, and local families as space allows.

*International mobile families are defined as families who transfer from one country to another for work reasons. These families tend to stay in one place for a limited amount of time and then leave to go to another country or major city.  

The ECC Principal, in consultation with the professional staff, is responsible for all admissions.
The application deadline for admission in August each year is March 1st. A main admission will take place in April of each year for the following August. Supplementary admissions will take place on an as-needs basis. An admission before the start of the school year in August is confirmed by the payment of a non-refundable deposit in April. 

Families must complete and submit an ISB application through ISB`s digital admission system Open Apply, and register an application with the central admissions database of Bergen Kommune (Vigilo).
The ECC AS performs a re-enrollment process every year in February, where the child's enrollment is confirmed as ongoing with the return of the confirmation document sent out to our families through Open Apply. The child's seat is guaranteed throughout Kindergarten as long as the re-enrolment form has been submitted on time. 

Enrollment criterias

1.  
   • Children with special needs and children covered by the Child Protection Act section 4-4 second and fourth paragraphs and 4-12, cf. Kindergarten act section 18.
2.  
   • Company sponsored students
   • Siblings of company sponsored students
3.  
   • Siblings of enrolled students
   • Children of other internationally mobile families
   • Children of local families.

The Coordinating and Environment Committee (CEC) (Samarbeidsutvalget) is formed by four parent class representatives, two members of staff and the ECC principal representing the owner.

The ECC year follows the International School of Bergen school calendar from August until June and has the following opening hours:

Monday-Friday: 07:30 – 16:30.
Last day before Christmas break, noon dismissal.
Last day before Summer break, noon dismissal. 
ECC is closed 5 days per school year due to staff in-service days.

For accurate dates regarding holidays and in-service dates, where ISB is closed for students, please see ISB School calendar available on the school website.

Within any school year, parents who wish to apply for a leave of absence must do so in writing at least one month in advance. Tuition payments will be in accordance with the current tuition schedule.

Notice to vacate a place must be made in writing. 

Since fees are charged on a monthly basis, notice must be given at least one calendar month in advance by the child's family.  

In the event of ECC AS withdrawing the seat, one calendar month notice will also be given to the family seeking the withdrawal.

Non-payment of fees may result in the discontinuation of enrolment. If payment has not been received on time, ECC AS will send a reminder. If this still results in the failure to pay outstanding fees, the account will be forwarded to the debt collection agency. Once the account is handed over, ECC AS will send out a termination notice and the discontinuation of enrollment will be completed.  

The ECC tuition fee is regulated in line with Bergen kommunes tuition fee, which is based on the Government's fee structure for Kindergartens. 

Fees are charged for 11 months per year. July is free of charge. All invoices will have a due date on the 10th.

ECC payment schedule
A deposit is invoiced with an April due date to secure the seat from August, equivalent to a month's tuition. Remaining tuition can either be invoiced:

1. In one invoice with due date in August.
2. Three trimester invoices with due dates in August, November and March.
3. Eight monthly installments with due dates from August through March.

Fees in ECC may be subject to regulation in January if determined by the government’s national budget. Students enrolling in Preschool or Kindergarten after the start of a month will be charged for the entire month during which they enroll. No refunds will be given to departing students for uncompleted fractions of a month which they have attended. 

Required indoor space available per child under the age of three is set to 5,3m2. Required indoor space available per child above the age of three is set to 4 m2. 

The approved indoor play area available in the ECC is 243 m2. An outside play area of approximately 3380 m2 is located in the immediate vicinity.

The ECC AS are subject to the internal control procedures outlined in The Kindergarten act section 9 and Internkontrollforskriften, which describes the requirements determined by law. 

The Health and Safety Committee and the Work Environment Committee works systematically to ensure that the ECC provides a psychosocial and physical environment, indoor climate and air quality in line with requirements. Accident and fire prevention is systematically followed up on by the Fire Safety Committee. 

If ECC AS has to cease trading at any point, all available financial resources must be transferred to the International School of Bergen. The school, like ECC AS, is a not-for-profit entity.