Current developments in gifted education: Norway

Gifted education in Norway was largely absent prior to 2016, reflecting an egalitarian tradition emphasising equality. This is now changing, as recent years show an emerging interest in catering for this group within the school system. This shift may partly be linked to Norway’s relatively low performance in international assessments such as PISA. Following the white paper NOU 2016:14 More to Gain, which highlighted the needs of gifted students and noted limited attention to early childhood education and care (ECEC), change has been slow. However, nearly a decade later, emerging initiatives are evident across municipalities and schools. The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training has also introduced several recent guidelines, mainly targeting schools and transitions between ECEC and primary education, while offering limited direction for ECEC practice. This chapter describes current developments in gifted education in Norway.