About Vesturbæjarskóli
Vesturbæjarskóli was founded in 1958. It initially occupied the old Nautical College building at Öldugata 23, which had housed Vesturbær Secondary School. In its first year, Vesturbæjarskóli had 250 students in 10 classes. This was considered spacious compared to other Reykjavík schools at the time.
The first principal
Hans Jörgensson was the first principal of Vesturbæjarskóli. Kristín G. Andrésdóttir became principal of Vesturbæjarskóli in 1980. Kristín had previously taught at the experimental school in Fossvogur. She brought those practices to Vesturbæjarskóli, implementing a flexible education system.
Flexible schooling
The school eliminated exams, used an open schedule, and removed homework. This approach increased demands on teachers and students' independent work habits (Guðjón Friðriksson: Children in Reykjavík 2024).
New school building
Design of a new school building began in early 1984. Construction started in 1986 at the intersection of Framnesvegur, Sólvallagata, and Vesturvallagata. The site had been reserved for a school since 1960. It was previously Framnesvöllurinn, likely the first mini-pitch established by the City in 1945. The architect was Ingimundur Sveinsson. A new building opened in fall 1999, allowing the school to operate in a single shift. The third extension opened in fall 2018. It added seven classrooms and a new dining and assembly hall.