A year to explore your interests Despite celebrating its 125th birthday in May 2020, Sorø Fri Fagskole, a prevocational school in Sorø, is still at the top of its game. The courses in gastronomy, design and game design attract 80 pupils each year to come to live and study in the beautiful old buildings and make the most of the great facilities the school offers. By Josefine Older Steffensen | Photos: Sorø Fri Fagskole
whether or not they would like to take the other three subjects with or without tests, either to count as an additional year of secondary school or as a separate, vocational year. The pupils are on average between 16 and 18 years old and board at Sorø Fri Fagskole for the whole year, making it their home and allowing them to make friends for life.
The school was initially set up as a college of domestic science by two women inspired and encouraged by the women’s institute, but it has continually been modernised to become the school it is today. In recent years, the school has been particularly focused on vocational courses and gives its pupils the opportunity to understand more about gastronomy, design or game design, while also being taught Danish, English and maths.
Gastronomy
The pupils pick either gastronomy, design or game design and then choose
“Gastronomy is a subject that has always been part of the school. Ever since its beginning, people have been learn-
76 | Issue 133 | February 2020
ing how to cook here,” explains Grethe Hovertoft, headmistress of Sorø Fri Fagskole. The school accepts pupils with all levels of cooking skills; whether they have never been in a kitchen or frequently cook, they are very welcome to join the course. “As long as they are interested, then everything else falls into place,” says Hovertoft. Throughout the year, the students’ cooking skills reach a high gastronomic level, with pupils being allowed to try numerous techniques while working with a variety of ingredients. The school also arranges collaborations with other schools offering similar courses, which the students visit in order to get an insight into what others are doing, also helping them to work together with others.