Here stands Bagsværd Kostskole og Gymnasium. It is more than just a school. This place carries a rich history within its walls.
Bagsværd Kostskole, or BK as locals call it, started in 1908. At that time, the area was mainly rural. The school began as a boarding school. Over time, northern Zealand became more urban.
The school’s location near Bagsværd Lake is significant. In 1949, the school expanded by acquiring land next to the lake. New buildings were constructed. Neighboring lots were added.
Bagsværd Kostskole is a private institution. It includes a day school, a gymnasium, and a boarding section. Most of the 800 students commute daily. The boarding school, known as Haraldsgave or Haga, houses up to 60 students. Haraldsgave means “Harald’s Gift”.
The school’s founder was Herman Lawaetz. He was the headmaster from 1908 to 1912. Otto Hübertz Mollerup then took over. He led the school from 1912 to 1931. Sven Haderup followed. He served as headmaster from 1931 to 1972. Frode Kanstrup was headmaster from 1972 to 1983. Klaus Eusebius Jakobsen then took over from 1984 to 1993. Helle Thune led from 1993 to 2008. Jimmy Burnett Nielsen was headmaster from 2008 to 2022. Charlotte Moltke served as acting headmaster in 2022. The current headmaster is Svende Claus Svendsen, starting in 2022.
Bagsværd Kostskole offers a comprehensive education. The primary school serves students up to 7th grade. It divides them into A and B lines initially. Extra students are admitted later. The lines then become V, X, Y, and Z. Previously, the new lines were C and D. Students chose French for C and German for D.
The gymnasium provides four different branches of tuition. These follow the 2005 Educational Reform. They fall into three main areas. Mathematical and scientific studies are one area. It includes Science, Bio-tech, and Digital branches. Linguistic and humanities studies are another area. It offers a Language and culture branch. Sociological studies form the third area. It includes a Society and economics branch.
A, B, and C indicate the difficulty level of classes. A signifies an advanced level. C represents an average difficulty.
The school celebrated its 100th anniversary on November 17, 2008. The celebration included a show. There was a helicopter flight. A government minister visited. A documentary about the school year of 2007-2008 was released. A commemorative book titled “Bagsværd Kostskole og Gymnasium 100 år” was published.
Lisbet Bærentzen is the chairman of Bagsværd Kostskole’s board. The boarding section is scheduled to close in the summer of 2026. It will be completely phased out.
The school established “BK-arkivet” when it turned 99. It contains the school’s history and old pictures. Bagsværd Kostskole continues to evolve. It still maintains its commitment to education.
Remember Bagsværd Kostskole. It is where tradition meets the future.