The paper presents a part of a case study of an emergence of a new upper secondary school in a sparsely populated community in rural Iceland, named Tröllaskagi College that serves a community consisting of three traditional fishing towns and surrounding areas. The school which offers diverse education in traditional academic subjects was founded in 2010 and students are now well over 200 each year, thereof around 50-70 distance students. Emphasis is laid on creative arts and use of computers as well as relation to environment and culture in the community is fostered. Examples are entrepreneurship in cooperation with local entrepreneur companies, sea surfing and outdoors activities in snow.

New national laws in 2008 followed by a new curriculum opened up freedom for schools in designing the content and set up of their curriculum differently. The newly hired principal took this challenge to rethink the way in which the organisation of teaching and learning should be planned. She based the rationale behind the design she proposed on her diverse experience within as well as outside the school system. She has education as a system analyst which made system thinking natural for her and having many years’ experience of teaching and working with young people she had developed an insight and understanding of young peoples’ needs. She is concerned about the way in which the school system has made hindrances for young people’s success in school rather than supporting their education.

In the paper we describe the characteristics of the curriculum design, i.e. the model of teaching and learning (pedagogic practice) which is the backbone of the school practice and the principal’s rationale, including educational visions, for proposing this model for the school. In developing the model she as a leader collaborated with the school staff (vice-principal, teachers etc.) in forming ideological foundation on which the model should be based.  The model relies upon use of Internet and computers which are crucial tools in transforming traditional school schedule and rethinking the framework of the pedagogical practice. The design is based on pedagogical insight for the needs of students in all their diversity. It takes into account students who deal with ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, etc. without making special arrangement for them. Thus the model is made for supporting all students. Since course management systems are used in all courses, all the teaching material and assignments are online and distance students are easily enrolled and can attend courses planned for conventional students on the courses’ online platforms (Moodle).

The school has succeeded in catering for the needs of young people in the community and dropout is rare. At the same time the curriculum design has enabled the school to enrol distance students who for different reasons choose that form. In only five years the school has been established as an important educational institution in the community and enhanced educational opportunities for young people as well as grown up.

Our research questions are:

1. In which way does curriculum design (the model for teaching and learning) support the aim of the school to meet the need of students and taking into account their diversity?
2. Why is the ideology or vision for education an important part of the success of the model?

The theories of Basil Bernstein (2000) are used for analysing the model and gain understanding of the way in which the design of the curriculum, i.e. the model, supports students learning and achievement in the school.

Bernstein, B. (2000). Pedagogy, symbolic control and identity. Theory, research, critique. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, INC. Holstein, J. A., & Gubrium, J. F. (2004). The active interview. In D. Silverman (Ed.), Qualitative research. Theory, method and practice (2nd ed., pp. 140-161). London: Sage Publications. Morais, A. M., & Neves, I. P. (2011). Educational texts and contexts that work discussing the optimasation of a model of pedagogic practice. In D. Frandji & P. Vitale (Eds.), Knowledge, Pedagogy and Society. International perspectives on Basil Bernstein's sociology of education London: Routledge.