The Junior School in Ísafjörður opened in 1874.  Prior to that children were taught at home, as was the practice in country areas. The school building was erected in 1875 at Silfurgata in Ísafjörður. According to the school's written regulation, the subjects taught were: religious studies, reading books, writing, arithmetic, orthography, geography, human history and gymnastics. In addition to this, as appropriate and as could be afforded, Danish, English, drawing, natural sciences and singing. In 1907 laws were passed for the statutory education for children 10-14 years of age. Municipalities were obliged to provide free schooling in urban areas and peripatetic teaching in country areas.

A secondary school was founded in Ísafjörður in the year 1931. With the new education laws passed in 1946, compulsory schooling was lengthened to 8 years and divided into two school levels. These were the primary school for children 7-12 years of age and secondary school for children 13-16. Primary schools and secondary schools became the statutory education level with the new Education Act from 1974. The compulsory education period was lengthened to nine years and then to ten when children's compulsory education started at the age of six.

Detail