Espoo as a place to study. Highest quality education The City of Espoo offers quality services and...

Espoo as a place to study

Highest quality education

• The City of Espoo offers quality services and versatile recreational opportunities for its residents

• The second largest city in Finland (pop. around 250 000)

• As part of the metropolitan area, Espoo is globally recognised as a networked city with special expertise in high technology, education, culture, physical exercise, research and innovations

19.04.23Finnish Education Unit2

Highest quality education

• The assessments of learning outcomes of pupils in Espoo have ranked among the best in Finland

• The City of Espoo invests heavily in high-quality, diverse and regionally balanced educational opportunities

• Pupils receive skills and knowledge that provide a solid foundation for future studies and life

• Education is provided near the home in a safe school environment

• About 99 % of pupils receive a basic education certificate, so the dropout rate is very low


• Every citizen has the right to receive education

• Basic education is free for all

• The key words in Finnish education policy are quality, efficiency, equity and internationalisation.


The Finnish Education System

The Finnish Education System

• pre-primary education

• nine years of basic education

• general upper secondary educationor vocational education and training

• higher education• adult education


How the schools are run

• The Education and Cultural Services of Espoo organise basic education, pre-primary education and general upper secondary education in the city

• Teaching is provided in Finnish-speaking and Swedish-speaking schools that are administered in different units

• The Finnish Education Unit– is responsible for organising, evaluating and developing

education in Finnish-speaking schools– coordinates the organisation of student welfare and special

support to pupils– arranges for continuing education to teachers in

cooperation with the schools


Key figures of schools

• 97 comprehensive schools with roughly 27 000 pupils– 83 Finnish-speaking comprehensive schools

• 24 000 pupils, of which roughly 8 000 in middle schools• about 2 000 teachers

– 12 Swedish-speaking comprehensive schools• about 2 600 pupils in total

– 2 private schools• 11 Finnish-speaking general upper secondary schools

– About 4 600 students and roughly 300 teachers

• 1 general upper secondary school for adults (about 1 500 students)• 1 Swedish-speaking general upper secondary school (about 500 students)• Several upper secondary vocational education and training institutions, of

which the largest is Omnia• Polytechnics• Aalto University



Basic Education in short

• A nine-year comprehensive curriculum for the whole age group

• No degree; a final certificate will be given for completing the syllabus

• Teaching, text books and other materials, school transport and school meals are free

• Provides the necessary prerequisites for all upper secondary education

Basic Education in short

• Includes a one-year long voluntary pre-primary education in a school or day-care centre

• Local authorities can also provide voluntary morning and afternoon activities for pupils in basic education

• About 99 % of pupils receive a basic education certificate

• A high percentage goes on to upper secondary education



Pre-primary education

• Given in schools and day-care centres

• Lays emphasis on the preparation for school

• Special attention is paid to readiness for school attendance, i.e. to the phase of the child’s emotional, social and cognitive development

• Approximately 98 % of Espoo’s 6-year-olds attend pre-primary education

Pre-primary education

• Provided minimum 700 hours per year, maximum 4 hours a day

• Given roughly at the same time as schools operate during the school year

• Also ’starter pre-grade’ services for children who need more time before entering the comprehensive school system

• Recommended maximum size of teaching group 13 children


Comprehensive schools

• Comprehensive schools are either primary schools with grades 1–6, middle schools with grades 7–9 or joint comprehensive schools with grades 1–9

• All comprehensive schools in Espoo provide high-quality basic education

• Some of the schools offer classes where the teaching focuses on, for instance, physical education, mathematics and science, music, visual arts or performance arts.


Primary schools, classes 1-6

• Pupils have 20–26 hours of classes per week depending on their grade

• Classes are usually held in a specific classroom where the class teacher teaches most subjects

• Languages, for example, may be taught by someone other than the class teacher


Middle schools, classes 7-9

• Pupils have an average of 30 hours of classes per week

• Pupils study both common subjects as well as optional subjects

• Subjects are usually taught by individual subject teachers, and different subjects are taught in different classrooms

• Each class has their own tutor who attends to class issues and the cooperation between the home and the school


Upper Secondary Education

• After basic education, the majority of pupils continue on to upper secondary schools• General upper secondary school studies primarily aim at

further education at the higher level• Vocational education and training provides students with

practical education that prepares them for professional tasks• Upper secondary education lasts for 3 years on average• Education is free of charge

• If the grades on the basic education certificate are not high enough for further studies, the student can be advised to pursue e.g. preparatory instruction and guidance for vocational education and training or voluntary additional basic education.


General uppersecondary school

• Students usually aged 16-19• The admission requirement is

the completion of basic education syllabus (comprehensive school)

• Schools select their students mainly on the basis of previous study records

• In practice, application takes place through the national joint application system electronically


Studying in general upper secondary schools

• All-round education comprising languages, mathematical subjects, humanities and natural sciences as well as art and physical education

• Primarily aims at further education at the higher level• Final examination, the matriculation examination,

entitles the candidate to continue studies at university level

• More than half of each age group complete general upper secondary school


Studying in general upper secondary schools

• Progress in studies is individual

• Syllabus planned for three years, but it is possible to complete the studies in two to four years

• General upper secondary education is also available to adults, adjusted to their circumstances


Upper secondary schoolsin Espoo

• Espoo has– 11 Finnish-speaking daytime upper secondary schools– 1 Swedish-speaking daytime upper secondary school– 1 upper secondary school for adults.

• The daytime upper secondary schools have roughly 4 750 students in total and about 300 teachers

• Each school provides excellent all-round education• Some schools focus on a particular subject, such as art and physical

education, languages or communication, social sciences or mathematics• Some schools have a nationally granted license to specialise in

particular fields– International IB Diploma in two upper secondary schools


Competent teachers

• On all school levels, teachers are highly qualified and committed.

• The master’s degree is a requirement.

• Teacher education includes teaching practice.

• The teaching profession is very popular in Finland, and hence universities can select the most motivated and talented applicants.

• Teachers work independently and enjoy full autonomy in the classroom.


Competent teachers

Instruction may be given by• kindergarten teachers

o pre-primary education in separate pre-primary classes • class teachers

o instruction for grades 1–6 in basic education, teaching all subjects

o may also give pre-primary education • subject teachers

o teach one or several subjects in basic education (primarily in grades 7–9) and/or in general upper secondary education

• special needs teachers and special class teacherso instruction for children in need of special needs education

• pupil counsellors and student counsellorso educational guidance in basic education and in general

upper secondary education.


General, intensified and special support for learning

• In addition to quality basic education, each pupil is entitled to sufficient guidance and support for learning and schooling

• The forms of support include e.g. remedial teaching, part-time special needs education, simultaneous education, flexible grouping of teaching groups, differentiation of teaching and the contribution of a special needs assistant.

• Every pupil is entitled to general support during basic education.

• If this is not enough, the pupil receives comprehensive, long-term intensified support. The supportive measures of intensified support are more regular and can be combined.


General, intensified and special support for learning

• The pupil can also receive special support either in a special class, part-time special class or, if possible, in connection with other teaching. The organisation of education observes the pupil’s best interests, learning potential and the special demands set for the learning environment.

• Pupils are also supported by interpretation and assistant services as well as special needs assistants in compliance with the Basic Education Act and the Services and Assistance for the Disabled Act.


Pupil and student welfare

• Responsible for the physical, mental and social wellbeing of pupils and students.

• Aims to identify the pupils’ and students’ need for support as early as possible

• The support is provided by

– School social workers

– Psychologists

– Therapists

– School health care staff


Pupil and student welfare

• Free of charge and confidential• Organised in cooperation with

parents and teachers. • Each comprehensive school in

Espoo has a pupil welfare team that coordinates and develops pupil welfare– Also regional pupil welfare teams

that coordinate and develop pupil welfare in their area


Guidance in studies and choices

• All teachers are responsible for guiding pupils in their studies.

• Particularly important when the pupil transfers to another school, is making choices concerning his/her studies and during joint applications.

• Middle school pupils and general upper secondary school students also participate in classes on further education opportunities, working life and study skills.

• If necessary, pupils also receive personal guidance and advice.

• During the higher grades of comprehensive school, pupils become acquainted with working life during training periods of a week or two.

• In the lower grades, guidance is provided in connection with various subjects and other school activities.


Learning new languages


3rd gradeCompulsory foreign language for every pupil*, usually English

English (in some schools pupils can choose French or German)

4th grade Optional foreign languageFrench, German, Swedish, Russian (English is compulsory, if not started in 3rd grade)

7th gradeCompulsory Swedish for every pupil

Swedish

8th grade Optional foreign languageFrench, German (in some schools Spanish, Russian)

Upper comprehensive school

Courses in English and Swedish are compulsory.

Students can continue to study optional languages started in comprehensive school and/or choose new optional languages.

French, German, Russian, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Chinese, Japanese

* Some schools introduce a foreign language already in 1st grade.

Instruction in English,language immersion in Swedish

Espoo has• Two primary schools providing

education in English• An international middle school where

the language of instruction is English• Several schools providing bilingual

education (Finnish and English)• Several schools providing Swedish

language immersion. • Two upper secondary schools offering

the international IB Programme (in English)


Education of linguistic and cultural groups

• The Finnish-speaking schools in Espoo have about 3 000 foreign-language pupils and students.

• In addition, the schools have children from bilingual families and Finnish returnees, whose official mother tongue is Finnish, but who need similar support with their language studies as foreign-language pupils.

• The educational aim for different linguistic and cultural groups is– to ensure that pupils obtain the skills and knowledge

of comprehensive school– a functional bilingualism– equal opportunities to pursue further studies.

• Pupils whose Finnish language skills are not at the mother tongue level study Finnish as a second language.


Education of linguistic and cultural groups

• Children with an immigrant background can receive education in their own mother tongue.

• Finnish returnee pupils and children adopted from abroad can also participate in the classes to maintain language skills acquired abroad.

• Education in the mother tongue is provided in more than 30 languages.

• 8 different religious and ethical subjects are taught in Espoo.


Preparatory education

• Children who are in need of support with their Finnish language begin their schooling in preparatory education

• Lasts for one school year• For pre-primary-aged children and first graders, preparatory

education is organised in conjunction with ordinary pre-primary and first grade education

• Pupils in grades 2–9 are assigned to separate groups for preparatory education

• After preparatory education, the pupil is transferred to basic education, where he/she receives intensive support with his/her studies, if necessary


After-school activities

• Pupils in 1st and 2nd grade as well as pupils in higher grades who are in need of special support can apply for supervised free-time activities after school

• Organised in and near schools

• It is statutory to arrange afternoon activities

• Organised by private entrepreneurs, associations and communities in cooperation with the Finnish Education Unit

• Afternoon activities are subject to a fee

• Most comprehensive schools organise various clubs at school after the school day– The most popular subjects are sports and exercise, music, handicrafts,

theatre and performance, cooking, art, nature, languages and dance

– The instructors are usually teachers or occasionally experts from outside the school


Cooperation betweenhome and school

– The school provides the guardians with information that allows them to monitor and advance the schooling and learning of their child

– Guardians are entitled to a personal meeting with their child’s class teacher or tutor at least once per school year

– Parent-teacher evenings and other events for parents

– All schools use the electronic Wilma system where guardians can

• monitor the pupil’s learning outcomes

• view and report on the pupil’s absences

• send messages to teachers

• receive messages and notifications from the teacherand the school



Curriculum

• The Finnish National Board of Education prepares the national core curriculum for basic education and general upper secondary education

Municipalities compile municipality-specific curricula

Individual schools prepare their own school curricula

Curriculum

• The Government defines the minimum number of lessons for core subjects during basic education– In grades 1–6, pupils usually receive the

same education, but schools may focus on different subjects in different ways due to the flexible time allocation.

– In grades 7–9, more elective subjects are included in the curriculum.


The Finnish Education and Early Education Committee

• Guides school activities• Appointed by the Espoo City Council• Responsible for developing, guiding and

assessing Finnish-speaking education and early education

• Approves the municipality-specific curriculum


School boards

• appointed by the Finnish Education and Early Education Committee

• serve as bodies of elected officials in Finnish-speaking comprehensive schools and general upper secondary schools

• either school-specific or joint between several schools• include pupils’ parents, representatives of school staff and pupils

from the higher grades• develop e.g. school activities and cooperation between the home

and the school• decide on the school year plan, the use of the school’s allowance

as well as the school-specific curriculum


Student associations

• Pupils vote for a representative from each grade into the board of the school’s student association

• The board plans presentations and proposals• Improves everyday life at school from the perspective of pupils• Develops the pupils’ possibilities to have an influence• Improves the communal sprit of the school


Espoo as a place to study. Highest quality education The City of Espoo offers quality services and...

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