Pre-school Education

Pre-school education provides systematic and goal-oriented teaching and early childhood education for children under school age. Children are entitled to receive pre-school education beginning from one year before they go to school. Furthermore, 7-year-old children whose school entry has been postponed for a year and 5-year-olds whose schooling has been extended due to disability or illness are entitled to pre-school education.

Children participating in pre-school education are also entitled to supplementary day care.

Pre-school education is voluntary and free of charge. In Vantaa, pre-school education is provided in municipal and private day care centres at the premises of day care centres and public schools. Pre-school education is provided on schooldays for four hours a day (a total of 760 hours per year). Children attending preschool are also entitled to supplementary day care, the cost of which is reduced for children participating in preschool education.

The pre-school education curriculum is based on the National Board of Education framework for pre-school education curriculum issued in 2010. The framework states that the purpose of pre-school education is, among other things, to facilitate children's growth, development and learning and help children build a healthy self-esteem through positive learning experiences.

Vantaa has a common curriculum for day care and schools for children up to 8 years old, and this curriculum also includes the City of Vantaa's targets for pre-school education. The co-operation between day care and schools ensures that day care, pre-school education and early schooling have similar goals, which helps children to grow and learn. Close co-operation between day care and schools makes it easier for children to move from one learning environment to another.

Applying for pre-school education

All preschool applicants must fill an application form. An electronic identity card or a transaction authentication number for an online bank account is required for the electronic application, available at online service (verkkoasiointi). Pre-school education application forms are also available in day care centres, the city districts' day care offices and Citizens' offices.

Preparatory education

Preparatory education is aimed at immigrant children who are unable to participate in Finnish pre-school education due to, for instance, limited language skills. It is up to the parents to decide whether their child participates in preparatory education. While children participating in preparatory education are introduced to Finnish as a second language, instructions are also given in their mother tongue, whenever possible. After a pre-school application has been submitted, the day care personnel will determine in cooperation with the parents, whether the child should participate in preparatory education.

Further information on pre-school education

All day care centres

Pre-school planner 8392 3863

Further information on preparatory education

All day care centres

Early childhood education planner 8392 3232

Language and culture coordinators:

Myyrmäki and Kivistö-Aviapolis 8392 9346

Tikkurila and Hakunila 8392 9344

Korso-Koivukylä 8392 9345