Studying in Basic education

Preparatory teaching is provided for children and young people who are not proficient enough in Finnish language to study in a group taught in Finnish. The preparatory teaching groups teach the Finnish language as well as different school subjects based on the students' skills levels.

Children who do not speak Finnish fluently are taught Finnish as a second language (S2). Children attend S2 teaching until they understand, speak and read Finnish fluently.

Vantaa provides teaching of a student's own native tongue, home language and maintained language for two hours per week. Teaching a student's own native tongue helps support the student's thinking, linguistic skills and communications. It also helps create the basis for functional bilingualism and reinforces the student's multi-cultural identity.

In grades 1 through 6, pupils have their own class teacher who teaches them most of the subjects. 

In grades 7-9, subject teachers provide the instruction. All groups also have a tutor. In grades 7.-9. students study both common subjects and optional subjects that the student chooses themself.

In Vantaa, students take English as their A1 language (starting from the 1st grade) and Swedish as their B1 language (starting from the 6th grade). The guardians and their child can choose together which additional, free-choice languages the student wants to learn in comprehensive school.

 Either religion or ethics are taught in basic education. A student can also receive teaching in their own religion in primary and lower secondary schools in Vantaa. Students are enrolled in religion and ethics teaching when registering for school or with a student information form filled in annually.

The objective of guidance counselling is to promote the growth and development of students so that each student is able to develop their studying capabilities and social skills and learn the knowledge and skills needed in life. Guidance counselling supports students to make decisions and choices related to their daily life, studies, future education and future based on their own capabilities, values, backgrounds and interests.

Finnish Schools on the Move ("Liikkuva koulu") is a national action programme aiming to establish a physically active culture in Finnish comprehensive schools. Schools and municipalities participating in the programme implement their own individual plans to increase physical activity during the school day.

Assessment is a whole that consists of more than giving grades and reports. Providing constructive and guiding feedback helps pupils understand about their own learning and identify their strengths. In addition to continuous, guiding feedback, pupils receive two intermediate reports during the school year and a school year report at the end of spring.

Comprehensive education lasts for 9 years. All the children living in Finland are subject to compulsory comprehensive education. In most cases comprehensive education starts in the year when the child becomes seven years of age. Compulsory education will end when a young person has their 18th birthday, or when they have completed an upper secondary education degree (matriculation examination or vocational degree) before their 18th birthday. Young people ending basic education are obliged to apply for upper secondary education in the joint application.

A child is entitled to extended compulsory education if they will not be able to achieve the prescribed goals of education in nine years because of a severe disability or illness. A child entitled to extended compulsory education is also approved for special support.

Compulsory schooling may be suspended for compelling reasons enshrined in law. The guardian applies for the interruption of compulsory education during basic education with a "Oppivelvollisuuden määräaikainen keskeytys" form. Further information is provided from the principal of your school.

The curriculum dictates schools’ instruction, learning, and activities. The curriculum specifies the different subjects’ educational goals, essential content, as well as grounds for assessment.

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