Child in Pre-primary Education
Pre-primary education is part of a lifelong learning path that begins at home and in early childhood education and continues after pre-primary education in basic education.
In pre-primary education, the aim is to promote the child's developmental and learning conditions and to strengthen the child's social skills and healthy self-esteem together with the family. In pre-primary education, play and positive learning experiences are key.
Pre-primary education is arranged on schooldays, four hours per day. Pre-primary education is free of charge and includes one daily meal. In addition to pre-primary education, the child has the opportunity to participate in paid early childhood education supplementing pre-primary education. The need for supplementary early childhood education is announced when enrolling in pre-primary education.
Pre-primary education places
Pre-primary education is arranged in municipal early childhood education units and private day-care centers. Pre-primary education is arranged in day-care centers and in some schools.
Board of education and learning decides on the pre-primary education places for one school year at a time before the beginning of the application period.
Early Childhood Education Complementary to Preschool
In addition to preschool a child has the right to early childhood education which is always aimed to be organised in the same location as pre-primary education. Early childhood education is subject to charge, but the participation to preschool is considered in the fee.
When a child requires complementary early childhood education in addition to pre-primary education:
- When the family fills the registration for preschool, they notify at the same time if the child has a need for early childhood education which complements pre-primary education.
- If the need for complementary early childhood education arises in the middle of the ongoing preschool year, the family must contact the head of the preschool location.
Applying for absences
Pre-primary education follow the same working hours and vacations as schools. The guardians are responsible for the child's regular attendance at pre-primary education. Absence of over two weeks has to be requested from the director of the ECEC-center by filling in a form.
Applying for absences from pre-primary education (523102e)(pdf, 91.45 KB)