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Welcome to school! learning services 2017-2018 kuopio.fi basic education The City of Kuopio, Learning Services
1PB
Welcome to school!learning services 2017-2018
kuopio.fi
basic education
The City of Kuopio, Learning Services
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CONTENTSWelcome to basic education! 4
School enrollment 7
Basic education in grades 1–9 9
Additonal 10th form of education 9
Focus education 15
Foreign language education 19
Afternoon activities 21
Cooperation between home and school 23
Support for learning 24
Well-being of pupils 26
Education for immigrants/multicultural education 30
Contact information 35
Schools in Kuopio 36
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Welcome to basic education!
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Leena AuvinenDirector of Education
Sari IhalainenManager of Bacic education
Welcome to school!
For the child to do well in school work, confidential cooperation between home and school is essential. Parents have the primary responsibility for their child’s upbringing and school supports this educational task. School’s mission is also to support the child’s growth and learning as a member of the school community.
Children born in 2010 will start their basic education in the autumn 2017. The school enrollment takes place between 9.–16.1.2017. The child’s school will be determined by home address. In addi-tion, the size of the cohort as well as the school premises and group division affect the formation of student groups in school areas.
When children start school, they differ from each other as for their level of knowledge and competence. Pupils who need support with their studies are helped with various individual methods of support. The aim is that every child could find a personal, characteristic way to learn in a safe environment. Safety is created by caring.
The curriculum of basic education was reformed and introduces in 1.8.2016. The most essential factors concerning the teaching and educational work of schools are defined in the school curriculum. These include, for example, the school’s values and aims, the aims and contents of different subjects and thematic entities, working methods as well as student assessment. Also, cooperation between home and school, pupil welfare services, learning environ-ment and school practices are defined in the curriculum.
There are many ways for schools and homes to cooperate with each other. Teachers and parents can discuss together how the cooperation will be implemented in practice and how infor-mation will be exchanged. It is also im-portant that parents actively take part in the school activities and parents’ evenings. An Internet-based Wilma is used as one method of communicating between homes and school.
We wish a good and safe school year 2017–2018 for all new students and their parents! Let’s go forward together for the best of the child!
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School enrolmentBasic education (comprehensive school) starts the year in which a child turns seven and ends when the sylla-bus of basic education has been com-pleted, or 10 years after the beginning of compulsory education.
The child’s guardian enrols the child in school on the Internet. The school enrolment form has information on the child’s near school in which the child enrols. An Internet-based Wilma connection is utilized in the online enrolment. The child’s guardian will be given a user name and a password for the service attached to the enrolment form. Guardians are asked to remem-ber the user name and the password because Wilma is used as one method of communicating between homes and school.
The guardian can also apply for a school place in a school other than the child’s near school for a justified reason (a so-called secondary school choice, toissijainen valinta). The pupil can be admitted to the school if there are available places. In case the school has more applicants than available places, pupils will be selected on the following grounds in the order of priority:1. The pupil has a medical reason (a
doctor´s statement) or a welfare reason
2. The pupil´s sibling attends the same school (this ground is not used if the sibling is assigned to the school on
the grounds of special needs educa-tion, the sibling is assigned to her/his secondary school choice, or the sibling is accepted to the school by entrance examination)
3. The pupil has attended pre-school at school in question
4. A reason related to school transpor-tation arrangements
5. Pupils from outside Kuopio
In case there are more applicants who meet the qualifications criteria than there are available places, pupils are selected by drawing lots. The decision on secondary admittance (toissijainen oppilaaksiotto) applies to grades 1-6.
The guardian is responsible for taking care of the possible school transpor-tation costs to a school other than the child’s near school. The guardian is also responsible for taking care of school transportation costs when the pupil needs transportation to school due to an illness or a leisure time accident. The school headmaster will make a decision on pupils’ school places for all first graders.
Decisions on pupils’ school places will be sent to homes in February. If the guardian is not satisfied with the de-cision, s/he can make an appeal to the Regional State Administrative Agen-cy of Eastern Finland (Itä-Suomen aluehallintovirasto) according to the instructions for seeking rectification enclosed with the decision.
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In case investigations concerning the pupil’s need for special support mea-sures are still going on, the pupil will possibly receive later a new decision on admittance to special needs edu-cation (Basic Education Manager’s decision).
In case the pupil moves to another school area in the middle of the school year, the guardian must notify the child’s current school headmaster of the move immediately. The pupil will be assigned to another near school. However, the pupil has a right to at-tend her/his former school for the time being in case the arrangement will not incur the school any extra costs, and if the guardian takes care of the child’s school transportation costs. The decision will be made by the school headmaster.
Children who start school will be given a health inspection (kouluuntulotar-kastus) at the school nurse’s office starting from the beginning of June. Parents of future first graders are asked to book an appointment with the health nurse in May for the child’s health inspection. You will find contact information for booking the appoint-ment at http://www.kuopio.fi/web/social-and-health/health-services
Going to school a year later or earlierCompulsory education begins on the year the child turns seven. It is also possible to start school a year earlier. In this case, the guardian enrolls the child in the school which s/he wants the child to attend. The child must possess the cognitive, social and psy-chological skills required for starting school. Therefore, the guardian must acquire a psychologist’s statement supporting the decision to start school. This statement must be sub-mitted to the Learning services as an attachment of the application.
Starting school can be delayed by a year. The guardians must fill out a separate application for the uncon-ventional time for starting school. Application forms are available at comprehensive schools and at the Learning Services. The application will be submitted to the student welfare services. A doctor or a psychologist’s statement or information about the results of the school readiness group assessment, as well as the day care unit’s opinion, should be enclosed with the application. Tests of readiness for school attendance can be accessed via pre-school. The consulting special needs kindergarten teachers will give you more information.
Application SpecialistEija Rissanen044 718 [email protected]
Manager of Bacic education Sari Ihalainen044 718 [email protected]
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
The curriculum is the most important document guiding the school activities and education. Curriculum defines the values, principles, aims and con-tents on which education is based. At the end of 2014 the Finnish National Board of Education completed the new national core curriculum for basic and pre-primary education. It forms the national frame according to which local school curricula are drawn up. It includes the objectives and core contents of different subjects, as well as the principles of pupil assessment, special-needs education, pupil welfare and educational guidance. The prin-ciples of a good learning environment, working approaches as well as the concept of learning are also addressed in the core curriculum. Schools have started working according to the new curricula in autumn 2016 for grades 1-6 and will start for grade 7 by 2017, grade 8 by 2018 and grade 9 by 2019.
In the new curriculum, the emphasis set on collaborative classroom prac-tices will also be brought about in multidisciplinary, phenomenon- and project-based studies where several teachers may work with students studying the same topic. All compre-hensive schools in Kuopio have to de-sign and provide at least two multidis-ciplinary learning modules per school year for all pupils, focused on studying phenomena or topics that are of spe-cial interest for students. Pupils are expected to participate in the planning
process of these studies. When pupils are allowed to be active in planning of their school work, especially the multi-disciplinary study projects, studying becomes more inspiring and meaningful.
The national core curriculum defines the objectives and core contents of different subjects and thematic enti-ties, and principles of pupil assess-ment in order to guarantee the con-sistency and quality of education and assessment throughout the country. The aim of the current core curriculum is to guarantee a consistent basic edu cation in grades 1-9. The well- being of pupils and cooperation between homes and schools are central matters in the curriculum.
All comprehensive schools in Kuopio follow the municipality-specific curri-culum of basic education which has been formulated on the basis of the national core curriculum. The curricu-lum of basic education in Kuopio is specified by school-specific curricula. In their own curricula, the schools decide on the emphasis of teaching, optional subjects and distribution of lesson hours for each grade. School-specific curricula can be found on the schools’ websites.
Syllabus of basic education The Basic Education Act regulates the subjects included in the curriculum and pupil counselling. The Government
Basic education in grades 1–9
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decides on the overall time allocation by defining 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 optional subjects are included in the curriculum. The curriculum also includes an introduction-to working- life period. Pupils’ parents or other guardians decide which of the optional subjects on offer the pupil will take.
The syllabus of basic education includes the following subjects common to all pupils:• mother tongue and literature
(Finnish or Swedish) • the other national language
(Swedish or Finnish) • foreign languages • environmental studies • health education • religion or ethics • history • social studies • mathematics • physics • chemistry • biology • geography • physical education • music • visual arts • craft • home economics
In addition to these, pupils may also have the option to study other sub-jects suitable to basic education, according to the provisions of the curricu lum. These subjects may be partially or completely optional for pupils.
Transversal competencesSome key aims in the curriculum are developing schools as learning communities, and emphasizing the joy of learning and a collaborative atmosphere, as well as promoting student autonomy in studying and in school life. There will be much fo-cus on transversal competences and work across school subjects. In the new curriculum, the learning goals of the transversal competences are described as seven competence areas. The areas are
1. Thinking and learning to learn2. Cultural literacy, communication
and expression 3. Managing daily life, taking care of
oneself and others 4. Multiliteracy 5. ICT-skills 6. Entrepreneurial and work life
skills 7. Participation and building sus-
tainable future.
Assessment The aim of assessment is to help the pupil form a realistic picture of her/himself as a learner through interac-tion and feedback. In addition, pupil
assessment is designed to give the pupil and her/his guardian informa-tion about the progress of the pupil’s studies.
Pupil’s progress, work and behavior are assessed in relation to the objec-tives of the curriculum or a personal plan concerning teaching arrange-ments, and in relation to the descrip-tions of good performance. However, when pupils are assessed, they are not compared to each other.
Interaction and feedback during lessons are forms of continuous assessment. In addition to continuous assessment and school year reports, assessment feedback is given to the pupil and her/his guardians through different kinds of notifications and learning discussions.
The core curricula for subjects have been written so that their learning objectives include the competence goals which are most important for the said objectives. The competences will also be assessed as a part of subject assessment.
In order to ensure equality in assess-ment, national assessment criteria for a numerical grade 8, meaning good performance, have been defined in the National Core Curriculum in every subject for two major transition phases. The first one is at the end of the 6th grade, the second one at the
end of the 9th grade. The assessment criteria describe, for each subject, what kind of competence is required for good performance (grade 8). Each teacher uses these national criteria when assessing his/her pupils for the purpose of reporting on the pupil’s knowledge and skills in the school year report card for 6th grade and 9th grade, the latter one constituting the basic education certificate.
Instruction in religionSchools offer instruction in Evangeli-cal Lutheran religion and Orthodox religion, and instruction in Ethics for pupils who are not members of any church. Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church will participate in the instruction in Evangelical Lutheran religion. Members of the Orthodox Church will participate in the instruc-tion in Orthodox religion unless the guardian enters the child into the teaching group of Evangelical Luthe-ran religion. The taught subject is determined by the religion of the pupil’s mother.
Pupils who are members of some other church than the above men-tioned can be offered instruction in their own religion in case the schools of Kuopio have three or more pupils with the same religion. If instruction in the pupil’s own religion is not ar-ranged, the pupil’s guardian can ask for a substituting instruction or enter the pupil for the teaching groups of
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Ethics or Evangelical Lutheran religion. Pupils can be entered for the teaching groups of Ethics and religion other than Evangelical-Lutheran religion or Orthodox religion when enrolling in school.
Grades 7-9When pupils go to the seventh grade they will encounter many new things. Teachers and classmates change and pupils must study new subjects. Pupils go from the 6th grade to the school defined by their home address: https://karttapalvelu.kuopio.fi -> Area divisions -> School admission areas, comprehensive schools, grades 7–9. Some pupils may have to change from one school building to another, while others only have to move from one end of the building to another. It always takes time to adapt to the new environment. Each school has its own way of including new pupils as a part of the community naturally and safely.
During the three final years of basic education, pupils grow from children to young people. During this time, the basis for vocational studies and gene-ral education will be created. School days will become longer because the number of lesson hours increases and class teachers are replaced with seve-ral subject teachers. Pupils also have to find more time to do their home-work. Studying at the new school be-comes more independent. Pupils must
take more responsibility for studying, doing their homework, and for their own role as members of the school community. Special attention is paid to pupils’ behavior. Pupils have more freedom, but they are also expected to take more responsibility in every situation.
Pupils are members of their school’s student association. Schools also have prefects (tukioppilas). The student association takes care of matters affecting all students and develops the school together with teachers. The purpose of prefects is to increase safety and comfort in schools. Pupil assessment is conducted twice a year at minimum.
Pupils can also apply to some other school (secondary application) than the school defined by the home address. The pupil can be admitted to the secondary school choice in case it has available places.
Guardians are responsible for taking care of the school transportations costs if the pupil studies in the secon-dary school and also when the pupil requires school transportation due to a medical condition or leisure time accident.
Additional 10th form of educationAdditional 10th form of educationThe objective of additional education is to improve the chances young peop le in Kuopio to start further studies, as well as to increase their knowledge of different educational options and the working life.
Students in additional education can include courses of general upper secondary schools and vocational schools to their studies if possible. Studies may include instruction taking place at work places or in different organizations according to the curricu la of the schools offering additional education. The location of the additional education units is decided on academic year basis.
Students who are entitled to a study place in the additional education are primarily such students in the City of Kuopio who have not been able to secure a place of study in secondary education through the joint application system. Study places of additional education are given to students in the order of superiority of the applicants’ wishes and average of all subjects or theoretical subjects in basic education. Students selected for additional edu-cation will be interviewed and they are expected to commit themselves to the voluntary additional education.
The school will draw up a personal study plan for each student. The plan will be drawn up and its progress
will be observed by the student, the study counsellor and responsible teachers, and if necessary, the stu-dent’s guardian. The progress of the student’s studies and its observation are emphasized in the collaboration between home and school. Students in additional education will be offered student welfare and support services of basic education. Students who need special support are offered educatio-nal and support services depending on the resources. Students in additional education are assessed according to the assessment criteria defined by the school’s curriculum. A certificate for the studies will drafted according to the regulations of the National Board of Education.
IMPROVEyourself
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Focus education refers to intensified and advanced instruction in a particu-lar subject. It is possible to form a separate teaching group of pupils in focused education. Focus education is included in optional subjects in the 8th and 9th grade and it reduces the number of other optional subjects in these grades.
Applying through entrance examinationsPupils are admitted to focus educa-tion through entrance examinations. Information on the time, date and contents of entrance examinations will be given when necessary. Admit-ted pupils will receive a written con-firmation of the admission.
Pupils can apply to two types of focus education at most. Applying to focus education and the order of choices are binding. In case the pupil is given admission to both of her/his choices, the school place will be de-termined by the pupil’s first choice.
Music classes / grades 3-6 and 7–9The aim of intensified instruction in music is to ensure that students con-tinue to study and play music per-sistently both at school and outside it. Music classes in grades 3-6 are located at the Haapaniemi, Kalevala, Pyörö and Rajala Comprehensive Schools. Music classes in grades 7-9 are located at the Pyörö Compre-hensive School and at Minna Canth’s
Focus educationComprehensive School. Pupils can apply for music classes even if they have not been in music classes during grades 3-6 .
Physical education class / grades 3–6The number of physical education lesson hours in the physical educa-tion classes of the Jynkkä Compre-hensive School is four. Pupils are supported and encouraged to learn new things and skills, and introduced to many forms of exercising (also to special sports activities). Pupils who play competitive sports will be offered many chances to compete.
Physical education class and sports class / grades 7–9The City of Kuopio has physical edu-cation class at the Hatsala Classical Comprehensive School and sports classes at Hatsala Classical Compre-hensive School and Jynkänlahti Comprehensive School. Pupils have been admitted to the classes through a joint entrance examination.
The purpose of physical education classes is to offer pupils comprehen-sive instruction in physical education in even and high-quality teaching groups, carry out different kinds of sports projects, create networks bet-ween the school and sports activities outside the school, and provide the pupils with necessary skills for furt-her studies of physical education and
School and class Arts Physical ed.
Mathematicsand science
Music Dance Sports ed. Bilingual ed.(Finnish-English)
Haapaniemi 3rd–6th X
Hatsala 7th–9th X X X
Jynkkä 3rd–6th X
Jynkänlahti 7th–9th X
Kalevala 3rd–6th X X
Minna Canth 7th–9th X X
Pirtti 3rd–6th X
Pyörö 3rd–6th X
Pyörö 7th–9th X X
Rajala 1st–6th X X
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for visual expression. The differentia-ted instruction enables for pupils’ own gifts and interests to be taken into account. Art is approached extensive-ly through explorative and compre-hensive instruction.
Instruction in mathematics and scienceIn the Pyörö Comprehensive School, pupils can choose focus teaching of mathematics and science during grades 7-9. The aim is to offer challenges to pupils interested in these subjects and encourage them to choose study mathematics and science also in future. Pupils have their own curriculum in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and geo-graphy. These subjects are studied more intensively than in normal in-struction.
Bilingual Education (Finnish - English)Entrance to the bilingual programme (Finnish - English) requires that stu-dents have good language proficiency
in both Finnish and English, so that they are able to study in both lan-guages. Students whose Finnish pro-ficiency is inadequate will be allocated a place at Kalevala School in the Pre-liminary Schooling in Preparation for Basic Education at School in Finland Programme there.
Rajala Comprehensive School / grades 1-6 Applicants who already have some proficiency in English may freely app-ly for entrance to the bilingual prog-ramme in grade one. Students will be admitted to the programme based on the results of an English language proficiency assessment. A maximum of 24 students will be accepted to the class.
Hatsala Classical Comprehensive School / grades 7-9 All students applying for a place in the bilingual programme at Hatsala Clas-sical School will be required to take a language test. A maximum of 24 stu-dents will be accepted to the class.
choices of career. Pupils can apply for the physical education classes even if they have not been in physical edu-cation classes in grades 3-6.
Instruction in dance / grades 3–6The Kalevala Comprehensive School offers its pupils instruction in dance for one lesson hour per week in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6. In addition, pu-pils can train in a dance group for an hour per week.
The instruction in dance aims at de-veloping pupils’ skills and abilities to dance, as well as their creativity. In addition, pupils receive information about different dance styles and the history of dance. Pupils who study dance can complete their dance stu-dies on their spare time with their own hobby.
Instruction in dance / grades 7–9Pupils can study dance as an optional subject for two lesson hours per week at the Kalevala Comprehensive School in grades 7-9. Pupils can apply for the instruction in dance even if they have not participated in it in grades 3-6.
Focus education in visual artsPupils who apply for the focus edu-cation in visual arts at the Hatsala Classical Comprehensive School are expected to be interested in studying visual arts comprehensively, have enthusiasm for visiting art exhibitions and have the ability to take responsi-bility in larger projects.
The aim of focus education in visual arts at the Puijonsarvi Comprehensive School is to offer pupils strong tech-nical basic skills and creative ways
CHOOSEyour focus!
BROADENyour
studies
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Language proficiency is a part of an all-round education. Language studies offer information and skills which can be utilized in Finland and in interna-tional contacts. They also familiarize pupils with different countries and cul-tures. Language proficiency opens up many new doors. The aim of Kuopio’s basic education language programme is to secure pupils’ opportunities for comprehensive language education.
A1-languageAt the beginning of their second grade spring semester, pupils choose their first foreign language (A1-language). The A1-language studies begin on the 3th grade. All schools offer English as A1-language. The Kalevala Compre-hensive School and the Aurinkorinne Comprehensive School also offer German as A1-language. The Pirtti Comprehensive School offers French as A1-language. The teaching groups of A1 German or French can be found-ed in case there are at least 12 pupils who have chosen German or French as their A1-language. Pupils who have chosen German or French as their A1 language will be offered an opportu-nity to study English as their A2-lan-guage starting from the 4th grade.
A2-languageIt is possible to study German, French or Russian as an A2-language. The A2-language studies begin on the 4th grade and they are optional.
A2-language groups can be founded if there are at least 16 pupils who have chosen a particular language. In grades 7–9, the A1- and A2-language groups of different schools may be united if necessary. In case the school does not have a group of A2-language, the pupils of A2-language group will be united with the A1-language group. Pupils who have chosen an A2-lan-guage cannot have more than two other optional subjects in the 8th and 9th grades.
It is not possible to discontinue stu-dying an A2-language during basic education without a particularly good reason. In case it is discovered at the end of the 6th grade that the optional A2-language causes the pupil enor-mous difficulties and leads to poor results, studies may be discontinued. School and home negotiate about the discontinuation together and make a written decision of it.
B1-languageThe pupil will start studying Swedish as a B1-language in the 7th grade if Swedish is not her/his A2-language.
B2-languageSchools can offer German, French, Spanish and Russian as a B2-lan-guage (optional) depending on their language programme. At the Hatsala Classical Comprehensive School, pu-pils can study Latin as B2-language starting from the 7th grade. In addi-
Foreign language education
Language A1/A2 B1 B2
English x
Swedish x x
German x x
French x x
Russian x x
Latin x
Spanish x
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The City of Kuopio organizes pu-pil’s afternoon activities itself and in coope ration with the associations. Some activities are purchased. After-noon activities are organized in almost every lower school or in their vicinity for first graders and pupils in special needs education. If the groups have available places, they can be offered to second graders. The activities are organized on school days mainly bet-ween 12 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The fees are dependent on the need of time which parents have announ-ced. The fees are currently 80 € / month or 60 € / month. This is an expense entitling to income support. The fee includes an afternoon snack (on school days) and supervised and structured activities. Treatment of accidents happened in the afternoon activities is free of charge. Families are expected to commit themselves to the afternoon activities for a school year at a time.
The application period for pupil’s afternoon activities is in January or February. Instructions for applying and application forms are available at pre-schools, schools and afternoon groups. The application time will also be announced in Kuopion Kaupun-kilehti. Instructions and application forms can be found on the web pages of the City of Kuopio.
Afternoon activitiestion, schools may offer short language courses where the syllabus is not as comprehensive as in B-languages.
Instruction in LatinInstruction in Latin is arranged only at the Hatsala Classical Comprehensive School. Latin (B2-language) is in the same position as A2-languages in the 7th grade. In addition to language teaching, the instruction includes stories about antique and other basic information about the European cul-ture.
Kalevala School's Enriched German Programme (Finnish - German)The enriched German programme is organized in the form of a language
Coordinator of Afternoon ActivitiesMaria Louhimo044 718 [email protected]
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
class. In grades one and two, the class teacher teaches German through immersion. Students applying to the programme in grade one are not re-quired to have any German language proficiency. Nevertheless, the demands of the enriched German programme do require that a student is sufficient-ly mature and ready for school. The period of application for grade one is at the beginning of January each year. The German language instruction for grades three to six is that of the A1 German-as-a-foreign-language pro-gramme together with some natural sciences and/or arts subjects with enriched German. For grades seven to nine, German continues in the form of the A1 German-as-a-foreign-language programme.
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The curricula of municipalities and schools specify the guidelines for future learning and schoolwork. Each pupil has the right to receive instruc-tion in accordance with the curricu-lum on each and every day of school.
Parents should familiarise themselves with the curriculum of their child's school. This makes it possible for the parents to more effectively support their child's learning and school-going as well as participate in the planning and development of school activities together with the school faculty.
Co-operation between home and school improves the well-being and safety of the pupil, the class and the entire school community. Functional co-operation is the key to building a successful school path for each pupil.
Cooperation between home and school
Parents are given an opportunity to affect the school’s educational aims and participate in the assessment of the school’s operations. Matters which are decided on together can include the aims of teaching manners, obey-ing rules, monitoring pupils’ absences and doing homework. Schools use an electronic monitoring system for absences called Wilma, which parents can use with their own username and password for monitoring notes about their child. Parents have an opportu-nity to participate in the cooperation activities between home and school, for example in parents’ associations and class committees.
Discussions between parents and the school personnel, as well as any infor mation concerning the pupil or the home, are confidential.
In transitional phases of education (when proceeding from pre-school to the 1st grade, from the 6th grade to the 7th grade and from basic educa-tion to upper secondary education), a special emphasis is given on the flow of information concerning the pupil and her/his education.
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In case a pupil for some reason has problems with school or learning, the problems are addressed as early as possible in order for support measu-res to be initiated. When problems occur, the school’s own support measures are the primary means for taking care of the problems. These include individualized instruction, remedial instruction, support given by a school assistant, or instruction given by the school’s special needs education teacher during classes.
The support is divided into general, intensified and special support. Gene-ral support is a part of all education, guidance and counselling. The teacher evaluates and gives feedback on pupils’ development and progress, observes the need for support and plans the education, the learning en-vironment and the support measures possibly needed. Utilizing the resour-ces of the entire teaching group and the interaction between pupils forms a basis for this.
As the need for support increases, the pupil must get intensified support. Intensified support is more prolonged, intense and individual support for the pupil’s learning and education than the general support. The pupil may also require several support measures simultaneously. The pupil is offered intensified support according to a written educational plan drawn up for her/him.
Special support includes special needs education and other kind of support. The school will make an administra-tive decision on the special support and draw up an individual educational plan IEP (henkilökohtainen opetuksen järjestämistä koskeva suunnitelma HOJKS) for the pupil. The plan must show that the pupil is being offered the kind of education and other sup-port stated in the decision on special support.
Schools aim at offering the different measures of support at the pupil’s near school and the classes of normal education. If needed, the pupil will be offered instruction at the special edu-cational unit of her/his near school or the area. The student welfare unit together with the pupil’s guardian will aim at finding the pupil the best pos-sible place for studying. The primary aim is that the pupil could study at her/his near school.
Support for learning
TOGETHER we can!
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reasons, parents should contact the school.
School welfare servicesStudent welfare services consist of the services of a school psycholo-gist and a school welfare officer. The school psychologist services are arranged for children going from pre-school to school and for pupils in comprehensive school. The school welfare officer services are arranged for pupils in comprehensive school.
The school psychologist represents psychological professionalism in the school system. The purpose of school
psychologist services is to promote and support pupils’ education, lear-ning and welfare by offering pupils and their parents, teachers, school administrative personnel and the City of Kuopio Education department pro-fessional and psychological evaluation, counselling, consultation and special services.
School welfare officer is the school’s social worker. The aim of the school welfare officer’s work is to support and promote pupils’ welfare, positive overall development and education in the school community through methods of social work. Target-orien-
School journey and school transportationPupils who according to the Basic Education Act 32 § have a right to school transportation are entitled to it.
School transportation is organized to the pupil’s near school if the school journey of a pupil in pre-school or in the first or a second grade is more than three kilometres long. For other pupils, school transportation is orga-nized if the school journey is longer than five kilometres. School transpor-tation is also organized if the journey to school is dangerous, or if the pupil requires transportation to school based on a doctor / school psycholo-gist’s statement. The school journey’s length is measured from the pupil’s home yard to the school yard along the shortest route possible which can be journeyed by foot. The pupil may be obliged to journey part of the route on her/his own means. The maximum distance which the pupil may have to journey on her/his own means to a location along the school transporta-tion route is three kilometers.
School journeys are compensated for pupils in joint-custody on the above mentioned grounds only to the child’s near school according to her/his per-manent address. In case a pupil goes to school other than her/his near school based on the guardian’s wish, a requirement for the intake is that the guardian takes care of all costs
caused by school transportation or accompanying. The guardian is also responsible for taking care of school transportation costs when the pupil needs transportation to school due to an illness or a leisure time accident.
Pupils can ride a bike to school starting from the 3rd grade. Youn-ger pupils are allowed to ride bikes only with the guardian’s permission. According to the Road Traffic Law, a bicyclist must usually wear an appro-priate protective helmet during the ride. Pupil’s guardian is responsible for the use of helmet. The school is not responsible for any damages or vandalism on bicycles or bicycle hel-mets during the school day. All pupils are recommended to wear reflectors in dark.
School mealsThe aims of health, nutrition and manner education are taken into consideration in school catering. School catering is a part of the pu-pil’s physical, psychological and social well-being, and it is meant to promote the pupil’s balanced growth and deve-lopment. The aim of school catering is to serve food which corresponds to the nutritive needs and preferences of pupils at a certain age. School ca-tering supplements home meals and thus creates a basis for eating habits which promote pupils’ health. If a pupil has a special diet or the diet is re-stricted because of religious or ethical
Well-being of pupils
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HEALTHY day!
ted work requires cooperation and interaction between parents, teachers and other people close to the child or young person.
Parents can contact the school psy-chologist or welfare officer them-selves in matters concerning their child’s edu cation. It is also possible, for examp le, for a teacher or a school nurse to book an appointment with the parents’ consent. Confidentiality, respect for the child and parents, as well as regulations concerning infor-mation acquisition and secrecy, are factors which guide student welfare work. Parents are always included in the process of planning individual support measures.
School health careEmployees of the school health care include school nurses and school doctors. A school nurse is an expert in promoting pupils and school com-munity’s health, in supporting pupils and parents, in detecting problems and in guiding patients into further examinations or treatment. A school doctor is the medical expert in school health care.
The parents of new first graders are asked to book an appointment with the school nurse for a school start check-up. Contact information for booking the appointment is available at: www.kuopio.fi/web/social-and-health/school-health-care
Before the health inspection, the child’s pre-school teacher will fill out and give the parents a form called Tiedonsiirto esiopetuksesta kouluter-veydenhoitajalle (Information exchange between pre-school education and the school nurse). School start check-ups are conducted starting from the be-ginning of June at the school nurse’s office in the child’s future school. Please bring with you the child’s health care card (neuvolakortti) and the forms which you have filled out.
Treatment of school accidentsSchool is responsible for the treat-ment of accidents taking place during a school day. Medical transportations, school transportations ordered by a doctor, pharmaceuticals and hospital care resulting from these accidents are free of charge for the pupil. The school will not cover the costs of treatment given by private practi-tioners, private dentists or physical treatments given by private institu-tions. Damages to pupils’ possessions, such as eye glasses or accessories, are not covered.
Study materialInstruction in comprehensive schools, as well as study books and other study material used, are free of charge for pupils. Every school choo ses their study books and other study materials themselves.
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Education for immigrants / multicultural education
Pupils with multicultural background will be offered instruction preparing for basic education, instruction in Finnish as a second language, reme-dial instruction for immigrants and instruction in their own language. Education of immigrant children is centered at the Kalevala Compre-hensive School on the part of those pupils who do not possess sufficient Finnish language skills for studying at their own near school. Language skills are tested before the decision on the future school place will be made. Edu-cation for immigrants aims at helping their integration into the Finnish socie ty and enhancing their language and cultural identities.
AimsThe pupil is able to cope with Finnish in everyday language situations. The pupil will adapt to the Finnish school system and become prepared for studying different subjects. The pupil learns the basic structures of Finnish and the basic vocabulary of different fields. The pupil will familiarise her/himself with the near environment and the Finnish culture.
Instruction preparing for basic educationAll students of compulsory school age (i.e. 7–17) whose Finnish skills are insufficient for them to participate in
regular schooling have the right to Preliminary Schooling in Preparation for Basic Education at School in Fin-land. During the preliminary schooling, students will become acquainted with Finnish school, culture, and teaching methods. The aim of the schooling is to develop students' Finnish lan-guage skills and general readiness for Finnish school to a level sufficient for them to participate in regular schoo-ling. Preliminary Schooling in Prepa-ration for Basic Education at School in Finland is not fixed to class level or grade. As students' proficiency in Finnish improves, they can begin to participate in lessons with their actual class (integration lessons). The Preli-minary Schooling in Preparation for Basic Education at School in Finland comprises 1000 hours that, in general, are used in the course of a year.
Instruction in Finnish as a second languageFinnish-as-a-second-language (S2) instruction is Finnish language and literature instruction geared towards those students whose Finnish profi-ciency has not reached the level of mother tongue in all areas. The areas of proficiency are speaking, reading and writing. Finnish-as-a-second-language instruction is provided in the form of a separate class lesson or to a small group of students. This
instruction concentrates on develo-ping the individual's proficiency in the specific areas, and on developing stu-dents' vocabulary.
In comprehensive school, Finnish-as- a-second-language instruction is provided to all students who have a mother tongue other than Finnish. Preliminary schooling (with the empha sis on learning the Finnish lan-guage) is provided for students who have recently immigrated to Finland. One important teaching method that
is used is Total Physical Response (TPR). The aim is for students to be integrated into general classes first in art, physical education (PE), music and crafts, and then gradually into other subjects as their skills in Fin-nish increase. Evaluation follows the national criteria for Finnish as a se-cond language.
Instruction in pupil’s native languagePupils are usually given instruction in their native language for two hours per week. The instruction can be ar-
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ranged after normal teaching hours. It is possible to form a teaching group of certain language if a school has at least four pupils who speak the language as their native language. Schools aim at arranging instruction in pupils’ native language in as many languages as possible. Teaching groups and taught languages may vary from year to year.
Russian educationThe school has been providing Rus-sian instruction since 1993. Students from grades 1 to 9 study in the Rus-sian classroom. Finnish and Russian instruction is provided for students based on their individual curriculum. The number of lessons given each week depends on the student's profi-ciency in Russian.
Russian instruction comprises rea-ding, writing and development of spoken language. The teaching also includes Russian literature history lessons. In addition to Finnish and Russian, the students are taught mathematics, history and science in their own native language. The materials used in teaching are the same as those in use in the regular Finnish lessons. Some of the teaching material has also been acquired from Russia. Students are integrated into Finnish classes as their Finnish lan-guage proficiency increases. Usually the integration begins with mathe-matics. Art, music, physical education
(PE), crafts and sports are taught in Finnish groups from the outset. In these instances, there are bilingual assistants to help them (interpret). Russian students are encouraged to participate in school festivities by performing songs or dances in their native language, and this is one means of supporting their Russian culture.
Arabic educationThe school has been providing Arabic instruction since 1992. Usual school-books are used, but the teaching itself is in Arabic. The pupils are taught in Finnish for about eight hours a week, and the amount is increased as the pupils develop. Right from the beginning the pupils are integrated to Finnish classes in art, PE, crafts, mu-sic and sports. The teaching of their own native language offers the pupils an opportunity to maintain their own language and continue to use it partly in their following studies. The conser-vation of pupils own culture and iden-tity is important in the development of his/her self-esteem.
Let's all beFRIENDS
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RegistersIn accordance with the Personal Data Act (Henkilötietolaki 523/1999), pupil’s informa-tion appears in the following registers: pupil register, school health care client register and the client registers of school welfare officers and study psychologists. According to the law, the child’s guardian has a right to check and, if needed, correct the infor-mation in these registers with regard to her/his own child.
Contact Information
Director of Education Leena Auvinen 044 718 [email protected]
Manager of Bacic education Sari Ihalainen 044 718 [email protected]
Application SpecialistEija Rissanen044 718 [email protected]
CoordinatorEila Kumpulainen044 718 [email protected]
The City of Kuopio, Learning ServicesVuorikatu 27, 70100 Kuopiowww.kuopio.fi, Päivähoito ja koulutus, Perusopetus www.kuopio.fi In EnglishTel. (exchange) 017 182 111
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kuopio.fi
Comprehensive schools in the City of Kuopio
Grades 1–61. Aurinkorinne School2. Haapaniemi School3. Hiltulanlahti School4. Hirvilahti School5. Juantehdas School6. Jynkkä School7. Kaislastenlahti School8. Kettula School9. Kalevala School10. Kurkimäki School11. Käärmelahti School12. Länsi-Puijo School13. Martti Ahtisaari School14. Melalahti School15. Muuruvesi School16. Pajulahti School17. Palonurmi School18. Pihkainmäki School19. Pirtti School20. Pulkonkoski School21. Rajala School22. Rytky School23. Snellman School24. Särkiniemi School25. Vehkalampi School26. Vehmasmäki School
Grades 1–932. Karttula Kissakuusi and Kemppaanmäki School33. Maaninkajärvi School34. Neulamäki School35. Nilsiä School36. Puijonsarvi School37. Pyörö and Pitkälahti School38. Vehmersalmi School
Special Education Units39. Alava School (a hospital school)40. Paloaho School
Private schools in Kuopio41. Kuopio Christian School (https://peda.net/kristilliset-koulut/koulut/kkk2)42. Kuopio Steiner School Virkkula (http://www.kuopionsteiner.fi/)
More information of schools in Kuopio:https://peda.net/kuopio/p
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KUOPIO
Grades 7–927. Hatsala Classical School28. Juankoski School29. Jynkänlahti School30. Minna Canth School31. Riistavesi School
