The aim of the changes to learning support is to clarify and harmonise the forms of support in schools. All learners will continue to have the right to learn and get support throughout their learning path. Support will be provided early and proactively.
Key changes in pre-primary and basic education
In pre-primary and basic education, the three-level support system (general support – intensified support – special support) will be discontinued.
Teaching will be arranged in a manner that takes the learners’ different needs and capabilities into consideration.
Learning support will be primarily provided group-specifically. All pupils will be entitled to it.
In addition to support provided in the group, the pupil can be provided with pupil-specific support measures.
Teaching will be arranged in a manner that takes the learners’ different needs and capabilities into consideration. Study groups will be formed in a manner that facilitates achieving the educational objectives. The group can also feature a teaching assistant or general assistant to support the learners.
Pupils making slower and faster progress will be supported with pedagogical solutions, such as:
- differentiating the teaching
- explaining the language and concepts of the subject being learned
- modifying the learning environment to make it accessible.
Support will be primarily provided group-specifically. All pupils will be entitled to it.
The forms of support provided in the group are:
- general remedial teaching provided by the teacher
- remedial teaching in the teaching language provided by the teacher
- teaching provided by a special needs teacher alongside other teaching.
The group-specific support will be provided in a flexible and systematic manner throughout the school year. No administrative decision will be issued on it.
If the support provided in the group is not enough, it will be supplemented with pupil-specific support measures.
The pupil-specific support measures will be based on the pupil’s individual needs. The support will be provided on a regular and long-term basis.
The pupil-specific support measures will be arranged with the pupil’s best interests in mind, primarily in the pupil’s own pre-primary education group or at their school.
- regular teaching provided by a special educational needs teacher partially in a small group and alongside other teaching
- full-time teaching provided by a special educational needs teacher in a small group; a special group or an integrated special group
- interpretation services
- assistant services
- assistive devices
- teaching provided by a special educational needs teacher partially in a small group and alongside other teaching
- teaching provided by a special educational needs teacher or a special educational needs class teacher in a small group
- teaching provided by a special educational needs class teacher in a special educational needs class
- interpretation services
- assistant services
- assistive devices
- deviating from the basic education syllabus or the objectives of the local curriculum
- arranging basic education teaching for the pupil in accordance with their disability, illness or limitation in physical functioning
Key changes in general upper secondary education
In general upper secondary education, the student’s right to remedial teaching and other guidance and support at an early stage will be strengthened. Going forward, the subject teachers of general upper secondary schools will have a more important role in providing learning support.
The objective of learning support is to strengthen the student’s opportunities to complete the general upper secondary education syllabus. Furthermore, the student will be entitled to special needs education if they need it in order to achieve the learning outcomes due to learning difficulties or other reasons. Going forward, an administrative decision will be issued on the student's special needs education.
Questions and answers
In December 2024, the Parliament approved new legislation concerning learning support.
The goal of the changes is to:
- clarify and harmonise the forms of learning support and support measures
- unify the continuum of support from pre-primary education to upper secondary education
- focus on early and timely support.
In pre-primary and basic education, the three-level support system (general support – intensified support – special support) will be discontinued. Going forward, support will be primarily provided group-specifically. All pupils will be entitled to it.
The forms of support provided in the group are:
- general remedial teaching provided by the teacher
- remedial teaching in the teaching language provided by the teacher
- teaching provided by a special educational needs teacher alongside other teaching.
If necessary, the support will be supplemented with pupil-specific support measures, examples of which include teaching provided by a special educational needs teacher partially or entirely in a small group or teaching provided by a special educational needs teacher in a special needs education class.
In general upper secondary education, the emphasis will be on the student’s right to get learning support, i.e. remedial teaching, counselling and other support, as soon as they need it. The student will have the right to receive special needs education if the learning support is insufficient and the student has a learning difficulty, illness, disability or other comparable reason. Going forward, a written administrative decision will be issued on special needs education.
In vocational education and training, the main focus will also be on easy-to-access learning support. Going forward, vocational education and training will no longer feature separate studies to support study capabilities. In vocational education and training, the legislative changes will enter into force on 1 August 2026.
In pre-primary and basic education, teaching arrangements that support learning will create a basis for high-quality teaching and support. Group-specific forms of support will be used in every teaching group.
Individual support measures will be based on the learner’s actual needs. The pupil-specific support will be planned as part of the support needs assessment, and an administrative decision will be issued on the support.
Seamless communications when the learner is transitioning to the next level of education or changing schools ensures that the support continues.
In upper secondary education, the need for learning support or special needs education will be assessed at the start of and during the studies. Students and guardians will be informed of the support available. Students will also be encouraged to contact the teachers or other staff members themselves if they feel that they need support in their studies.
On all levels of education, student welfare psychologists and school social workers will support students’ wellbeing and participation in the education in addition to the pedagogical support provided.
In pre-primary and basic education:
A support needs assessment will be initiated when the teachers conclude that the group-specific forms of support are not enough to support the learner’s learning and participation in the education. The learner and their guardian can also provide their own observations on the sufficiency of the group-specific forms of support.
The teachers will assess the need for support. The learner’s guardian can take part in the support needs assessment if they want to. If necessary, the support needs assessment will also involve student welfare professionals and other specialists.
The learner’s views and thoughts will be heard and taken into account in a manner required by their age and level of development.
A plan concerning the implementation of support measures will be drawn up based on the support needs assessment. A decision indicating the pupil-specific support measures will be issued on the support measures.
In general upper secondary education:
The aim will be to provide support as soon as the need arises in order to prevent difficulties from piling up.
The need for support will be assessed at the start of and during the general upper secondary education studies.
The teachers will assess the need for support together with the student and their guardian. If necessary, the support needs assessment will also involve student welfare professionals and other specialists.
An administrative decision will be issued on special needs education.
The support needs of pupils currently receiving intensified or special support will be reviewed during the next school year (2025–2026). Guardians will be provided with a more detailed schedule later.
This means that the support needed by the learner will continue when their pre-primary education or school year starts in August 2025.
The need for support will be assessed on a regular basis. The decision on the support provided will be amended where needed or a new support decision will be issued if the learner’s situation and support needs change substantially. The learner’s guardian can take part in the support needs assessment if they want to.
The need for support will be assessed on a regular basis in upper secondary education as well. In general upper secondary education, the decision on special needs education will be cancelled if there is no need for special needs education. As with before, in vocational education and training the special support decision will be cancelled if there is no need for special support anymore.
How will the change affect special care decisions and individualised education plans (HOJKS)?
Going forward, individualised education plans, HOJKS, will no longer be used. Instead, the support needs assessment will involve planning how pupil-specific support will be provided, and the individual support measures will be determined in the support plan.
If a child has received a special support decision for pre-primary education in the spring of 2025, the decision will be valid for the school year of 2025–2026. The child’s support needs will be reassessed before they transition into basic education.
Going forward, only one document concerning pedagogical support will be used: a child-specific/pupil-specific support implementation plan.
It will replace the pedagogical assessment, the pedagogical statement, the learning plan and the individualised educational plan, HOJKS.
As with before, children are provided with an early childhood education plan in daycare that supplements pre-primary education.
Going forward, the administrative decision will be entitled ‘Decision on support’.
Special educational needs classes
No. Helsinki will continue to have a comprehensive and diverse network of special educational needs classes.
19 new special educational needs classes will be established from 1 August 2025 , bringing the number of special educational needs classes at Finnish-language comprehensive schools to a total of 419. Swedish-language schools will have a total of 29 special educational needs classes. The network will continue to be developed annually. The names of the special educational needs classes will probably change.
If a child has a special support decision in a special educational needs class, they will continue their studies normally in a special educational needs class when the 2025 autumn semester begins.
The special support decisions of all pupils receiving special support will be reviewed in basic education during the school year of 2025–2026. This process will involve assessing and planning what kind of support the child will need going forward. A decision conforming to the new legislation will be issued on pupil-specific support measures.