Contact information
Deputy principal
Kirsi Strohbehn
kirsi.strohbehn@edu.hel.fi
Deputy principal
Tarja Roponen
tarja.roponen@edu.hel.fi
Administrative assistant
Viljami Lindstedt
+358 9 310 32341
toimistopalvelut.maunulan.ala-aste@hel.fi
Principal
Taija Kiesi-Talpiainen
+358 9 310 82481
taija.kiesi-talpiainen@hel.fi
School year 2025-2026
Language studies
Available: auditorium and hall
Our School
Maunula Primary School is a local school for all children in the Maunula district. In addition to mainstream instruction, our school has two local special educational needs class, an assisted special educational needs class and a class for children with a linguistic impairment (SLI). Our school also has fully English-taught instruction groups, to which pupils need to take a language test. In total, our school has approximately 600 pupils.
In the school year 2024-2025 the school operates across three buildings: upper building ('ylärakennus'), lower building ('alarakennus') and the Pavillion Stigen in the lower yard area at Haavikkopolku 5. The school building also accomodates the Finnish-language pre-primary school group Neilikat and Swedish-language pre-primary school group Månsas Förskolan.
Maunula Primary School to be renovated
Maunula Primary School will be fully renovated and expanded starting in the autumn 2025. Teaching will take place in two different temporary locations: Paloheinäntie 40b (grades 1-3) and Mäkelänkatu 84 (grades 4-6). According to the current plans, we will return to our own facilities in January 2028.
In spring 2025, we will organise information sessions regarding the school journeys: bus transportation and HSL travel cards, also other issues related to the move. Future pupils and their guardians will have an opportunity to get to know the temporary facilities towards the end of spring 2025.
Helsinki's own municipal curriculum (in Finnish, leads to external service)(Link leads to external service) and school-specific curricula have been drawn up based on the national curriculum criteria. Teaching in our school is guided by the school curriculum (in Finnish, leads to external service(Link leads to external service) ). The school curriculum sets out the aims of schoolwork, what subjects are studied, how pupils work in the school and how they can be supported.
In the first and second grades, subjects are not usually taught separately but are treated as a set of subjects. The aim is to bring teaching as close as possible to the everyday life of the pupils. Each class has its own teacher, who teaches most of the lessons. A special educational needs teacher, a resource teacher or a teaching assistant may work alongside the class teacher.
Pupils get free textbooks and other learning materials, which the school chooses independently.
Maunula Primary School's 'Together' Pedagogy
The school emphasises co- and team-teaching. Several different models are used. Through co-teaching, we aim to achieve higher quality teaching and flexible teaching arrangements support the learning of all our pupils. Our school motto is: every student matters, every moment counts.
Language programme
- Foreign language starting in Grade 1 (A1): English, French or Swedish
- Optional foreign language starting in Grade 3 (A2): English, French or Swedish
- Second national language starting in Grade 6 (B1): Swedish or English
Optional A2 language
The optional A2 languages are English, Swedish and French.
Studying A2 language starts in Grade 3.
Pupils commits to studying the A2 language until the end of comprehensive school and Grade 9.
If the pupil chooses Swedish or French as A1 language, we recommend English as the A2 language choice.
Common B1 language starting in Grade 6
The B1 language is Swedish, unless a pupil has studied it as A1 or A2 language.
If the pupil has not studied English previously, it can be chosen as B1 language at our school.
Foreign language studies in the fully English-language instruction
Our school also has fully English-language groups in grades 1-6, to which pupils need to take a language test. In these groups, the A1 language starting in Grade 1 is English and the optional A2 language is French. B1 language is Swedish.
English-language basic education
Maunula Primary School also has fully English-taught study groups. To be accepted on this programme, the child needs to participate in a language test.
Main admission is in January. You can also apply all year round, if the child meets the admission criteria. These classes are meant for internationally mobile families, and applicants from Helsinki are given priority over applicants from other municipalities.
In this programme, the instruction is in English, and it follows the Finnish National Curriculum.
Language test
We test only English language skills to make sure that accepted pupils are able to study fully in English. Applicants don’t need to, nor should prepare for this test. The test does not require reading nor writing skills. The purpose of the test is to test only English abilities. Applicant cannot nor should prepare for the test in any way.
Applications and enquiries
Please find the application forms and more information on the City of Helsinki Education Division website:
Learn more and apply to English-language basic education
If you have questions about English education services, get in touch with the City's English-language and bilingual education advisory services. You can email, call or book an online appointment. Service in Finnish and English.
eduguidance@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
+358 9 310 38998(Link starts a phone call)
The school year started on 8 August 2024. Welcome all new pupils and staff members!
The principles and practices of home-school cooperation are described in each school's curriculum. This includes parents’ evenings, parent-teacher meetings and communication via the electronic Wilma system (link to external service)(Link leads to external service) .
Practical cooperation and activities are agreed between the school and guardians. Cooperation between home and school is two-way. The schools have a school board and a parents' association.
Wilma
Through the electronic Wilma system (link to external service)(Link leads to external service) , parents can get information about their children's education, teaching arrangements and assessment, and notify the school about absences. In Wilma, parents receive letters from the school and can contact teachers and the principal. Pupils also use Wilma to keep track of their studies. Individual Wilma IDs are issued to guardians at the beginning of the autumn term in the school where the child is enrolled.
The school lunch menu changes in every six weeks. Menus include a mixed diet and vegetarian menus. There are two options available for the daily warm meal. A warm main dish, salad, fruit, drink, bread and spread.
See school lunch menu (leads to an external service)(Link leads to external service)
See the Pavillion School lunch menu (leads to an external service)(Link leads to external service)
Contact details for our staff
Administrative Assistant
Viljami Lindstedt
tel.
040 6715627(Link starts a phone call)
toimistopalvelut.maunulan.ala-aste@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
Principal
Taija Kiesi-Talpiainen
tel.
09 310 82481(Link starts a phone call)
taija.kiesi-talpiainen@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
Vice principals
Tarja Roponen
tel.
040 336 0748(Link starts a phone call)
tarja.roponen@edu.hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
Kirsi Strohbehn
puh.
040 667 5300(Link starts a phone call)
kirsi.strohbehn@edu.hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
Board Chair
Petri Guilland
District coordinator for after-school activities
Tiina Ytembe Ngatcha
tel.
09 310 82249(Link starts a phone call)
,
040 531 9718(Link starts a phone call)
Districts West and Northern
Premises manager
Oksana Titova, RTK
tel 044 467 2638(Link starts a phone call)
School cafeteria
tel. 09 310 82492
Class teachers
- 1AB Kaisa Kangas, Lila Luoma, Lissu Halonen, Veera Salonen
- 2ABCD Margit Tikkanen-Haario, Kaisa Hill, Viivi Hallikainen, Elise Tammela
- 1i Kathleen Nykänen, Maria Vainikainen
- 2i Ajay Meswani
- 3ABC Jenni Lehmonen, Marjo Heinonen, Hanna Paananen
- 3i Virpi Jern
- 1–4D Anne Ahonen-Niemi (040 336 0746)
- 4ABC Eemeli Eerolainen, Hanna-Riikka Ikonen, Emmi Hagelberg
- 4i Bruno Gioia Sandler
- 5ABC Tarja Roponen, Lotta Sjövall, Sonja Harjamäki
- 5i Katri Pavord
- 6ABC Kalle Ikonen, Arja Isotalo-Teittinen, Monika Autio
- 3–6D Elina Kaidesoja (040 487 4526)
- 6i David Pavord
- 4–6D Susanna Toivola (040 334 1806)
- 1–6T Ari Söderqvist (09 3108 2290), Katri Ahvenus (09 3103 3325)
Subject teachers
- Mari Mikkola, Swedish, French
- Nina Luotonen, English, French
- Karoliina Grönlund, English
- Kiti Szalai, Finnish as a second language (S2)
- Anna Akgül, Finnish as a second language (S2)
- Riku Hirn, Physical education
Special educational needs teachers
- Minna Lukkari
- Kirsi Strohbehn
- Katariina Paakkinen
- Anette Nurmi
Teaching assistants
- Pallavi Kadam
- Marjo Temonen
- Abdul Razak Mohamed Serar
- Kirsi Solmela
- Piia Kinnunen
- Timo Laine
Psychologist (Classes with instruction in Finnish)
Katja Ruohio
katja.ruohio@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
Available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
tel. 09 310 82488, 050 512 5086
Psychologist (Classes with instruction in English and i-classes)
Currently no psychologist services available.
School social worker
Jenni Kovanen
jenni.kovanen@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
Available from Monday to Friday
tel. 09 310 71937, 050 466 9644
School coach
Loviisa Konttila
loviisa.konttila@edu.hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
Available from Monday to Friday
tel. 0405708288
School nurse
Iida Punzalan
tel. 050 553 9332
Available from Monday to Thursday
On Wednesdays also nurse Meri Helisniemi tel. 09 310 52060.
For pupils without appointments every day at 11.45 am –12.15 pm
In urgent matters, contact your own health station or Helsinki’s Telephone health service on +358 9 310 10023.
Notify the school about a pupil’s special diet via Wilma.
If you need a paper application, ask one from the school admissions office or class teacher.
Learn more about what school in Helsinki is like
Morning and after-school activities, clubs and hobbies
A wide range of voluntary guided activities for pupils before and after the school day - meaningful and fun activities with friends in a safe environment.
Morning activities before the school day are free of charge. They are aimed at pupils in grades 1 and 2 and for special needs pupils in grades 3 and 4.
We organise morning activities every school day at 8.15–9.50. Weather permitting, the activities take place outdoors. For more information, contact the school principal.
Learn more on the city’s webpage Morning activities.
After-school activities are subject to a fee. They are aimed at pupils in grads 1 and 2 and for special needs pupils.
Learn more about After-school activities and After-school activity fees on the city’s website:
Use the search tool to find the after-school activity places closest to our school:
Search for after-school activities on the Service Map by entering your home address in the 'Write your home address' field:
Our School Board
Details coming soon.
Our School on Social Media
Location
The route to the main entrance
- The pick-up and drop-off area is located in the vicinity of the entrance, giving easy access to the pavement.
- The route to the entrance is smooth and sufficiently wide and illuminated.
- The passage has 1 step.
The main entrance
- The entrance stands out clearly and is illuminated. There is a canopy above the entrance.
- In connection with the entrance, there are 2 consecutive steps.
- The doors connected to the entrance stand out clearly. Outside the door there is sufficient room for moving e.g. with a wheelchair. The door opens with an access control key.
- The entrance has thresholds over 2 cm high.
- The foyer is cramped.
In the facility
- The customer service point has 4 floors.
- The indoor walkways have at least 4 turning steps with handrails on both sides.
- The doors in the facility stand out clearly.