New bilingual classes for seventh graders will be founded in Laajasalo, Vesala and Malmi Comprehensive Schools in August 2023. In these schools, pupils can already study in bilingual Finnish-English education up to the end of grade 6. The city will also expand the service regionally, as up until now, bilingual Finnish-English classes have been available only in Töölö Secondary School in Töölö district, Kulosaari Secondary School in Kulosaari district, and Helsingin Uusi yhteiskoulu Secondary School in Pihlajamäki district. Teachers of the new bilingual classes are currently teaching in these schools and have received further education and training to gain the required competence and qualifications to teach in both Finnish and English.
City of Helsinki has a long history of providing bilingual basic education in a language other than the national languages Finnish and Swedish. In bilingual education, pupils study 25–50 percent of the syllabus in a foreign language and the rest in Finnish. Currently, Finnish-language comprehensive schools in Helsinki provide bilingual education in Chinese, English, Estonian, North Sami, Russian and Spanish. In addition, Ressu Comprehensive School, Maunula Primary School, Maunula Secondary School, and Kulosaari Secondary School offer fully English-language classes, where pupils study only the Finnish language and literature syllabus in Finnish.
Great option for pupils interested in languages
Bilingual education is a great option for anyone who is interested in languages. The aim of bilingual education is that by the end of basic education, the pupil will be fluent in both languages. Studying in two languages develops the child’s problem-solving skills, creative thinking, and ability to adapt to new situations. The key contents and objectives of the bilingual instruction are the same as in fully Finnish-language basic education.
At the Education Division, the news has been received with excitement.
“We are happy that we are now able to offer our pupils and families bilingual Finnish-English education also in the municipal schools from grade 7 and up. Interest towards the fully English-language basic education and bilingual Finnish-English education is growing, and the number of applicants has increased every year. It is important that we keep up with this trend”, says Hanna Välitalo, Basic Education District Manager.
Application period in November 2022
A pupil who will start seventh grade in August 2023 can apply to the newly formed bilingual classes in Laajasalo, Vesala and Malmi Comprehensive Schools in the joint application for all seventh graders. The application period takes place from 14 November 2022 to 7 December 2022. An application to bilingual Finnish-English education can be submitted electronically via Wilma. The applicant must also take a language test, which will be held on 25 January 2023. Admission decisions will be sent out to all applicants on 24 March 2023.
Maunula Secondary School, Kulosaari Secondary School, Töölö Secondary School and Helsingin Uusi yhteiskoulu Secondary School are private schools that have a contract with the city to provide free-of-charge basic education and, therefore, are part of the city’s municipal services network.
City aims to promote multilingual Helsinki
City of Helsinki wants to support the integration of multilingual families and offer services that are in high demand. The opportunity to study partly in English alongside Finnish is one of them.
Opportunity to study in English in all levels of education and to increase the availability of English-language services is one of the City’s strategic goals. By offering services in English, Helsinki wants to ensure that international families can have a smooth settling in to the city and Finland.
