Most of the new initial vocational qualification students of Helsinki Vocational College started their studies on Tuesday 6 August, while preparatory education for an upper secondary qualification (TUVA) students will be starting their studies on Thursday 8 August. At Konepaja Upper Secondary School for Adults, the autumn term will start on Monday 5 August, while at Tölö Gymnasium Upper Secondary School, adult learners will start the school year on Monday 26 August. Enrolment in the courses of the Adult Education Centre and Arbis begins on 12 August , with studies set to start on 2 September.
This school year, schools focus on reinforcing reading and improving emotional and interpersonal skills
The school of the future has been discussed with personnel and pupils in order to build a shared vision of the future. The objective is to strengthen the health and good learning of Helsinki residents and to build communal, safe and equal education and training that conveys the joy of learning(Link leads to external service).
– In particular, we want to inject enthusiasm, insight, self-expression and working together into learning, says Head of Education Division Satu Järvenkallas.
Shared ground rules on mobile phone use have been agreed in schools
From the beginning of the school year, pupils will not be allowed to use their mobile phones in the City of Helsinki's schools during lessons. However, pupils may use their phones at school as learning aids with instructions from their teacher, but this must always be agreed upon separately.
– We want to promote the safe and healthy use of digital devices in cooperation with homes. It is important to make sure children rest, exercise and do other activities without mobile phones, Järvenkallas says.
Yhtenäiskoulu Comprehensive School’s new bilingual education starting
Yhtenäiskoulu Comprehensive School’s (former Yhtenäiskoulu) new bilingual class will also commence operation at the start of the school year. In the new class consisting of 25 first-graders, half of all school subjects will be taught in Swedish while the other half will be taught in Finnish.
Yhtenäiskoulu Comprehensive School is the first school in Finland to emphasise Nordic cooperation and culture in its teaching. All of the pupils at the school will get to explore content with a Nordic emphasis.
Providing education to approximately 100,000 children and young people
The City of Helsinki provides early childhood education to 27,000 children and primary and lower secondary education to over 47,000 children and young people. The City also works in close cooperation with other education providers.
The City’s general upper secondary schools have approximately 10,000 students, while Helsinki Vocational College and Adult Institute has nearly 20,000 students. You can apply for upper secondary education throughout the year in Helsinki through rolling admission.
– I would like to wish all learners, their guardians and the staff of the Education Division a happy new school year, Satu Järvenkallas says.