Hello,
I’ve been planning on writing about this topic hundreds of times but never actually done that. During my exchange year I got so many questions about the famous Finnish school system. It is said to be the best one in the world. Why, I do not know, but here are some things that might play a role in it.
Pre-school - 6yrs
Pre-school is more like Kindergarden than an actual school. The school part lasts only for 4 hours per day. The rest of the time is for playing inside and outside, taking naps and eating. Some kids learn to read in pre-school.
Elementary school - grades 1-6
The children start school the same year they turn 7. The first two years the children study Math, Environmental Science and Finnish. The school days last only for 4 hours. After every 45-minute lesson the children go outside for 15 minutes to play.
There are hardly any tests during the first two years of elementary school. The children don't even get grades.
English starts on third grade and on the fourth grade the students may choose an optional language if willing to. I chose German. The language classes vary in every schools; some can only offer one language class, other may have French, Chinese, Swedish and German.
The school days become longer as the students become older. On 5th and 6th grade the school day can last for 7 hours.
On 6th grade the students start learning Swedish.
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| The reading book for 1st grade |
Junior high school - grades 7-9
In junior high you have more freedom to choose elective classes. The mandatory classes are Math, Finnish, Swedish, Biology, Geography, Health science, Social studies, History, PE, Physics and Chemistry. The elective classes are cooking, drama, crafts, music, IT...to name a few. The grades play a huge role in the process of applying to high school.
There are no longer mandatory outdoor breaks between classes.
High school - grades 10-12 (no grades actually)
High school is not based on grades anymore. It is based on classes (courses) that you can basically take whenever you want. Each class lasts for 6 weeks and ends to an exam week. During one school year, the schedule changes 6 times.
There are mandatory classes that you have to take. In addition to those, a student can choose what classes s/he wants to take. The high schools offer many languages, such as Spanish, French, Latin, Italian, Chinese…
In high school the students are responsible for their studies. Teachers don't check homework, if you miss a class you have to find out what has been taught in that class and copy notes from your friend. You are allowed to check yourself out of school when you turn 18, but if you do miss too many classes, you are not going to pass.
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| Life as a high schooler |
Free school lunch
I think food is an important factor when it comes to studying. In order to stay focused on learning, you have. Finnish schools provide free lunch for the students.
No competition
We don't have NHS or top 10% kinda stuff in Finland which judges people based on how well they have succeeded in school. That makes the school environment less competitive.
15-minute breaks
Young children can't stay focused on teaching longer than 45 minutes. That's why we have these 15-minute breaks when the children go outside and play and socialize with each other.
No mandatory high school
High school is not mandatory in Finland. You may also go to a vocational school. Studying is more practical and you can get a profession, such as hairdresser, chef, plumber...
More than one teacher in a class
In an elementary school, there are teacher assistants in every class. One teacher can not handle a group of 25 children. The assistant teacher helps children with the problems.
The grading system
In Finland the grading scale is 4 to 10, 4 being the worst (failed) and 10 being the best.
A - 9 and 10
B - 8
C - 7
D - 5 and 6
F - 4
Teachers don't grade homework at all. Other projects are graded but the grading is not based on percentage (out of 100%) as it is here. The grading is based on the following factors:
- Class activity
- Absences, homework (in elementary school)
- Test(s)
All students are on the same level
We don't have AP or pre-AP classes. Math is the only exception: there are just regular Math and Advanced level Math. Otherwise, all students take the same classes no matter how smart they are. Usually students under average grade 7 don't even go to high school.
No private/public schools
All schools are public in Finland.
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| graduation |
In case you want to read more about the Finnish education system:
Feel free to ask questions!
Anette
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