Curriculum, subjects and assessment

The National Core Curriculum can be found on ePerusteet website(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish).

The municipal curriculum of Espoo is based on the National Core Curriculum. 

You can find the municipal curriculum on this page(external link, opens in a new window).

The school-specific curricula are based on the national core curriculum and the municipality-specific curriculum.

Instruction preparing for basic education is intended for pupils who do not yet have sufficient Finnish language skills to attend basic education. Pupils attending preparatory education study Finnish and the skills needed in basic education. They also learn about Finnish culture and society.

The instruction preparing for basic education curriculum can be found on Espoon kaupungin perusopetukseen valmistavan opetuksen opetussuunnitelman perusteet 2015 - ePerusteet(external link, opens in a new window).

All pupils in primary school receive instruction in the following general subjects:  

• mother tongue and literature
• second national language (latest by the 6th grade)
• foreign language (mainly from grade 3 onward)
• nature studies
• religion or ethics studies
• history (in grades 4, 5 and 6)
• social studies (in grades 5 ja 6)
• mathematics
• sports
• music
• visual arts
• crafts

Pupils receive guidance counselling intertwined with other instruction and school-work. 

In addition to the general subjects, the following elective subjects are taught in primary school: 

• elective A2 languages optional for the pupil (grades 4–6) (Espoo's curriculum(external link, opens in a new window))
• elective subjects based on the pupil's own choice (grades 4–6) (Espoo's curriculum(external link, opens in a new window))

• health studies
• physics
• chemistry
• biology
• geography
• home economics (all pupils in grade 7)
• guidance counselling
• music (all pupils in grade 7)
• visual arts (all pupils in grade 7)
• crafts (all pupils in grade 7)

In addition to the general subjects, the following elective subjects are taught in middle school: 

• elective classes of artistic and practical subjects (grades 8–9)
• elective subjects based on the pupil's own choice (grades 7–9) and
• elective A2 and B2 languages optional for the pupil (grades 7–9)

The city of Espoo arranges instruction in the following religion and ethics subjects:

• Evangelical-Lutheral religion
• Orthodox religion
• ethics studies
• Islam
• Catholic religion
• Krishna religion

Each religion and ethic subject have been prepared a municipal curriculum. Instruction is carried out according to the goals and contents of the curriculum.

In addition to studying Finnish, all pupils must complete an advanced syllabus in another language (A language) and an intermediate syllabus in a third language (B1 language). At Finnish-speaking schools, one of these two languages must be Swedish (the second national language).

Pupils start studying the A1 language in first grade. In Espoo’s schools, the A1 language is usually English. However, depending on the school, Swedish, French or German may also be offered as A1 language options.

The second national language, Swedish, can be started as an A1 or A2 language, or at the latest as a B1 language in sixth grade.

In addition to the compulsory language studies, pupils may choose optional language studies.

Pupils can start studying an optional language as an A2 language in fourth grade or as a B2 language in eighth grade. In Espoo, the optional A2 languages starting in fourth grade include English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Swedish, German and Russian, depending on the school and the number of interested pupils. B2 languages are also selected from the school’s own range of optional subjects. Pupils with an immigrant background may also participate in instruction of their native language. The choice of native language to be studied is binding.

Schools may also offer opportunities to study languages as optional subjects (basic syllabus) or as club activities.

Once a language has been chosen, it is no longer considered optional or voluntary, but part of the pupil’s compulsory education, and the language is studied until the end of comprehensive school. A pupil’s A-language choices are taken into account when assigning a local school.

Language choices are therefore permanent and cannot be changed later at the guardian’s request except for compelling reasons.

Espoo’s Growth and Learning Committee (15 June 2022, item 104) has decided that acceptable grounds for changing or discontinuing an A1/A2 language in Finnish-language basic education in Espoo are:

- If the pupil transfers to a lower secondary school where the previously studied language is not offered

- A situation where the pupil has not had the opportunity to choose English as an A1 language

- Significant learning difficulties or a challenging life situation, if the pupil’s language learning does not progress despite adjustments to the learning environment, remedial teaching, and other support measures.

As these are always exceptional cases, the process includes first discussing the application and its grounds with the subject teacher and the guardian. The application must include justified reasons, based on which the principal makes the decision on changing or discontinuing the subject.

A1 and A2 languages have the same learning objectives and final assessment criteria.

A grade is always given in the final assessment for A1 and B1 languages.

If a pupil’s guardian submits a written request that no grade be included on the pupil’s school-leaving certificate for an A2 or B2 language studied as an optional subject, the grade will be omitted and the subject will be marked as ‘hyväksytty’ (passed). However, the second national language is taught as a compulsory subject, and a grade is always given for it.