Information on general upper secondary school education for multilingual families

In Finland, general upper secondary education is all-round education. The purpose of general upper secondary school is for the student to grow into a good, balanced and educated person and an active member of society.  

The goal is to complete general upper secondary school in 3–4 years. More time can be granted due to, for example, an illness or disability. The extension is granted by the principal of the school.   

The matriculation examination is taken at the end of general upper secondary education. It gives eligibility for further studies, i.e. the right to apply to higher education institutions.  

The activities of each general upper secondary school are governed by the Finnish National Agency for Education’s National Core Curriculum for General Upper Secondary Education. A local curriculum is drawn up on the basis of this. The syllabus includes both compulsory and optional studies. In addition, students can complete local optional studies and general upper secondary school diplomas according to the course offering. General upper secondary school studies are organised as study units/courses, whose scope in credits may vary. The study units can also be common to subjects.  

The scope of general upper secondary school studies is calculated in credits (cr). The general upper secondary school syllabus for young people is at least 150 credits in scope. 

The lesson hours chart for general upper secondary school studies (Figure 1) lists all subjects that can be studied in general upper secondary school.   

At the beginning of general upper secondary school studies, help and support are provided by your own general upper secondary school’s guidance counsellor, tutor and student tutors. During the studies, each student receives guidance for studying, choosing optional studies and further study options after upper secondary school.  

The general upper secondary school studies proceed from the beginning to graduation in accordance with the figure below (Figure 2).  

Upper secondary school student’s path 

You start your studies in upper secondary school  

• You learn about studying in upper secondary school  

• You participate in group activities and get to know fellow first-year students  

• You mainly complete compulsory study units  

• Christmas holiday  

• You can apply for inclusion in the student union’s board or tutor activities  

• You complete 60 credits during the 1st year, which is the pace for graduating in 3 years  

• Summer holiday  

• You can complete studies in summer school or adult upper secondary school  

2nd year of studies  

• You mainly complete compulsory study units  

• Christmas holiday  

• Senior ball  

• The proportion of optional studies increases during the 2nd year  

• You can begin the completing and take part in the matriculation examination  

• You complete 60 credits during the 2nd year  

• Summer holiday  
  
    

3rd year of studies, i.e. usually the graduation year  

• You can participate in the matriculation examination of the autumn season  

• You focus on optional courses in your examination subjects  

• Christmas holiday  

• You have completed the upper secondary school syllabus (150 credits)  

• Your studies end after the 3rd period, and you participate in the ‘Penkkarit’ fest for seniors  

• Study holiday  

• You participate in the matriculation examination of the spring season  

• You apply for further studies and may take an entrance exam  

4th year of studies  

• Your studies cover the 1st period (3.5 year plan) or 1st–3rd period (4 year plan)  

• You participate in the matriculation examination of the autumn season  

• You have completed the upper secondary school syllabus (150 credits)  

• Christmas holiday  

• You participate in the matriculation examination of the spring season  

• You apply for further studies and may take an entrance exam  

By completing the matriculation examination, you gain eligibility for further studies in higher education institutions. The matriculation examination consists of tests, some of which are compulsory and some optional. Compulsory subjects include mother tongue and literature (Finnish language and literature or Finnish as a second language and literature) and three of the following: mathematics, foreign language, second national language, and one subject in humanities and sciences. In addition to these, one more subject is selected. You must take at least one advanced syllabus test (mathematics, foreign language or second national language). In addition, you may take tests in other subjects if you wish. 

The matriculation examination can be completed in parts during three consecutive examination periods. Once you have passed a test, you may retake it as many times as you want. If you fail an optional test, you may also retake it as many times as you want. If you fail a test required for the matriculation examination, you may retake it three times in a row. 

A plan for participation in the matriculation examination, the subjects chosen and the timing of the tests will be made in Wilma before registering for the tests. The general upper secondary school guidance counsellor will provide more detailed instructions for making the plan.  

International activities are part of general upper secondary school teaching and courses. General upper secondary schools have partner and twin schools as well as exchange studies. The schools are visited by guests from various countries. As a general upper secondary school student, you can also participate in international events in Finland and abroad. Espoo’s general upper secondary schools also organise international activities with external funding, such as EU (Erasmus) and Finnish National Agency for Education projects. Internationalisation at home, meaning internationalisation in the local community, is part of daily life at general upper secondary schools in Espoo. 

In general upper secondary school, students can influence many matters relating to the studies. Students can participate in the development of the school through, for example, tutoring or student union activities. 

The @espoonlukiot account on Instagram provides important and interesting information on topics such as higher education, events and international cooperation. In addition, the account presents opportunities for young people to have an influence. Each general upper secondary school also has its own Instagram account. 

Principal         

The principal’s task is to lead, guide and monitor the teaching and education work at the general upper secondary school. The principal also ensures that the operations are regularly assessed.   

Guidance counsellor 

The guidance counsellor is an expert in guidance. The guidance counsellor assists and guides the students in making course choices and timetables. They also help the students to consider the various options for further studies. The guidance counsellor develops the students’ skills to evaluate their own strengths.  

Special-needs teacher 

The special-needs teacher is available for cooperation in matters related to studying, if necessary. For example, the special-needs teacher teaches study skills and guides the students to use their own strengths in learning. Special-needs education and other learning support are intended to enable students to be on an equal footing. It is important for the students that learning is accessible and available to everyone.  It is also important to prevent learning difficulties and identify support needs at an early stage. The special-needs teacher carries out tests to measure learning difficulties. They prepare the necessary statements for special arrangements for the matriculation examination. 

Tutor  

The tutor is usually responsible for the practical guidance of students. It is the tutor’s task to ensure that the students in the group participate in the studies and cope with them. The tutor monitors the progress of studies and the students’ absences on a regular basis. If necessary, the tutor contacts the student and the guardian. The tutor refers the student to support if necessary, and tells the student who can help. In addition, the tutor informs the students of current issues related to studies. 

Student welfare personnel 

Student welfare supports the students’ learning and well-being. Student welfare belongs to all students. 

The school social worker supports the students’ well-being, study motivation, growth, independence and life planning. They also provide support in challenging situations in life, such as friendships. The school social worker gives advice on student financial aid and other financial benefits.  

The school psychologist promotes the psychological and social well-being of the students, for example, if a young person is anxious or needs support in matters relating to stress or tension. The psychologist also helps in crisis situations in the students’ lives.  

The school nurse helps students understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle for their learning and life management. The students can make an appointment with the school nurse for a health check, vaccination or sexual health counselling, for example.   

Young people with an immigrant background studying in Espoo’s schools and general upper secondary schools, their families and staff can benefit from a cultural instructor’s support and multicultural expertise.  

Cultural instructors in basic education support pupils, families and schools. They help families in filling in school applications and using Wilma, for example, and arrange counselling for families. Cultural instructors in general upper secondary schools help students and guardians with questions relating to general upper secondary school studies, both in Finnish and, if possible, in the student’s own native language. For example, they can act as a support and interpreter at meetings involving students with an immigrant background, their guardians and school staff. Cultural instructors can also talk to students alone. 

Taking care of well-being supports the students’ learning. It is important that the students feel accepted in the school community exactly as they are – regardless of their gender, language or cultural background. Well-being also includes taking care of the physical, mental and social ability to function. In general upper secondary schools, the well-being of students is supported by, for example, organising a well-being week every year. During this week, the focus is on themes that support well-being. In addition, various events, excursions and sports are organised during the school year. 

In general upper secondary school, learning is important. Students may need support from their guardians in matters relating to studies. The most important support guardians can give is showing interest in the students’ school attendance and school affairs. When the guardian has a positive and encouraging attitude towards school, the student is more likely to enjoy school. A young person who enjoys school and feels well also learns better.  

Many of the upper secondary school learning materials are electronic, so the guardians can only see them if the student opens their computer and shows them. The things taught at general upper secondary school are often difficult, and studying and learning may feel hard. In this case, the guardian should encourage the student to seek help from the support structures provided by the school: homework clubs or workshops, teachers and other students. Something that seems difficult to learn often becomes easy (or easier) when you spend enough time on it. 

When upper secondary school students turn 18, they can decide for themselves what their guardians get to know about their studies. It is important that young adults are able to decide on their own matters. By discussing and showing positive interest, the guardian can help the student in situations where they need support.  

The primary goal of parents’ meetings is to support the young people’s growth and learning. At parents’ meetings, the guardians have a good opportunity to get to know each other and the teachers and other staff. The parents’ meetings provide information on matters related to the young people’s growth, development and learning. Guardians can also talk to the guidance counsellor about matters relating to general upper secondary school studies. Cultural instructors are also present to support interaction between school and home, both in Finnish and, if possible, in the student’s own native language.    

The general upper secondary school encourages guardians to participate regularly in discussions relating to youth guidance, support, school attendance or studies. The discussions are important for all guardians, including those whose children do not face specific challenges at school. 

At the parents’ meeting, we discuss together how worries can be reduced and problems solved. The school-specific results of the school health survey, as well as various surveys related to well-being or bullying, are also a good basis for joint discussion. 

The Wilma system is a key communication tool between home and school at all general upper secondary schools in Espoo. Through Wilma, guardians can monitor the learning and study attainments of their children under the age of 18, view and explain student absences, read school bulletins and communicate with teachers. It is a good idea to follow Wilma on a daily basis. Guardians will lose their access to Wilma when the student turns 18, unless the student personally gives the guardians permission to follow Wilma. This permission can be given using a form in Wilma.