School year to start as contact teaching in comprehensive schools and upper secondary schools

The guidelines provided by the Finnish National Agency for Education and other authorities are constantly being updated. We will keep monitoring the situation and will update the city’s guidelines whenever necessary. Guardians and students will receive further information from the schools through Wilma.  

As of Monday 9 August, we can offer coronavirus vaccines to all 12–15-year-old Espoo residents. You must be at least 12 years old to receive the vaccine.

In Espoo, 12–15-year-olds can receive the vaccine through school health care or at a vaccination site. Vaccinations at schools will start on Monday 16 August and will proceed one school and class at a time. You do not have to book an appointment for vaccinations at schools. We will provide parents and pupils with more detailed information on school- and class-specific vaccinations through Wilma. During the weeks when the vaccinations take place, school health care staff can only offer a limited number of other appointments.

Further information: https://www.espoo.fi/en-US/Coronavirus_vaccinations_start_for_1215y(195879)

Unnecessary close contact will be avoided in schools, and hygiene will be ensured in line with the recommendations by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the Ministry of Education and Culture. As a general rule, pupils will only spend time with their own group. In upper secondary schools, teaching will be arranged with safe distances in mind. Mealtimes will be arranged in a staggered manner to ensure safe distances. We recommend that pupils in grades 6–10, upper secondary school students and staff members wear a face mask.

The process of applying for and granting permissions for absence will remain unchanged. Further information is available from the school. The guardians of pupils who belong to any of the risk groups specified by THL will receive further information from the school’s principal. 

You are only allowed to go to school if you are in good health.

• If a child or young person has symptoms that suggest they may have the coronavirus, please contact the city’s coronavirus helpline, tel. +358 9 81634600 (Mon–Fri 7:00–18:00). Outside these hours, please call the Medical Helpline, tel. 116 117. Further information: www.espoo.fi/coronavirus.   

Schools will inform guardians and students of teaching arrangements, schedules and other matters through Wilma. Cooperation between schools and homes will mainly take place remotely. Events for parents can be organised through remote communication systems. 

Until further notice, schools will not accept international visitors or organise study trips to other countries. When a pupil, student or staff member returns to Finland from abroad, they must follow the latest quarantine recommendations or guidelines provided by THL. 

Espoo’s comprehensive schools are prepared to switch from contact teaching to exceptional teaching arrangements if this is necessary due to the coronavirus situation.

As a general rule, upper secondary schools will provide contact teaching, but distance learning is also possible if necessary. Espoo’s upper secondary schools will comply with the guidelines in force. 

Decisions on possible quarantines will be made by the infectious disease physician of the City of Espoo in line with the instructions provided by THL. Guardians will be informed if their child is placed in quarantine. If one or several school classes are placed in quarantine, all guardians and staff members will be informed.