The children of the Postipuun koulu school and the Postipuun päiväkoti day care centre participate in the planning of the area
The Postipuun koulu school and the Postipuun päiväkoti day care centre in Leppävaara will be expanded. In addition to adults, children have also influenced the new look of the school and the day care centre. In an interview, planner Johanna Nuotio explains how the children were involved in the planning.
How did the pupils of the Postipuun koulu school participate in planning?
The pupils participated in two stages. In the preparation stage in 2024, we had four different options for the future school. We produced an informative video for the school and a survey to which a panel of pupils responded. The same survey was also open to school personnel, parents and local residents.
In the proposal stage in 2025, we held a lesson for all pupils in grades 5 and 6, a total of slightly over 100 children. At this point, there were two options underway: a completely new school or an extension. In the latter option, a part of the new school would be preserved after a thorough renovation. During the lesson, the pupils voted on their favourite options and completed tasks to chart their wishes for the new façade of the school.
What views did the pupils have?
Of the different options, a new school was clearly the most popular one. In the proposal stage, approximately 75% of the pupils voted for it. Their wishes concerning the façade of the school emphasised colourfulness, clean shapes, design and visuality. Slightly over half of the pupils wished for a multi-coloured school, for example, and around half of them wished for some kind of artwork on the wall of the building. On the other hand, neutral, calm shades also garnered some support. Wood and brick were the most popular materials.
How did children in day care participate and what were their views?
Pictures were important when charting the opinions of the children at the Postipuun päiväkoti day care centre. We created large picture collages with different kinds of day care centres and wall materials. The children familiarised themselves with them together with the early childhood education teacher and selected their favourites with stickers. The teachers also recorded the children’s arguments. Several day care groups participated in this task, a total of slightly over 60 children.
The choices of the children showed that they favoured colourfulness, warm tones and clean shape elements. On the other hand, some of the children preferred a neutral, light wooden building and wood as a material.
How will the feedback from children be visible in the plan?
The façades and materials of buildings will be included in the plan regulation so that the children’s wishes will be visible at an appropriate level. For example, variations in materials and colours and the scale of a child are referred to in the regulation.
Some of the feedback was “reinforcing”. In other words, we found that we were on the right track, because children agreed with us on many points. Such points included the need to maintain the size of the school yard and to preserve existing trees.
Still, the expansion method of the Postipuun koulu school will not be decided until after more detailed planning has been carried out. The plan still allows both options, both a completely new school and an extension. The choice will be made in the more detailed planning process by the Premises Department. We will also communicate the results of the vote and the wishes of pupils, personnel and parents to those who will make the final choice.
Why is children’s participation in planning important to you?
An adult planner cannot see a location through the eyes of a child. Therefore, things that are important to children can easily go unnoticed in planning if we do not ask about them. Pupils and children in day care know their everyday environment the best, together with their educators.
It is also important to keep in mind that city planning builds a future in which today's children will live as adults. When we ask about children’s views, we teach them that they can and should influence their future and their surroundings.
What about adults? How have they been able to participate?
Generally, the majority of planning interactions are aimed at adults. Plans are always available for public review twice during the planning, allowing anyone interested to submit a written opinion. We also organise residents’ events or other opportunities for participation often.
Two Meet the City events were organised about the Postipuun koulu plan, the first in the preparation stage in 2024 and the second in the proposal stage in 2025. We reached a total of 70 people in the events. Additionally, 41 people responded to a survey in the preparation stage, most of whom were adults. We received a total of nine opinions and objections.
How will the work continue?
We are currently finalising the plan. Once the last entries and regulations are done, the plan will be submitted to the City Planning Committee for approval. This will likely happen either in June or immediately after the summer season in August.
Once the plan has been approved, more detailed planning of buildings, yards and street areas will continue. Only then can we proceed to the construction stage. At the moment, it seems that the new school could be opened at the earliest in 2030. The school and the day care centre will be constructed as separate buildings, so their schedules may be different.
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Background information: What is the plan about?
The facilities of the Postipuun koulu school and the Postipuun päiväkoti day care centre will be expanded. The number of pupils in the school will increase from 400 to approximately 700, and the day care centre will be expanded from six groups to eight groups.
The plan addresses to the dire need of schools and day care centres in the area. We will also update the entries on the local nature values and the antiquity sites in the adjacent park. This helps us ensure that nature values and historical values are maintained in the future as well.
Read more and explore the materials on the plan page