School Readiness Exam - Need Help Finding Testing Facility

jojoagogo · Post by **jojoagogo** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:34 am

Hi,

we have just moved from North America, and my child is scheduled to be tested at Komeeta School, however she is 4 weeks shy of the 7 year old requirement so she needs a test to prove school readiness.

We have been looking around for a pyschologist to test her and have only found one that charges 400 Euros per visit and requires 4 visits!

Does anyone have any experience with this, since my child has already been in school for 2 years, don't want to put her into preschool??

Any help would be great!

**Sponsor:**

priki · Post by **priki** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 10:33 am

Isn't that done in public system? Neuvola or something?
Anyway, that price sounds high. With some googling, I found that at least in Etelä-Pohjanmaa school readiness testing costs 159€.

jojoagogo · Post by **jojoagogo** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:22 am

this is a dumb question but what did you google for. What is the name of the facilities/occupation that does the testing in Finnish.

My Finnish is little to none and it is brutally hard to search these things for Espoo area?

Thanks for replying though and that price is much more reasonable and maybe only one visit?

thanks

Mölkky-Fan · Post by **Mölkky-Fan** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:46 am

I do not want to upset anyone with this post as I know people are rightly very proud of their kids, but our kids had the same experience with changing countries/ schools and we found the Finnish pre-school of a similar standard to other countrys' schools. I am not an expert, but reading, writing, maths etc were all done in the pre-school (which in UK would be school).

My daughter started Dutch school at 3, went to an international school in China at 6, and then started Finnish school at 8. There was no major difference is learning levels with the Finnish kids (except with her English). My son started international school at 3, paivakoti (sorry, no a with dots on my PC) at 4, then eskari at 6, then school at 7 here. He has had a few problems with Finnish (but he is not a great language expert, just like his father

)

IMHO the term 'school' is a bit misleading, in Finland they start 'school' at 7 but in fact they were about the same level at 5 and 6 year olds as kids from the UK who were already attending school.

priki · Post by **priki** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:38 pm

jojoagogo wrote:this is a dumb question but what did you google for. What is the name of the facilities/occupation that does the testing in Finnish.

Well, shcool readiness is 'koulukypsyys'. I used words 'koulukypsyyden testaus' (testing of school readiness) and found price list of Etelä-Pohjanmaan Sairaanhoitopiiri (which is public health care system in South Ostrobothnia).
I don't have any kids, so my information is based on web search and my own experiences 25 years ago. Usually school readiness is tested during visits in 'neuvola' (child health clinic) starting at the age of 5. But, because you've just moved in, you are not in the neuvola-system. Maybe you could contact Espoo health service, and ask, if that testing can be done in either lastenneuvola (child health clinic) or perheneuvola (family health clinic)?

According to Espoo web pages (http://www.espoo.fi/default.asp?path=1; ... 0024;38332 in Finnish, sorry) one can contact to the family health clinic e.g. when worried about the development/progress of the kid. They have psychologists there and so on.

Child Guidance and Family Counselling Clinics
Child guidance and family counselling clinics help families to bring up their children. You can contact them yourself without a referral from the doctor. The service is free of charge.
Espoon keskus, tel. (09) 8162 3560, Mon-Fri 10-11
Espoonlahti, tel. (09) 8164 5520, Tue-Fri 10-11
Matinkylä-Olari, tel. (09) 8164 2307, Mon 12–13
Leppävaara tel. (09) 8163 011, Mon, Wed and Fri 9.30-11
Tapiola, tel. (09) 8163 8298 Mon 9.30-11

I hope here's somebody who can give better advice.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:39 pm

Hi jojoagogo,

I have three boys and they have all been to Komeetta school, one is still there (going in to 4th grade).

AFAIK, the school should arrange the school readiness test for you. If you missed the February testing (which was held over 3 days in the school - I was there serving coffee off and on...) then they should arrange it for you in August. This test is usually done by teachers at the school, and/or the school's own educational psychologist. Presumably you want the test to be in English. Who told you to arrange your own test? Were you not given any contact numbers? Have you been told there are places available? My youngest son was tested a year early but didn't get in as the class was full and priority was given (as always) to children in the age group. They would only consider younger children if they had spaces. So, certainly don't shell out any cash if you are not 100% sure there are spaces available.

My guess is that everyone is on holiday. The school has a new headmaster starting in August and I think a new school psychologist also.

If your child has already been to school then the chances are the school readiness test will not be a problem. One of the reasons that this test is conducted is to "diagnose" any potential learning difficulties such as dyslexia. The English language schools are not able to take any children with severe learning disabilities as they do not have the (English language) resources to cope with this.

If you want to chat about Komeetta in general then PM me and we can meet for coffee in Iso-Omena (or wherever!) before school starts.

jojoagogo · Post by **jojoagogo** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:03 pm

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone that has replied, this really is a helpful forum.

I will try some of the numbers that have been posted and also try to hold scheduling/paying for the appts until the school comes back from holidays after Aug 1, and..... prepare myself for the possibility that I need a back up plan in case she does not get in!

Many Thanks for your help and expertise!

Joanne

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:14 pm

No one will be back in school on August 1st. Term doesn't start until the 15th. But there might be someone at the koulutuskeskus in Espoonkeskus before that.

If I hear any information or bump into any of the staff I'll let you know

soyyo · Post by **soyyo** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:19 pm

My son will be starting 3rd grade at Postipuu this year. He is 8 and we arranged for the school to evaluate what grade level he will be in early June, otherwise we would have had to wait until August. The school should test your kids to see what their grade levels are.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 4:00 pm

There are two tests. Espoo International School (Komeetta, Postipuu and Pohjois Tapiola) tests for language skills, it is allowed to do this by the MinEdu. They do not accept children who are not fluent for age, they do not have ESL teachers (but they do offer FFL courses). However, ALL children entering FIRST grade, whatever their nationality and whatever their school, are required to take a school readiness test. That's a Ministry of Education rule and it applies nationwide. Postipuu and Komeetta organise these tests during a week in February, just after the application deadline which is in January. As they are required to keep some places open for returning Finns they do offer the chance to take the tests in August. If there are more candidates than places then I guess it is first come, first served. The schools are not allowed to select students based on any academic criteria (other than spoken fluency for age in English). In recent years the class sizes have decreased (due to decrease in number of applications with fluency), especially in Postipuu which has had 1st grade classes with less than 20 pupils. I can't remember the figures for this autumn's first grade intake.

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