We are in the process of choosing a primary school for our child. We have several schools that we are interested in and have to choose two and submit an application. We then find out if our child got into one of those schools or possibly another one we hadn't chosen.
Does anyone know what the decision making process is for that? How do they decide what school your child goes to? Is it based upon how close you live, how they fit with the program, first come first served, or some other factors? And, for example, if my daughter is a native English speaker and I want her to go to the school with an emphasis on English is that taken into account?
In other countries they, for example, have some info about how schools compare based upon certain criteria. Is there a Finnish website where I can compare the schools and their performance? Are there usually huge differences between schools?
Also, I have a list of thinks I want to ask when we visit the schools but was curios what kinds of questions other people might ask or what they look for when reasearching schools.
Thanks very much for any information you can provide.
Choosing a primary school
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Hank W.
- The Motorhead
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Well it says it on the Rauma city pages.
- children are generally put in the school the parents sign them up for
- to avoid congestion (too many kids signed to one school) the school board may assign the child to another school, the criteria is the length of the school journey and if there are already siblings in a school somewhere.
basically the thumb rule is that a school has a "collection area", so the kids in that area have a precedence over kids from another area, so if you live next door to a school you get a place and some kid coming from across town is then dropped...
But really I wouldn't think this would be any huge issue, do you even have "bad" schools there?
If it is that everybody wants their kid in the Freinet school, then they might have some other criteria.
- children are generally put in the school the parents sign them up for
- to avoid congestion (too many kids signed to one school) the school board may assign the child to another school, the criteria is the length of the school journey and if there are already siblings in a school somewhere.
basically the thumb rule is that a school has a "collection area", so the kids in that area have a precedence over kids from another area, so if you live next door to a school you get a place and some kid coming from across town is then dropped...
But really I wouldn't think this would be any huge issue, do you even have "bad" schools there?
If it is that everybody wants their kid in the Freinet school, then they might have some other criteria.
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
Thanks, I didn't see it there on the Rauma pages! 
I looked but I've got such bad jetlag so it's no wonder I didn't see it!!
The school system in Finland seems to be excellent. I don't think there are bad schools here in Rauma but we just want to find one that is a good fit for our daughter. When I looked at daycare here I thought there were quite big differences between places which was a surprise. I basically just want to check them out because I don't think it hurts to be informed or understand how things work. And to find a good fit because I think the first year of school is quite important.
The primary schools here seem to have different sizes and different approaches or emphasis (music, learning at one's own pace, one works with Turku Univ closely for example). I've been talking with friends, teachers, etc. and one school near us is supposedly quite popular. They say lots of people apply to go there so I was curious what would happen if we were to choose that one. We are looking at several different schools and just comparing them so I don't know if we would even chose that one.
But I'll have to check out the Rauma pages a bit more thouroughly! Was it in the "hallinto" section?
Thanks for the info!
I looked but I've got such bad jetlag so it's no wonder I didn't see it!! The school system in Finland seems to be excellent. I don't think there are bad schools here in Rauma but we just want to find one that is a good fit for our daughter. When I looked at daycare here I thought there were quite big differences between places which was a surprise. I basically just want to check them out because I don't think it hurts to be informed or understand how things work. And to find a good fit because I think the first year of school is quite important.
The primary schools here seem to have different sizes and different approaches or emphasis (music, learning at one's own pace, one works with Turku Univ closely for example). I've been talking with friends, teachers, etc. and one school near us is supposedly quite popular. They say lots of people apply to go there so I was curious what would happen if we were to choose that one. We are looking at several different schools and just comparing them so I don't know if we would even chose that one.
But I'll have to check out the Rauma pages a bit more thouroughly! Was it in the "hallinto" section?
Thanks for the info!
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Hank W.
- The Motorhead
- Posts: 29973
- Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2002 10:00 pm
- Location: Mushroom Mountain
- Contact:
'Palvelut' and 'opetustoimi' or something... they usually follow the same logic, theres 'services for residents' and 'edumcashun'... it also had something about that the schools have 'open doors' day at some time but I just had a fleeting glance.
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
The one that is near? This would happen: After the initial weeks your child could walk to school all by him/herself. Plus walk home, too.I was curious what would happen if we were to choose that one.
I understand you want to check the schools out. It is a big thing when a kid starts school. I would choose one that is the nearest, or one that has smallest classes.
Yes, it is your choice.
The advantage of a school close to home is that your child will make friends who also live close by.
When you visit the schools you should ask whether the first grade teacher follows the children through to 6th grade or whether the teachers generally stay where they are and the kids move on to new teachers each year. In m sons' primary school they have a dedicated first grade teacher but then the kids stay with the same teacher through 2nd and 3rd grade. Then they get a new teacher who may stay with the class from 4th to 6th grade. Try and meet the first grade teachers.
The point I am trying to make is, however good a school may appear to be, your child won't be happy if stuck with a teacher she doesn't like for six years....
Personally I don't like the system where the teacher stays with the class for several years but I do see the advantages: the teacher can kick off the subsequent years much quicker (he/she knows all the names, knows how the kids work, doesn't have to reassert his/her authority etc.). OTOH it is not necessarily good for kids to be stuck with the same teaching style year-on-year; new teachers have new ideas and new challenges for the kids.
It is not impossible to switch schools after a year or two.
If you are interested in knowing more about the Finnish National Core Curriculum for comprehensive schools (which is common to ALL Finnish schools grades 1-9) you can download a free copy from the Ministry od Education website or order a copy (30€) in English from them by email.
The advantage of a school close to home is that your child will make friends who also live close by.
When you visit the schools you should ask whether the first grade teacher follows the children through to 6th grade or whether the teachers generally stay where they are and the kids move on to new teachers each year. In m sons' primary school they have a dedicated first grade teacher but then the kids stay with the same teacher through 2nd and 3rd grade. Then they get a new teacher who may stay with the class from 4th to 6th grade. Try and meet the first grade teachers.
The point I am trying to make is, however good a school may appear to be, your child won't be happy if stuck with a teacher she doesn't like for six years....
Personally I don't like the system where the teacher stays with the class for several years but I do see the advantages: the teacher can kick off the subsequent years much quicker (he/she knows all the names, knows how the kids work, doesn't have to reassert his/her authority etc.). OTOH it is not necessarily good for kids to be stuck with the same teaching style year-on-year; new teachers have new ideas and new challenges for the kids.
It is not impossible to switch schools after a year or two.
If you are interested in knowing more about the Finnish National Core Curriculum for comprehensive schools (which is common to ALL Finnish schools grades 1-9) you can download a free copy from the Ministry od Education website or order a copy (30€) in English from them by email.
EP, her being able to walk or ride her bike would be a plus because of convenience but I don't mind taking her to and from school if I would need to. But nothing in Rauma is THAT far away anyway - pretty much everything is within 5 minutes. All the schools we are looking at she could easily get to.
But I think that's pretty typical to chose the one that is closest. Finns probably think I'm nuts for even looking into it because "everything is the same"! 
But if everything is the same, I'm not afraid to do a little work to find that out. If not, then if my child can go to a slightly better school or one that fits her better then that's fine with me too.
All the schools we are looking at she could easily get to. But I think that's pretty typical to chose the one that is closest.
Finns probably think I'm nuts for even looking into it because "everything is the same"! But if everything is the same, I'm not afraid to do a little work to find that out. If not, then if my child can go to a slightly better school or one that fits her better then that's fine with me too.Thanks Penelope, I hadn't thought about the same teacher being with the class for many grades and will have to ask about that. Thank you also for the info about the FNCC.
What you mentioned about friends is one thing we will definitely consider. All her friends are not going to one school so thankfullly we aren't particularly limited by that. When my daughter was young I had a playgroup for her so she now has friends from the area plus from different parts of town as well (who will go to different schools).
What you mentioned about friends is one thing we will definitely consider. All her friends are not going to one school so thankfullly we aren't particularly limited by that. When my daughter was young I had a playgroup for her so she now has friends from the area plus from different parts of town as well (who will go to different schools).
Hmmm, maybe you need to factor in the distance too. IMO even a ten year old would have to think twice about walking 3 kms or getting a lift with mum.
But picking kids up every day can be a constraint (especially the days where they start at 10 am have lunch at 10.40 and then come home at 12.00
) Mine have always whined about the 2 and a bit km walk (but they are boys and none of their friends live in our street so they have to walk at least half the route alone).
But picking kids up every day can be a constraint (especially the days where they start at 10 am have lunch at 10.40 and then come home at 12.00
) Mine have always whined about the 2 and a bit km walk (but they are boys and none of their friends live in our street so they have to walk at least half the route alone).Like I said, even though I would drive her if I need to, everything is pretty much within walking distance here so having to drive here is not really an issue.
But my first concern is her safety, not whether her mode of transportation is "cool" or not.
But, I get the whole thing about hanging out with your friends and wanting a little freedom etc. I don't have a problem (and would prefer it) if she wants to walk or ride her bike when she's old enough.
But my first concern is her safety, not whether her mode of transportation is "cool" or not.
But, I get the whole thing about hanging out with your friends and wanting a little freedom etc. I don't have a problem (and would prefer it) if she wants to walk or ride her bike when she's old enough.
