Finland - Country Background Information
- Describing the forms of education in the country
- Identifying an ‘inclusive setting’ in the country
- What an ‘official decision of SEN’ means in the country
- What ‘out-of-education’ means in the country
The EASIE data collection covers all recognised forms of education at ISCED levels 02, 1, 2 and 3.
This means any type of education organised by or approved by any recognised educational provider in the public or private sector: municipality, local or regional educational provider from the public or private sector, working with/for ministries responsible for education and areas such as health, social, welfare, labour, justice, etc.
Compulsory education age range in Finland is 6–18.
What are the typical age ranges for the ISCED levels?
| ISCED LEVEL 02 | ISCED LEVEL 1 | ISCED LEVEL 2 | ISCED LEVEL 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-6 | 7-12 | 13-15 | 16-18 |
At ISCED levels 1, 2 and 3, the Ministry of Education and Culture grants the authorisations to provide education. An authorisation can be granted to a registered association or foundation, but they are not allowed to provide education for the purpose of financial gain.
In the case of early childhood education and care, including ISCED 02, private providers are allowed to gain profit and are only required to make a notification prior to starting to operate.
At all education levels, the Act relevant to the education level also covers private education. In general education, as a main rule, the national core curricula must be followed, and in vocational education and training the national qualification requirements guide the organisation of education.
In the data, it refers to education where the Finnish national core curricula are not followed. This only considers a few schools.
Home education is very rare in Finland.
The primary and lower-secondary education (ISCED 1 and 2) syllabus can be completed in home education.
Home education does not require permission from the authorities. A guardian’s notification to the municipality of residence about a child transferring to home education is sufficient.
After the notification, the guardian is responsible for the child obtaining the knowledge and skills according to the national core curriculum. They are also responsible for arranging the instruction and acquiring the learning materials. The child is not entitled to school medical care, special needs education or other school services.
The municipality of residence must monitor the progress of children educated at home.
In ISCED 02, home schooling is an option during the one-year mandatory pre-primary for 6-year-olds. In this case, the law does not require the municipality to supervise the child’s progress.
In ISCED 3, education can be completed without participating in teaching. In general education, the learner needs to contact the general upper-secondary school where they wish to take the exams needed for a separate examination and draw up a personal study plan. In vocational education and training, the learner applies for studies and a personal competence development plan is drawn up. In the plan, it is agreed how competence is acquired and demonstrated.
In the EASIE data collection, an inclusive setting is operationally defined as:
A recognised form of education where the child/learner follows education in mainstream classes alongside their peers for the largest part – 80% or more – of the school week.
The 80% time placement benchmark clearly indicates that a child/learner is educated in a mainstream class for the majority of their school week. At the same time, it acknowledges possibilities for small group or one-to-one withdrawal for limited periods of time (i.e. 20% or one day a week).
Very few participating countries can provide exact data on children/learners spending 80% of their time in a mainstream group/class. However, all countries can apply one of three agreed proxies that provide an approximation to this benchmark:
- Placement in a mainstream class implies over 80% or more
- Data is available on the number of hours of support allocated to a child/learner
- Placement in a mainstream class implies over 50% or more.
In the EASIE data collection, the agreed operational definition is:
An official decision leads to a child/learner being recognised as eligible for additional educational support to meet their learning needs.
Countries may have different types of official decision, but for all official decisions:
- There has been some form of educational assessment procedure involving different people. This procedure may involve the child/learner, parents, school-based team members, as well as professionals from multi-disciplinary teams from outside the child’s/learner’s (pre-)school.
- There is some form of legal document (plan/programme, etc.) that describes the support the child/learner is eligible to receive, which is used as the basis for decision-making.
- There is some form of regular review process of the child/learner’s needs, progress and support.
An official decision of SEN is made by the education provider, according to the Administrative Procedure Act and following the principles laid down in the national core curriculum.
Before making the decision, the education provider must hear the learner and their guardian.
The decision must state the learner’s primary teaching group, any interpretation and assistance services and other required services and, where needed, special teaching arrangements.
In general upper-secondary education, learners can receive various types of support, but no administrative decision is required.
In upper-secondary vocational education and training (VET), the VET provider decides on the support to be given and draws up an administrative decision. Before making the decision, the learner and their guardian or legal representative must be consulted.
Before making the decision, the education provider must carry out a pedagogical investigation for the type of support to be provided for the learner. For this, the education provider obtains:
- a written report on the learner’s progress from the teachers responsible for their instruction
- a written account prepared in multi-professional co-operation with student welfare professionals on the learner’s overall situation and the forms of support they have received before.
Based on the reports and the account, the education provider draws up an assessment of the learner’s requirement for special support.
In VET, the need for support is discussed as part of personalising studies, for example when drawing up the learner’s personal competence development plan (PCDP). Different tests and screenings may be used. The learner may provide an individual educational plan from their period in primary and lower-secondary education, or a statement from, for example, a psychologist or a doctor. However, the decision is not made directly based on the statement. The need and types of support are assessed together with the learner and, in case of a minor, with their guardian.
Following the decision, an individualised educational plan is drawn up for the learner. The plan must describe special education and all other types of support the learner will receive. It includes information on the learner’s learning and school attendance goals, contents of education, teaching arrangements, pedagogical methods and the support and guidance the learner needs.
In VET, the VET provider records in the learner’s PCDP the content of any special needs support provided to them, any adjustments made to competence.
The decision must be revised at least after the second grade and before transfer to seventh grade. The individualised educational plan must be revised when needed, but at least once a school year.
In VET, special support and its effectiveness are assessed systematically and every time the personal competence development plan is updated. The learner and those involved in providing the support are consulted. The joint evaluation will decide whether to continue with the same support or to modify it.
Within the EASIE data collection, specific questions examine children/learners who are out of education. This means children/learners who should, by law, be in some form of recognised education, but who are out of any form of recognised education. A recognised form of education is any type of education organised by or approved by any recognised educational provider in the public or private sector.
In Finland, support for learners is given at three levels: general, intensified and special support. Every learner has the right to general support for learning and attending school, and no specific assessment or decisions are required. If general support is not enough, a pedagogical evaluation and a learning plan is drawn up for intensified support. Special support, requiring a decision of SEN, is provided for learners who cannot adequately achieve their growth, development or learning objectives through other support measures. The data from Finland includes learners with a decision of special support.
ISCED 02 does not refer to any existing education level in the Finnish system, because in Finland early childhood education and care integrates ISCED 01 and 02. The split into ISCED 01 and 02, based on the age of the children, is done for international purposes only. Compulsory education starts with one-year pre-primary education for 6-year-olds. This mandatory year does not form a level of education on its own.
In ISCED 3, and especially in VET, there are also older learners. There is no separate VET provision for young people and adults in Finland.