The international classes of Maunula Secondary School, Helsinki are intended for thirteen to sixteen year old foreign-born children who have received their elementary school education in English in Finland or who have studied in English abroad. The school is intended also for Finnish children who have received their elementary school education in English in Finland or abroad. Also Finnish pupils with excellent skills in English have the possibility to participate in the English-speaking education.
The school provides the English-speaking pupils education equivalent to the curriculum of the Finnish upper-stage comprehensive school. The English-speaking pupils study the Finnish language according to the curriculum "Finnish as a Second Language". At the end of their studies the pupils will be actively bilingual, so that for further studies they will be able to choose between schools where the instruction is given either in English or in Finnish.
In the international classes all compulsory subjects are taught in English. In some optional subjects in the eight grade the pupils are integrated with the Finnish-speaking pupils' groups. Teaching is carried out by native speakers of English or by Finnish teachers with very good skills in English.
On entry to the school the pupil has to pass an English test if his/her competence in English cannot be proved otherwise. The test takes place in February, but the pupils are also taken in through the school year.
A report card is given at the end of each term. In addition to numeral assessment a written report is given once in a school year. Subjects are assessed with grades 10 to 4.
No charge is taken for teaching and study materials and the pupils are also given a hot meal every day with consideration to special diets. The pupils are also provided with free health service and dental care. A City Transport ticket is given for pupils with more than a three kilometres' walk from school.
The school year runs from mid-August till the end of week 22. Instruction is given on 190 days.
Modern facilities include e.g. art and music rooms, computer rooms, rooms for textile work and technical work, science laboratories, a library and a gymnasium.
The school also has a very beautiful and spacious cafeteria for pupils.
Outside school hours pupils can participate in different clubs such as music, sport, textile and technical work.
In the international classes the pupils can study Finnish, French, German and Swedish. Pupils start studying computing in the seventh grade. In the eigth grade They will have more optional subjects like technical and textile work, home economics, business studies, typing, computer studies, French and German.
The school has contact schools in England, Belgium, Italy, Germany and Denmark. The contacts are maintained with different projects through e-mail and through pupils' study trips to these schools.
Parents are strongly encouraged to be active members in the parents' association. The Parents' Association has traditionally been very active in our school and any international contribution is more than welcome.
The school is located in a beautiful area near Central Park with an easy access to sporting facilities. The Pirkkola Sporting Area nearby offers a swimming pool, a skating rink and excellent possibilities for skiing, orienteering and running.
