Bilingual education will continue at Peipon koulu next autumn
Bilingual education in English and Finnish will continue at Peipon koulu during the 2027–2028 academic year. New pupils will again be admitted to Year 1 teaching, and it is also possible for new pupils to join the group in Year 2. An information session will be held for interested guardians on 25 November 2026. Bilingual education began at Peipon koulu in August 2026, and there are currently 11 Year 1 pupils in the group.
– The first autumn has got off to a very good start. Both pupils and staff are practising a new way of operating and learning together, and it has been wonderful to see the pupils’ enthusiasm. Bilingual education is now part of everyday life at our school, and it is great to be able to continue and develop this work in the coming academic year, says Juha Juvonen, headteacher of Peipon koulu.
Admissions to Year 1 and Year 2
The pupil admission area for the bilingual education covers the whole of Porvoo, and pupils from other municipalities may also apply. New pupils will be admitted to Year 1 teaching, and it is also possible for new pupils to join the group in Year 2.
From the start of the next academic year, Peipon koulu will also form part of the new western service area, together with Hamarin koulu and Tolkkisten koulu. Children living within the service area are allocated a place amongst the schools in the area.
– I hope that the new service area model will attract interest in Peipon koulu and especially in bilingual education, Juvonen continues.
In teaching, Finnish and English are used side by side in different subjects. Around 50–75 per cent of the teaching is in English, but Finnish language is taught in Finnish. The content of teaching is the same as in other basic education taught in Finnish.
– Pupils do not spend the entire school day solely in their own bilingual group; instead, lessons are organised flexibly together with other first graders in the school. For example, Finnish language classes are studied together with other first graders, explains Elina Myrttinen, the teacher of the bilingual class.
Information Session and Open Day in November–December
An information session for parents and carers interested in bilingual education will be held on Wednesday 25 November 2026 at 17.30 at Peipon koulu. The session will provide further information on teaching, admissions and pupil selection.
In addition, an open day will be held at the bilingual teaching facilities on Thursday 3 December 2026 at 9–13. Families who are interested can come at this time to find out more about the school’s activities and teaching.
Admissions will open alongside the information session. Admission decisions are based on the entrance exam, which all applicants must take. The entrance exam assesses the child’s linguistic readiness to study in bilingual education. Previous knowledge of English is not a prerequisite for applying for bilingual education. The entrance exam for Year 1 can be taken in either Finnish or English.
After grades 1-6 in Peipon koulu, the bilingual education continues at the lower secondary school Pääskytien koulu. In lower secondary school, about 25 to 50 per cent of teaching is in English.
