SUMMARY OF THE CURRICULUM OF OULUNKYLÄ
PRIMARY SCHOOL/COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL
INDEX: VALUES
VALUES
In addition to the general
educational values defined by the City of
Our school provides good facilities
for learning and development. We value the co-operation skills and the ability
of taking other people into consideration. We also value good behaviour and the
ability of being responsible for one’s own work. Learning, development and
healthy self-esteem promote motivation and well-being.
Our main objective in education and
teaching is to provide good facilities for learning. We help each pupil to
achieve the knowledge and skills defined in the curriculum and to become a
co-operative and responsible citizen. Learning to learn is important for the
pupil’s future. Taking other people into
consideration, good manners and equality are emphasized in our teaching.
Our school is a large primary school
offering diverse basic education of high quality. We function in two separate
locations. The teachers and other educational specialists together take the
different needs of individual learners into consideration. Our activity is
developed in accordance with the changing needs of the society. The various
strengths of the staff and the flexible teaching arrangements increase the joy
of learning and enhance good learning results. We use diverse working methods
with the aid of modern technology, thus maintaining our technical skills.
C
L A S S E S
Subject 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
(music classes in parenthesis)
Mother tongue 7 7 6 5 5 5
(5)
(4)
Language A - - 2 2 2 2
(the first
foreign language:
English, French, German)
Mathematics 4 4 4 4 4 4
Science 2 2 2 4 - -
(3)
Biology and geography - - - - 1 2
Physics and chemistry - - - - 1 1
Religion and ethics 1 1 2 1 1 2
History and
social studies - - - - 2 1
Music 1 1 2 1 2 1
(4) (4) (4) (4)
Art 1 1 2 2 3 3
(1) (1) (1) (1)
Handicraft 2 2 2 2 2 2
Optional subjects - - - 1 - -
(-) (1=mu)
Optional
language A
(the second
foreign
language) - - - 2 2 2
(English, Swedish)
Weekly hours per pupil 20 20 24 24- 25- 25- 26 27 27
In the third form pupils can have either English, French or German as their first foreign language.
They have two lessons per week. In the fourth form there is the option of English or Swedish
as the second foreign language, also two lessons per week.
We have four music classes (3.-6.
form). To enter a music class an aptitude test has to be passed.
In Veräjälaakso
Branch we provide a complex special education class (combined forms 1-2). The
pupil with learning difficulties has an opportunity for extensive special
education within the limits of the school resources.
The pupils participate in the
planning of their learning and setting of their objectives according to their
age level.
The pupil’s council is the instance
where the pupils learn to prepare matters and to make decisions together. The
school principal acts as the chairman.
Each class chooses one member and one substitute to the pupil’s council.
The pupils participate in making the
common rules for the school. Decision making enables the pupils to practice the
rules of the democratic society in the teacher’s guidance.
The pupils are offered an
opportunity to co-operate with other parties outside the school. At school the
pupils practice the skills of social influence by taking part in projects, such
as Hesan nuorten ääni.
Natural ways of participation in our
school are for instance environmental issues, Radio – Ogeli
(the radio station in our school) and foster pupil activity.
The pupils are selected by the
criteria defined by Helsinki Education Department.
The pupils enter the music classes
after passing an aptitude test. The pupil selection into the special education
class is made by the regional special education team.
The forms of co-operation include e.g.
parents' evenings, enquiries, written messages, phone calls, parent-teacher
meetings, assessment week, participation in the parents’ association as well as
in the class committees and in the school board. By participating in these
activities, parents are supporting the school’s teaching and educational work.
Other contact persons, in addition to the teachers, are the school principal,
the school psychologist, the school welfare officer, the special educators and
the school assistants.
Everyone working in the school
community shares the responsibility for the school welfare program. It is
carried out in co-operation with homes by supporting the children’s school work
as well as mental and social development, thus promoting the well-being of the
school community.
The school principal is the chairman
of the student welfare group. An operating plan is drawn up yearly and each
teacher is given an opportunity to discuss the matters of his own class in the
student welfare group. Extra sessions are also available if needed. The special educator acts as a contact person between the
welfare group and the teachers. We focus our services to the pupils who most
need the support. The student welfare group evaluates its work annually.
The organization of morning and
afternoon care is specified in the operating plan annually. In general, the
afternoon care activities are organized by the parish and
the communal day care.
The assessment is comprised of
mid-term assessment, self-evaluation, evaluation week, annual report and
continuous feedback from the teacher.
School reports
Annual reports are given each
spring. The assessment is verbal in forms 1-3. In mathematics and Finnish the
progress and skills are described in detail. Other subjects are evaluated with
a note “achieved / not achieved”. The assessment
is numeral in forms 4-6.
Pupil’s working habits and behaviour
are also evaluated in the report.
Additional feedback
During the school year the pupil
gets feedback about his progress and skills in all subjects, e.g. in assessment
discussions and in other written feedbacks and statements. Special emphasis is
given to the
pupil’s strengths. Skills which still need improving may also be discussed.