Common guidelines for schools

Basic education working hours and holidays

There are 190 working days in the academic year. However, the working days are reduced by holidays that fall on weekdays other than Saturday, such as Independence Day, Epiphany, and May Day.

Working hours in basic education 2025-2026

Autumn semester August 6 – December 19, 2025, 93 working days
Spring semester January 7 – May 30, 2026, 95 working days

Basic education holiday dates 2025-2026

Autumn break October 13 – 19, 2025
Christmas holiday December 20, 2025 – January 6, 2026
Winter break March 2 – 8, 2026
Easter holiday April 3 – 6, 2026
May Day (Vappu) May 1, 2026
Ascension Day, May 14, 2026

Working hours in basic education 2026-2027

Autumn semester 12 August – 22 December 2026, 90 working days
Spring semester January 7 – June 5, 2027, 99 working days

Basic education holiday dates 2026-2027

Autumn break October 12 – 18, 2026
Christmas holiday December 23, 2026 – January 6, 2027
Winter break March 8 – 14, 2027
Easter March 26-29, 2027
Ascension Day, May 6, 2027
Other holiday May 7, 2027

Going to school a year later or earlier

An exceptional school start is applied for, and a decision on it is made well in advance before the beginning of basic education.

Going to school a year earlier

A child has the right to start basic education a year earlier than prescribed if, based on psychological and, if necessary, medical assessments, the child has the capacity to cope with studies (Basic Education Act, Section 27). Making the decision requires a psychological assessment and, if necessary, also a medical assessment. The guardian is responsible for obtaining and paying for the necessary expert statements before school enrollment. Preparing the statements, assessments, and decisions may take time.

The guardian submits a free-form application and the necessary documents to the principal or vice-principal, who makes the decision in the matter.

Going to school a year later

A guardian can apply for permission for their child to start basic education one year later than prescribed (Basic Education Act, Section 27).

The guardian submits an informal application along with a psychological report and, if necessary, a medical report to the principal/vice-principal, who makes the decision on the matter.

School transportation

A pupil in pre-primary and basic education has the right to receive free school transportation if their school commute is over five kilometers. In Tervolaa, pupils in grades 0-2 are also entitled to free transportation if their school commute exceeds three kilometers. These school transport services are granted automatically and do not need to be applied for. The right to school transport applies from the guardian’s residence that is recorded in the population register as the pupil’s permanent address.

A student in pre-primary or basic education has the right to free transportation also when the aforementioned journey, considering the student’s age and other circumstances, becomes too difficult, exhausting, or dangerous for the student. As an alternative to free transportation, a grant can be provided for transporting or escorting the student. These discretionary transportations must always be applied for using a separate form by March 15. If the application is based on the difficulty or strain of the journey, a statement from a doctor, psychologist, or other equivalent expert must be attached to the application.

If a student applies to a school other than their local school, the guardian is responsible for the costs of the student’s transportation.

More detailed information about school transportation is provided in the School Transportation Guide of the municipality of Tervola.

School meals

The purpose of school meals is to support students’ healthy growth and development, learning ability, and food skills. Every student participating in education must be provided with a nutritious free meal on each school day. The meal is to be consumed during appropriately organized and supervised mealtimes. In organizing school meals, the health, social, and cultural significance of eating are taken into account.

On the service provider Meri-Lapin Kuntapalvelut Oy’s website (which is in Finnish), under the Customers (’Asiakkaille’) section (https://www.mlkp.fi/asiakkaalle.php), there are instructions and a form for special diets.

Student welfare

Student welfare refers to promoting and maintaining good learning, good mental and physical health, and social well-being, as well as activities that enhance the conditions for these, in cooperation with various actors in the school. The main goal is to create a healthy and safe learning environment and to promote the well-being of the school community.

Individual student welfare services are provided by the school social worker and school psychologist. School health care staff, including school nurses and school doctors, are also part of student welfare. Their tasks and contact information can be found on the schools’ Peda.net pages.

School accidents and property damage

Property damage is generally not compensated in schools. Damage may be compensated if a student suffers property damage during a lesson in a teaching situation. Cases eligible for compensation are governed by the Tort Liability Act. Broken glasses can be compensated in accident situations where the student requires a medical examination or treatment.

A school accident is a sudden, external event causing bodily injury that occurs to a student at school or on the way to school, without the student’s consent. School accidents also cover such injuries described above that occur during a study trip, school camp, school club, or directly on the way to these activities, provided they are included in the school’s action plan.

The school staff member submits an accident report to the insurance company. The guardian does not need to pay for the costs of examinations or treatment themselves, but should ask the treating party to send the invoice to the municipality of Tervola. However, if the guardian does receive any invoices, they must be forwarded promptly to the School Office.

The municipality has insurance for school accidents with Pohjola Vakuutus.