FINLAND

1. FINLAND

2. Pre-1970s • Volkschools (6 years) • After year 4: • Some pupils to lower secondary (5 years) and then upper secondary (3 years) • Inequality of opportunity • Socially divisive • Re-organised in 1970s

3. Current system Age 6 • Pre-school year Age 7-16 • Comprehensive schools Post 16 • Upper secondary schools • Vocational schools

4. Compulsory education • Close to pupils’ homes • Municipalities designate schools • Exceptions: • Parental choice • Over-subscription • Helsinki

5. Assessment / outcomes • Continuous assessment • Based on tests, classwork, homework • Graded on a scale 4 (lowest) – 10 (highest) • Pupil review • Parents meetings • No formal assessment or examinations • Grades on 4-10 scale at end of compulsory education

6. Secondary education 16+ • Upper secondary schools • General education • Places for up to c.60% of pupils • Some schools specialise • Vocational schools • Initial vocational education in a range of occupational fields

7. Destinations: 2000 • 93% of pupils started post-compulsory education: • 54% to general upper secondary schools • 36% to vocational schools • 3% took an optional 10th year in lower secondary • 7% did not immediately continue education

8. Upper secondary: Admissions • Minimum average mark of 7 • Can apply to any school in Finland • Schools can set higher level (eg 9.7) • Admissions decisions based on marks and lottery • Specialist schools – aptitude/ability for specialism – detailed application form

9. Upper secondary:outcomes Upper secondary leaving certificate • Entitlement to place in polytechnic Matriculation • General eligibility for a university place

10. Vocational schools • 2-3 years to complete • Balance between breadth of study and specialisation • Can apply to any school in Finland • Number of places limited • No minimum marks • Some courses heavily oversubscribed • Criteria for admission • Priority if no previous vocational education • Success in previous studies • Work experience • Entrance and aptitude tests may be organised

11. Vocational schools: outcomes • Ongoing assessment of knowledge and skills by teacher (through coursework, homework etc) • Final assessment by • Teacher • By the employer (for on the job training) • Qualification certificate (confers entitlement to place in Polytechnic and general eligibility for university)

12. Issues / concerns • 7% of pupils do not continue formal education at 16 • Increasing number with learning difficulties • Disaffection among 13+ boys • Some 15% of pupils underachieving • Socio- economic background and standard of education of parents have an impact

13. Reasons for success • Pre-school support and pre-school education • Pupils ready to learn • Wide range of courses and subjects open to all • Professional teaching body which has flexibility and responsibility • Focus is on the learning needs of the children • Key decisions about educational routes delayed until 16 • Schools have autonomy and responsibility

14. GERMANY

15. LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK • Not monolithic in nature • Basic core common to all 16 Länder or states • Responsibility for education lies with states not Federal Government

16. SCHOOL STAGES IN GERMANY Kindergarten (voluntary) 3 – 6 yrs Places for 90% children Compulsory Schooling 6 – 16 yrs Grundschule (Primary School) 6 – 9 yrs (grades 1-4) Lower Secondary 10 – 15 yrs (grades 5-10) Upper Secondary 16 – 18 yrs (grades 11-13)

17. LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOLS • % grade 8 pupils HAUPTSCHULE - BASIC GENERAL EDUCATION 23%(preparation for work) REALSCHULE - MORE EXTENSIVE GENERAL EDUCATION 26% (preparation for work or further education) GYMNASIUM - INTENSIFIED GENERAL EDUCATION 29%(preparation for further education) GESAMTSCHULE - GENERAL EDUCATION LEADING TO DIFFERENT QUALIFICATIONS 9% (preparation for work or further education) OTHERS 13% [schools offering hauptschule and realschule 7%; sonderschule (special schools) 5%; Rudolph Steiner etc 0.6%]

18. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN POST-PRIMARY SCHOOLS • No academic, vocational, technical split pre – 16 yrs • General education (allgemeinbildend) provided by allSchools • Difference lies in: - pace and intensity of learning - no. of languages taken (1 in hauptschule, 2 in realschule, at least 2 in gymnasium, often 3)

19. UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION • Gymnasiale oberstufe - in gymnasium or gesamtschule - leading to Abitur - 30% • Vocational education - in fachoberschule (tech sec.and training school), berufsfachschule (vocational school) or berufsschule and workplace (dual system) - leading to vocational qualification, entry to higher education or employment - 70%

20. SCHOOL LEAVERS BY QUALIFICATION (1999) • Abitur (allgemeine hochschulreife) 25% • Realschule leaving certificate 40% • Hauptschule leaving certificate 26% • Without hauptschule leaving certificate 9%

21. TRANSFER • Aim is to match child to education which meets needs and abilities • After fourth year in primary school (grundschule) • No transfer tests. Primary school makes recommendation but parent chooses • Parent can ignore advice ( most Länder) or ask for formal test – trial period also possible in some Länder • Concept is that choice valid only if it meets childs needs • Want to avoid “foreseeable failure”

22. TRANSFER: PRIMARY SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE • Ongoing consultation with parents • Information evening for parents in October • Transfer conference in January – principal + class teacher(s) • Parents can appeal: • 1 or 2 in school each year • 100 from 800 schools at regional level • rarely reach Ministry (land)

23. TRANSFER: GRAMMAR SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE • Hold information days • If choose gymnasium without recommendation must be consultation • 160 applications for 130 places • 120 interviews (1 hour), reduced nos. to 132 • Lessing gymnasium: • 10% of 132 had Realschule recommendation • about ½ stayed to Abitur

24. ORIENTATION PHASE (FÖRDERSTUFE) • First 2 years in all schools, similar curriculum • Assess suitability of child for education offered • Ongoing assessment based on tests, homework, attitude etc. • 6 point scale (grades 4 and above are a pass) • Failure in 1 subject – another test • Failure in 2 subjects – repeat or transfer

25. FLEXIBILITY • Sitzenbleiben (remaining stationary) • repeat year • cannot repeat same year twice or repeat more than twice between grades 5 – 10 • 3.5% not promoted in Hessen • about 10-15% not promoted in grammar school visited • most held back proceed satisfactorily • Transfer • 25-30% leave grammar between entry and abitur • most transfer is downwards

26. ADMISSIONS CRITERIA • Regulations: • Proximity • Languages in order (English, Spanish) • Pursuing particular career • Aptitude in school specialism (specialist schools must be recognised by district) • Lottery • Not allowed to decide on basis of achievement

27. ADMISSIONS: PRACTICE • Regulations ignored • Use siblings, interviews • Agree admissions between grammar schools to ensure get 1 of top 3 choices • ½ local, ½ distant to get social mix (Hessen comp school) • Comprehensive (NR Westphalia) • sex balance • 20% foreigners (average in area) • pro-rata from primaries if possible • high and low ability

28. OBSERVATIONS ON GERMAN SYSTEM • Highly selective – match children to courses • Clear concept of achieving standard/competence before progressing • Flexible - school transfer - sitzenbleiben/repeating - almost 50 ways to gain Abitur • Parity of esteem