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The student refers in class.
Photo: Jenniina Nummela

Student enrollment

The city of Riihimäki forms one school district, on the basis of which the pre-school place is assigned and the enrollment of students in basic education takes place. Student enrollment is done separately for pre-school education, for grades 1–5 and 6–9.

The criteria for assigning a pre-school place and enrolling pupils in basic education in the city of Riihimäki from 11.3.2024 February 33, Board of Education and Welfare § 6.3.2024/XNUMX February XNUMX.

  • Student enrollment in basic education and pre-primary education consists of three different parts:

    1. Designation of local school (Basic Education Act § 6). Riihimäki's pre-school groups and schools accept students whose home municipality is Riihimäki.
    2. Selection for emphasized music teaching (music class) (Basic Education Act § 28).
      The student can apply for an emphasis on teaching (music class). Selections for the music class are made based on entrance exams. A music class will be established if at least 16 students who have passed the entrance exam start teaching. Priority student enrollment also includes the possible organization of transportation in accordance with the school transportation rule (a student selected for the music class may be entitled to school transportation).
    3. Selection to a secondary school (Basic Education Act § 28)
  • In the primary enrollment, the first classes of basic education and the groups of pre-school education are formed based on the following criteria presented in order of priority:

    1. Community school:
      The organizer of the education determines the pupil's local school/preschool according to the address information in the population data register. This can be something other than the physically closest school or preschool. The pre-school place received does not determine the child's school place at the start of basic education. The goal is that the teaching group sizes between different schools become as even as possible. The teaching group sizes comply with the decision of the Education and Welfare Board (January 27.1.2021, 12 § XNUMX).
    2. Sibling basis:
      In the primary school placement of 1st graders, the school placement of the sibling who is in the 1st or 2nd grade, living at the same address, is taken into account according to the address information in the student's population register (excl. the sibling's music-focused teaching, the need for learning support or other special reason). Only primary school places are taken into account here.
    3. Other special basis:
      According to other weighty criteria, e.g. due to health, the need for learning support, the need for s2 teaching.

    The head of education decides on the primary place for teaching primary school pupils or on changing it, as well as decides on the number of pupils, if the number of pupils exceeds the maximum numbers set for teaching groups by the Board of Education and Welfare. Corresponding decisions regarding pre-school education are made by the head of early childhood education.

    The size of the teaching group can be exceeded by 10% by decision of the head of education or the head of early childhood education only for a particularly compelling reason. The headmaster implements the student teaching for the relevant school, unless the delegation rule of the field of education and skills explicitly stipulates otherwise. Regarding pre-school education, the pre-school place is assigned by the head of early childhood education.

    The maximum group sizes for pre-primary and basic education are reduced step by step

    The Education and Welfare Board has decided (January 27.1.2021, 12 § XNUMX) that the maximum group sizes of pre-primary and basic education will be reduced in the coming years in a controlled and step-by-step manner as follows:

    • School years 2021–2023: The preschool group size is generally 1 children in accordance with the current ratio (13:1 or 7:21). The teaching group size for grades 1–2 of basic education is a maximum of 24 students, and for grades 3–6 a maximum of 27 students.
    • School years 2023–2025: The group size of pre-school education is in accordance with the valid dimensioning (1:13 or 1:7), as a rule 21 children. The teaching group size for grades 1–2 of basic education is a maximum of 23 students, and for grades 3–6 a maximum of 26 students.
    • From the school year 2025–2026 onwards: The group size of pre-school education is in accordance with the valid dimensions (1:13 or 1:7), as a rule 21 children. The teaching group size for grades 1–2 of basic education is a maximum of 22 students and for grades 3–6 a maximum of 25 students, however, the board's desire is to aim for an average of 20 students in grades 1–2.
  • The student has the right to attend a neighborhood school designated by the municipality. However, the student can apply for general education at a school other than the neighborhood school instead of the neighborhood school. A school other than a neighborhood school is called a secondary school, and a student applying to such a school is called a secondary applicant. Likewise, you can apply for pre-school education at a pre-school place other than the one that is primarily assigned to the child participating in pre-school education.

    Pupils applying to a secondary school or preschoolers applying for a secondary pre-primary education place can only be selected if there are free pupil places in the school's teaching groups or pre-primary education places after all pupils or children participating in pre-primary education have been assigned primary pupil places. Secondary student enrollment is done on a fixed-term basis.

    The board's ambition is to aim for an average of 20 students in grades 1–2. If students are admitted to another school based on the application, secondary enrollment may not increase the class size in the 2024-2025 school year to more than 23 students in grades 1-2 and 25 students in grades 3-5. If a pupil living in the municipality applies for a secondary school place in connection with the admission of 1st graders, he can be granted a primary pupil place if the length or danger of his journey to school does not entitle him to a school travel allowance. From the academic year 2024-2025, the enrollment of a student from another municipality may not increase the class size by more than 20 in grades 1-2. Pupils applying to a secondary school and children applying to a secondary pre-primary education place are selected based on different criteria than the criteria for assigning a nearby school or pre-primary education place. Pupils selected for a secondary school or children selected for a secondary pre-school place are not entitled to a school travel allowance and their possible siblings do not have the right to enter the same school.

    Criteria for secondary school enrollment

    The principles to be followed in secondary school enrollment in pre-primary education and in schools of grades 1-9 of basic education, in order of priority, are:

    1. Additional pupils can be admitted to each school or pre-primary education place, if the basic teaching groups of the pre-primary education group or grade level in question are not full after the primary pupil intake (in the secondary application, a maximum of 23 subjects in grades 1–2 and 25 pupils in grades 3–5 in the academic year 2024-2025 and from the academic year 2025 - From 2026, a maximum of 22 credits in grades 1-2 and 25 credits in grades 3-5). The pre-school place received does not determine the child's school place at the start of basic education.
    2. The total number of students in Kara and Pohjolanrinne schools must not exceed 440 students (maximum 420 general education students and 20 special support students). 6th–9th graders of Kara and Pohjolanrinne schools. the number of students in the classes can be a maximum of 105 general education students for each age group. A maximum of 480 students can be admitted to the Harjunrinne school (a maximum of 450 general education students and 30 special support students). Harjunrinne school grades 6–9. the number of students in the classes can be a maximum of 112 general education students for each age group. In addition, the head of education determines the number and placement of the 6th grade basic education groups every academic year.
    3. According to another weighty criterion according to the expert opinion, e.g. health condition, pupil welfare reason, need for learning support.
    4. A student place granted to a secondary school must not cause the need for additional resources.

    In a secondary preschool or school, the student's guardian is always responsible for transportation costs.

    If there is a tie between the applicants in taking lessons or assigning them to pre-school education, the selection is made by lottery for the pre-school place and school to guarantee equality. The draw is carried out by a committee consisting of two school representatives invited by the school principal. Regarding pre-school education, the committee includes two early childhood education office holders, and the early childhood education manager invites those who participate in the lottery. A protocol will be prepared for the draw.

  • If a child participating in pre-school education changes his place of residence within the city, he can continue in pre-school education at his former place of pre-school education, so-called
    as a secondary student until the end of the current school year. The preschooler's guardian takes care of possible transportation costs.

    If a primary school student changes his place of residence within the city, he can continue attending school at his former school as a primary student until the end of the fifth grade, unless the changed length of the school trip entitles him to a school trip benefit. In Wilma, the guardian submits a primary application for student enrollment, which is accepted by the principal.

    If a primary school pupil changes their place of residence further away within the city so that the kilometer limit entitling to the school travel allowance is exceeded, the pupil can continue attending school at his former school as a secondary pupil until the end of the fifth grade. In this case, the guardian submits a secondary application for pupil enrollment in Wilma. The prerequisite for a positive decision is that the guardian is responsible for possible school travel costs. If in that situation it is not appropriate for the student to go to his former school that is further away, the education organizer will redefine the primary school location.

    If a middle school student changes his place of residence within the city, he can continue attending school at the former school as a primary student until the end of elementary school.

  • A pupil or child of pre-school age living in another municipality can apply for a secondary pre-school place or a school place in Riihimäki. A student can be in Riihimäki elementary school's secondary student intake as an applicant for basic education or music-focused education. From the academic year 2024-2025, the enrollment of a student from another municipality may not increase the class size by more than 20 in grades 1-2. In grades 3-5, the class size limits related to pupil enrollment for students from another municipality are the same as in other secondary pupil enrollment.

    A child participating in pre-school education or a student in basic education can be selected after the primary applicants, if there are free student places in the pre-school education place or in the school's teaching groups and the student meets the selection criteria for the type of education being applied for (entrance test for music class). If a student living in another municipality is selected as a secondary applicant for pre-school education, basic education or focused education, the student's guardian is responsible for the student's trips to school and the costs arising from them. The secondary student enrollment must not cause the need for additional resources. Pupils from out of city are admitted to the special classes of elementary schools only through secondary pupil admission, on the condition that the municipality of residence of the pupil in question has entered into an agreement or payment commitment with the city of Riihimäki.

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