Non-graded studies create a flexible system
After compulsory schooling, at the age of 16, young Finns can choose between general and vocational upper secondary education. Half of them opt for the upper secondary school.
There are no grade levels in upper secondary schools in Finland; the education is usually completed in three years, but students may graduate in a longer or shorter time than this.
In Kastelli we follow a national core curriculum. Teaching is organised into courses and we can plan our selection of courses and their order quite independently. As students are not part of year groups, they choose their own options, in addition to a core of 46 - 49 compulsory subjects. Altogether, they have to take at least 75 courses to get their certificate.
On completion of the school, our students take the national matriculation examination which comprises a test in the mother tongue and three other tests (either the second national language Swedish, the first foreign language, mathematics or general studies). The education qualifies students for all higher education studies.
The school year, about 190 working days, is divided into five periods. It begins in mid-August and ends at the beginning of June at the latest. In addition to the summer break (from June till mid-August) we have fall break in October, Christmas break, spring break in March and Easter break. There is no school on Saturdays.