The aim of the trial, launched in 2021, was to study the impact that two-year pre-primary education has on children’s potential for development and learning, social skills and the formation of healthy self-esteem, compared to conventional one-year pre-primary education in Finland.
The final seminar for the trial in the City of Helsinki will be held on 22 April 2024 at 9.00–11.30. At the seminar, we will hear the latest news in the development of pre-primary education based on the trial for two-year pre-primary education in Helsinki.
At the online event organised via the Helsinki-kanava streaming channel, we will hear valuable insight into the studies carried out during the trial, from the perspective of both staff and children’s guardians. We will also hear experiences from the participating daycare centres at the event. Finally, we will also look at the future of pre-primary education in a panel discussion.
The trial for two-year pre-primary education was unique in both Helsinki and all of Finland. The trial involved two age groups: children born in 2016 and 2017. The study will continue in primary education when the children born in 2017 go to first grade next autumn.
The final report on the trial will be published in 2025.
You can watch the bilingual final seminar live via the link.
Watch live seminar(Link leads to external service)
Programme
- 9.00–9.15 Welcome speech Miia Kemppi, head of early childhood education, and Jenni Tirronen, head of Swedish-language early childhood education
- 9.15–10.00 Review of the realisation of the trial for two-year pre-primary education and views of early childhood education teachers Lotta Saranko, project researcher, University of Jyväskylä
- 10.00–10.45 Review of parents’ experiences of the trial for two-year pre-primary education Mirjam Kalland, professor, University of Helsinki
- 10.45–11.00 Break
- 11.00–11.30 Pre-primary education now and in the future, Matti Sarvimäki, professor, Aalto University and VATT Institute for Economic Research
Mirjam Kalland, professor, University of Helsinki
Marjo Kyllönen, development services director
Anna Vainio, daycare centre manager
Tina Sedin, daycare centre deputy manager