Finnish Schools Begin New Academic Year With New Rules for Pupils

Schools across Finland are beginning the 2026–27 academic year this week, with pupils returning to classrooms under several changes affecting physical activity, learning support and language education.

In Helsinki, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Joensuu, Lahti and Rovaniemi, the new school year began on Wednesday, 12 August. Espoo and Vantaa will start their autumn term on Thursday, while pupils in Kokkola, Turku and Pori returned to school on Tuesday.

Tampere was among the earlier cities to begin the academic year, with classes starting on 6 August.

The new school year comes with changes to how schools organise support for pupils. Finland has been reforming its learning-support system to provide earlier and more targeted assistance to students who need additional help with their studies.

Physical activity is also receiving greater attention in schools. The aim is to increase opportunities for children and young people to move during the school day, both through physical education and by incorporating more activity into everyday school routines.

Language teaching remains another important part of the Finnish education system.

Municipalities and schools are implementing language education in line with national requirements, while the multilingual nature of Finnish classrooms continues to shape teaching practices.

The timing of the school year varies between municipalities, as Finnish local authorities have the power to determine the exact dates of the school terms within the national framework.

For many families, the return to school also marks the end of the summer holiday and the start of a new routine, with students moving into a new academic year, new classes and, for some, new schools.

According to the Finnish National Agency for Education, the 2026–27 school year will bring continued attention to learning support, student wellbeing, physical activity and language skills across Finland’s education system.