The Finnish-Russian School

The Finnish-Russian School is located in Helsinki, in the Etelä-Kaarela area. Address: Kaarelankuja 2b, 00430 Helsinki. Parking is allowed on school grounds in a clearly marked area along Kaarelankuja and is free for visitors. Drop-off and pick-up points are signposted separately; vehicular access to the school yard is restricted to service traffic.

Pre-school (esiopetus); Basic education (grades 1–9); Lukio (upper secondary).

Comprehensive state language school (valtion kielikoulu) under the Finnish National Agency for Education, offering esiopetus, perusopetus and lukio.

Laaja-alainen erityisopetus is provided as part-time support to assist learners with reading and writing difficulties, mathematics, study techniques, and speech therapy; planned in cooperation with the student, guardians, teachers and, if needed, other professionals.

Finland

Daily lessons vary by grade: grades 1–5 have 45-minute lessons; grades 6–9 and lukio have 75-minute lessons; timetables change by term due to staggered meals. The school day follows Helsinki's calendar, with after-school activities for esi- and early-primary students until 17:00.

The Finnish-Russian School is a state-funded bilingual educational institution where instruction is delivered in Finnish and Russian. In basic education, the school follows the national core curriculum, with Russian language and culture studied to a significantly greater extent. The elementary-school curriculum is published as part of the school's materials (the 2016 curriculum). The upper-secondary program follows LOps 2021 Lukion opinto-opas for the 2025–2026 academic year. The school has about 700 students.

Opinto-opas provides guidance for planning and completing Lukio, including information about the matriculation examination (Yo). The Yo comprises five tests, including the mother tongue and at least four from specified groups; exams are held twice yearly and may be retaken. The school also provides access to information about the joint application process to Finnish higher education (Yhteishaku).

The school has a kuraattori (counselor) who is a social‑work professional and a member of the pupil welfare team. The kuraattori's work supports the pupil's wellbeing and holistic development in collaboration with parents, teachers and other members of the pupil's social network. It aims to increase pupils' resilience and their capacity to function in daily life and in their growth and development. The kuraattori works with groups and classes as well as with individual pupils, and coordinates with youth, social and health services outside the school when needed. When necessary, pupils and families are guided to the relevant services. Conversations with the kuraattori are confidential, and information is shared with others only if it serves the pupil's best interests. Ville Mutka is the counselor (phone 040 352 9782) from 4 August 2025.

The school has a multidisciplinary pupil welfare team that coordinates support for pupils. The counselor and the school psychologist provide wellbeing and development support, and when needed, pupils and families are guided to the relevant services. The school psychologist works on development and mental well‑being and conducts assessments of learning difficulties and other school‑related or psychological issues, coordinating with guardians, teachers and school staff. The actual treatment is not provided by the school psychologist; if necessary, the child or youth and family are referred to services such as family services, specialized care or other supports. The psychologist also provides in‑school consultations to pupils and participates in pupil welfare groups. The school health nurse conducts health checks as part of the pupil welfare system. Karoliina Kukkonen is the psychologist (phone 09 310 39816).

Mental wellbeing is supported by the pupil welfare structure through the kuraattori and the school psychologist. The kuraattori carries out individual and group sessions to support wellbeing and social skills. The school psychologist conducts assessments related to mental well‑being and development and provides guidance to pupils and families, and also offers consultation to staff and participates in welfare groups. Health services monitor and promote wellbeing through regular health checks, with the school nurse conducting annual or age‑appropriate checks and coordinating with health authorities. The overall approach prioritizes confidential, client‑centred support and collaboration with families and school staff to bolster students' wellbeing.

Safeguarding is implemented through a multidisciplinary pupil welfare group that coordinates welfare work in the school. Conversations with the kuraattori are confidential, and information is shared with others only if it serves the pupil's best interests. When needed, pupils and families are directed to external services, including youth, social and health authorities. For reference, the school's pupil welfare staff include Ville Mutka (kuraattori) and Karoliina Kukkonen (koulupsykologi), with the health nurse and other staff participating in welfare processes.

Admission to 1st grade: The application period for 1st grade for the 2026–2027 academic year has ended. Applications submitted after the deadline are placed on the waiting list. Admission to 1st grade is via an online application form, with the LEOPS attachment. First-grade admissions are prioritized for children who have completed SVK's pre-school. All applicants to 1st grade participate in a school readiness test, and the guardian decides whether the test is taken in Finnish or in Russian.

Admission to 2–9 grades: Applications for basic education classes 2–9 are submitted via an online application form. The next aptitude test will be held on April 9, 2026, and in this test a place in the 7th grade for the 2026–2027 school year can also be awarded. For the 2026–2027 school year, applicants may apply for the 4th or 7th grade; applications for other grades will be placed on the waiting list. Admission to 2–9 is through an aptitude test; if the applicant does not pass the aptitude test, they may re-apply for the next school year about a year later. For more information on applying, contact the assistant principals Katri Barannik-Tolvanen (grades 1–6) at 0295 332 403 and Sanna Torvikoski (grades 7–9) at 0295 332 404.

Waiting list: 1st grade applications submitted after the deadline are placed on the waiting list. For 2–9 grades, applications for other grades will be placed on the waiting list.