26th September 2016 1:00
By Blue Tutors
Scandinavia is renowned for its excellent education, and Finland is a global leader, topping the European education rankings for almost two decades now. But what is so different about Finnish school? The biggest difference is the relatively late start of so-called ‘academic’ learning. Children do not begin to be taught reading, writing or maths until they start primary school at the age of seven, two years later than in the UK. Many are now positing that the success of the Finish system is tanks to the foundation that is laid before formal schooling even starts.
During the pre-school years, instead of subject based instruction, day-care centres focus purely on developing non-academic skills. Children are encouraged to play, with physical activity and creative play at the centre of promoting health and wellbeing; guidelines insist on at least 90 minutes of outdoor play every day. Play time is a carefully directed mix of “free” play and teacher-lead play, both of which are monitored in order to assess and develop each child’s skills and ability to learn. These are the years that help children develop into “happy and responsible individuals”, forming good social habits, respect for one another and most importantly a love of learning. Play based learning has been shown from a psychological point of view to be very effective, strengthening skills like attention span, problem solving, concentration and resilience. This emotional and social development then yields better future academic outcomes, as children are taught how to learn effectively and to enjoy their education.
The staffing of Finnish schools is also very different to the UK. The staff to child ratio is 1:7 for older children and 1:4 for those under the age of three. These staff have all completed specialist qualifications, with vocational training of three to five years depending on level, in line with doctors and lawyers. Teaching is a well-respected profession and teachers are well paid. They are self-assessed and self-regulated, free to set their own curriculum as opposed to the increasingly centrally controlled and prescriptive UK education policy. On the other hand, recent NUT figures show 10% of UK teachers are deserting the profession. Equally, the system is designed to enable the highest participation rate possible. Every child has the right to week day, 40 hours of pre-school care; fees are capped at £250 per month, and those who cannot afford this receive government subsidies or even totally free childcare which can start as young as one year old. Consequently, three quarters of 3-5 year olds and 98% of six year olds are in day care.
This commitment to equality permeates Finish education at every stage, forbidding streaming or selection based on exam results, and providing free school meals, transport and supplies at every stage. Not only has this been shown to significantly decrease the bias seen in UK system for those from underprivileged backgrounds, but the increasingly common anxiety around test results or getting into a “good school” simply aren’t a factor for children in Finland. With shorter days and less homework, favouring a “quality not quantity” approach, student happiness is higher and stress is lower, creating an environment much more conducive to learning and confidence building. The most fundamental difference from UK schools, and possibly the real source of Finland’s success is the Nation Board of Education’s commitment to putting “the joy of learning” at the heart of its National Curriculum.