Pyynikki launches English-language upper secondary programme with 27 students

Pyynikki Upper Secondary School has launched an English Study Programme this autumn, allowing more students with limited Finnish to pursue a Finnish upper secondary diploma. Twenty-seven students began the programme at the start of term, according to Tamperelainen.

The English Study Programme, or ESP, lets learners follow the Finnish upper secondary syllabus and sit the matriculation examination in English while studying Finnish as a second language and taking the Finnish-as-a-second-language matriculation test. Amanda Elizaga, who moved to Finland from the Philippines in 2023, said she found Finnish classrooms calmer and less pressured than her previous schooling and noted differences in how lessons and teachers are organised.

The new line complements Pyynikki's existing bilingual track and is expected to broaden the school's international intake, staff say. Christopher Smith, a group supervisor, expects classroom discussions to benefit from students' diverse cultural perspectives. Coordinator Samu Virpimaa said demand has been strong. Applicants must have completed basic education in Finland no more than three years ago, and the programme is already attracting interest ahead of next spring's joint application period.