Lower secondary school, grades 7-9

The Viikki Teacher Training School of the University of Helsinki is a school community of preschoolers, primary and lower secondary school pupils, general upper secondary school students and student teachers. The school has approximately 940 pupils and students, 250 student teachers and 110 employees.

We are a teacher training school of the University of Helsinki located in the Viikki district, and our history dates back to 1869 and the first Finnish-language girls’ school in Finland. Many of our traditions have long roots, laying the groundwork for our operating culture while also providing a foundation for further development. Over time, the school has switched locations across Helsinki, with the latest move from Haaga to new school facilities in Viikki completed in 2003, and since then the primary school has been operating under the same roof with the lower secondary school and the general upper secondary school.

In basic education, we engender an appropriate and safe learning environment for our pupils, also supporting their welfare and growth towards secondary education.

There are five seventh-grade classes in the school, with a little over 100 places available.

Principal Ilkka Laasonen is responsible for the administrative affairs of the lower secondary school of the Viikki Teacher Training School.

Milla Söder-Bhandari, vink-kanslia@helsinki.fi serves as the secretary responsible for matters pertaining to the lower secondary school grades.

 

Subject teachers, guidance counsellors and special needs teachers together with our special needs teacher assistants are responsible for teaching in the lower secondary school grades. Contact details for the teachers, counsellors and assistants are available on the contact detail page.

The board of the lower secondary school student body organisation represents the pupils towards the school staff and, for its part, develops the school into a better place to be and study. The board meets the principal of the lower secondary school twice per school year, and its representative participates, when necessary, in meetings of various working groups.

 

The Viikin Norssin Tuki association (‘Support for the Viikki Teacher Training School’) functions as a collaboration forum for the school and homes. Association activities are open to pupils’ and students’ parents, teachers and school staff. A teacher representative for the school year 2021–2022 was appointed in May 2021. To finance its operations, the association collects a voluntary support fee. Each year, the parents’ association grants scholarships and organises, whenever possible, clubs and various events to inspire and maintain a collaborative spirit between homes and the school. Kevätkeikaus (‘Spring fling’) is an event organised by the parents’ association each spring that combines fun and support activities at the school. The chair of the association is elected for a two-year term at the autumn meeting. Current matters are announced on the association’s website at www.viikinnorssintuki.blogspot.com (in Finnish only).