Letter of Assessment

Description of the organisation of teaching 

Description of the school premises, formation of teaching groups, teaching periods of the school, allocation of subject/distribution of lesson hours on different grades, structure of the school day, pupils’ well-being and meals during the school day, applying for the school and the teaching language of the school. Any school-specific pedagogic emphases are recorded in the plan. 

Vision and mission of the school 

Description of the basic values  of the school and their connection to the basis of the Finnish national core curriculum. 

Description of the conception of learning and key pedagogic principles, taking into account the school-specific operating culture and related assessments. 

Operating culture of the school 

A brief description of the operating culture and principles of the school, objectives of the development of learning environments and working methods, principles of co-operation between school and home, co-operation with other parties and how the pupils and guardians take part in developing the operating culture. Record the key objectives and operating methods for creating a good and safe day at the school. 

Description of the core curriculum 

A brief description of the core curriculum and the core curriculum process is implemented.  

Description of transversal competence, interdisciplinary learning modules, grounds of learning assessment (incl. final assessment, certificates, principles of self- and peer-assessment), pupils’ well-being and pupil welfare, support for learning and studies, subjects and optional courses, guidance counseling, activities outside lessons, such as diverse clubs during the school day. 

Administration and staff of the school  

Description of the administration, management system and staff of the school, staff qualifications, assessment of the school’s operations and development of the professional competence of the staff. 

The Letter of Assessment (LoA) is valid for two (2) years and the schools who have applied for the LoA are required to answer to any possible inquiries from Education Finland and/or the Finnish National Agency for Education during that period. Failing to answer to inquiries or failing the meet the original Feasibility criteria automatically cancels the LoA. 

Once the two-year period concludes, schools have the option to either reapply for a new LoA as a "Finnish-Enriched School" or, if they choose to be recognized as a "Finnish International School", they must initiate the application process well before the end of the two-year period.

If the school aims to be recognized as a “Finnish International School” , the Letter of Assessment (LoA) is valid for up to the same period of 24 months (two years), during which the audit process must commence. Should there be a need to extend this period, the education provider and their partner (an Education Finland member) must submit a separate request before the 24-month period expires. Extension possibility is applicably only for those schools that wish to have the audit to be recognized as “Finnish International School” and only for a short period (e.g. technical issues). School / school provider can only apply for extension of the LoA if there is a clear plan in place (schedule) for the audit to take place and there is an agreement with the audit provider to provide that service. 

“Finnish-Enriched Schools” cannot get extension. Instead, if they wish to remain “Finnish-Enriched”, they must apply for a new Letter of Assessment process (including check for the feasibility).  

The Letter of Assessment process is a “for fee service” from the Finnish National Agency for Education. Currently this process costs approximately 6000 euros.  

EDUFI has issued a Letter of Assessment to the following schools (date of expiry indicated in brackets after the name of the school):