Preschool education
Preschool children, i.e. 6-year-olds, participate in free preschool education organised by the municipality. In Vaasa, preschool education is organised at daycare centres.
Children receive preschool education for four hours a day.
Preschool education in Finland is based upon the principles of the preschool curriculum approved by the National Board of Education. This curriculum forms the foundation upon which the City of Vaasa has created its common teaching plan for the whole municipality. The City of Vaasa’s preschool plan, in turn, forms the base upon which an individual preschool curriculum is built at each daycare centre.
Preschool education is planned and focuses on long-term teaching and education. The goal of the teaching is to support the child’s growth and development during the year before school age. Other aims are to support the child’s learning skills and to help them experience the joy of learning.
Participation in preschool education is compulsory. It is the responsibility of the child’s guardian to ensure that the child participates in preschool education or in other activities through which the targets of the preschool education are met before compulsory education begins.
Registration for preschool education
Preschool education for the children born in 2019 begins 18th August 2025.
Registrations for preschool education organised by the City of Vaasa will take place on 9 January 2025 8 a.m. – 31 January 2025 5 p.m.
Registration is primarily done electronically via the City of Vaasa’s Early Childhood Education Online Services.
Notice! Enrolment for preschool education in Vaasan kristillinen koulu is made directly to the school. For further infomation, please contact the Rector Henrik Vähäkangas, henrik.vahakangas(at)vaasankristillinenkoulu.fi, tel. 050 910 9453.
You must register your children, even if they are already in early childhood education and the place of early childhood education does not change.
The guardians should choose one of the options listed in “Options for Preschool education”. Please note that the option ”all units” cannot be selected in the application, as this option is only listed for technical reasons.
If you select the Local school path for Preschool education, you cannot select the preschool unit. Preschool education for children in need of evening, night and weekend care is organised in Punahilkka day care centre.
If a child needs preschool education (4 hours a day) as well as early childhood education, the electronic enrolment form must meet the requirement for early childhood education in addition to preschool education.
A written decision on a child’s enrollment for preschool education will be posted to the child’s guardians in March at the latest. The preschool place must be accepted in writing by the date specified in the decision.
Options for Preschool education
Local school path for Preschool education
- The child is assigned a place in Preschool education according to their home address following with the basic education school areas.
- Select this option if your child is NOT in Language immersion, English Playschool, or the Tiitiäinen Steiner daycare.
Swedish language immersion Preschool education
- Select this option if your child is currently in language immersion in Huvikumpu or Inkerinpuisto day care centres. You can also select the Local school path for Preschool education.
- There are a few places available.
Tiitiäinen Steiner daycare
- Select this option if the child is currently in the Tiitiäinen Steiner daycare. You can also select the Local school path for Preschool education.
- There may be vacant places available.
Vaasa English Playschool
- Select this option if the child is currently in English Playschool. You can also select the Local school path for Preschool education.
- There may be vacant places available.
Secondary application round for preschool education
Registration is primarily done electronically via the City of Vaasa’s Early Childhood Education Online Services in May for the secondary application round.. Application times are announced directly on the city’s website, through newspaper advertisements (in Vaasa-lehti) and via Wilma.
Secondary application round for preschool education (Finnish and Swedish) children born in 2018 for preschool education starting August 16 2024 have been completed and the decisions have been sent to the families.
Preschool education for the children born in 2018 begins 16th August 2024.
It is also possible to apply for a preschool education place for a child of preschool education age at a location other than the one assigned by the municipality, provided that there are places available.
You can apply for a preschool education place at only those daycare centres that still have places available. You can choose only one option in the application, which means that you can apply for a new preschool education place for your child at only one daycare centre.
If there are more applicants than places, then places will be allocated by drawing lots.
Early childhood education in addition to preschool education
If a child needs preschool education (4 hours a day) as well as early childhood education, the electronic enrolment form must meet the requirement for early childhood education in addition to preschool education.
In such cases, early childhood education and preschool education are organised in the same daycare facility.
Work and holiday times in preschool education
Preschool education follows the holiday periods observed in basic comprehensive education, excluding any working days on Saturdays.
The preschool term 2024–2025 begins 16.8.2024 and ends 30.5.2025.
- Autumn holiday 14.–18.10.2024
- Independence Day 6.12.2024
- Christmas holiday 23.12.2024–6.1.2025
- Winter holiday 24.–28.2.2025
- Easter 18.–21.4.2025
- May Day 1.5.2025
- Ascension Day 29.5.2025
The preschool term 2025–2026 begins 18.8.2025 and ends 29.5.2026.
Holidays 2025–2026:
- Autumn holiday 13.–17.10.2025
- Christmas holiday 22.12.2025–2.1.2026
- Winter holiday 23.2.–27.2.2026
- Easter 3.4.–6.4.2026
- May Day 1.5.2026
- Ascension Day 14.5.2026
