• Study in the international class
• The AICE Diploma
• Finnish matriculation examination
• Examination choices

• Study programme

• General administration
• Course tray 2006 - 2009
• Daily schedule (word)
• Titles of courses in espoo international
• Textbooks 2007 - 2008

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Study programme

It is important to remind ourselves that Espoo International Upper School is an integral part of Etelä-Tapiolan lukio. The greater the degree of co-operation and spirit of togetherness that prevails within the building, involving students and teachers alike, the more enjoyable will be the atmosphere and ultimately the more successful will be the school as a whole. We hope you will go out of your way to make ”Finnish” students welcome in our classrooms; as undoubtedly you would appreciate the same whenever you study courses – as increasingly you will – on the Finnish side.

Espoo International students are bound to take all compulsory courses in English. Optional courses may be freely taken - schedules permitting - from the Finnish side.

Take time to familiarize yourself with the schedule for the entire year ahead. You will find that most compulsory courses are concentrated into the first and second years of study.  AICE courses predominate in the second and third years. As time passes there will be more freedom for you to select optional courses on the Finnish side, including foreign languages such as beginners German or Italian. Even so, tight timetabling is inevitable with a special programme such as our own. Where timetabling prevents you from following a course that is important to you, please speak with the AICE Co-ordinator. It may be possible to reschedule or study a course independently.

Use Wilma to sign up. First year students will soon be taught how to use the Wilma software. It is very easy. All students are required to make their Wilma choices in good time. Deadlines for making such entries must be strictly observed. If you have any difficulties with passwords, speak with Marja Voipio, the Vice-Principal.

Please note that you are expected to complete an average of at least four courses per period. Fewer courses can only be taken having received prior permission from the Principal. Students who fail to participate in any courses in a given period (without express permission) are deemed to have left the school.

In general a student over three years is expected to complete 30 courses in each of the first two years and 15 courses in the final year.

It is worth pointing out that you are expected to actively read/take notes on most courses. The teacher can advise but the initiative really rests with you to ensure that there is a substantial enough body of revision material for examination success.

It is possible to study certain courses independently without participating in classroom instruction. Indeed you are encouraged to study at least one course in this way to foster study skills. Courses in Ethics must be studied independently through lack of teaching personnel.  Otherwise you should note that certain restrictions apply:

• The first course in each subject should be studied in class
• Two consecutive courses in the same subject may not be studied independently
• The grade awarded on the previous course in a given subject must be at least grade 7
• A course may not be studied independently for the reason that studies have been interrupted through repeated absence
• Most AICE courses must be studied in class. Teachers will advise.

Be prepared for a reasonably heavy workload. Independent study should never be seen as an easy option. There will be regular coursework assignments and a final test to complete. If the timetable for submitting coursework is not observed, independent study will be terminated. Please note that it is the responsibility of the student to register for the independent study test on the date noted in the calendar section of this guide.

Generally it is not recommended that you study more than one course independently at a time.

Application forms for independent study are available from outside the secretary´s office. You are advised to always consult with the teacher before signing up for independent study. Registration must occur within the first week of any new period. Late requests will not normally be considered.

Compulsory Physical Education sessions are held for two hours a week on Monday or Wednesday afternoons throughout the first year.

Credit may be given for lukio level courses studied elsewhere prior to commencing in Espoo International. Grades achieved and course outlines need to be provided: the subject teacher and AICE Co-ordinator will arbitrate where credit may be given. Similarly courses studied in other Espoo lukio (and kesälukio) will be credited. The Opinto-Ohjaaja provides details of all such courses.

The teacher will outline the course and evaluation methods at the beginning of a new period. Most courses contain an element of continuous assessment as well as a final test. The Finnish language Study Guide should be consulted for more exhaustive comment on the nature of assessment.

A full Curriculum Guide outlining the content of each course is available on request from the AICE Co-ordinator.

Lunch sessions (which vary according to year and/or course of study) are clearly marked in the downstairs foyer. Please note that you are requested to indicate in advance on which days you will eat during test week.

Regular and punctual attendance is a cornerstone to successful study. For those under the age of 18 a sick note signed and dated by a parent or health centre is required to account for absence. Those students over the age of 18 are expected to take full responsibility for any absence, providing a formal sick note wherever more than one day has been missed. A self-written note may be accepted for a single day´s absence by those who are 18+, but only in cases where the note is brought in the very next school day. Repeated absences may disqualify students from continuing with a course and is bound to impact negatively upon grades.

You are recommended to ask a classmate to pick up handouts for you whenever absence occurs. This is often easier than trying to get handouts from the teacher at a later date. Ensure that you copy up missed notes. It is important not to fall behind or leave gaps in your notes.

The occasional lateness may be unavoidable, but repeated lateness is a serious matter. Many teachers refuse to admit students into the classroom five minutes after lessons have begun.

Most students need guidance in making study choices while in school and in preparing themselves for Higher Education in Finland or overseas. To this end, there is one compulsory course of study guidance, spread over three years, and facilitated by the AICE Co-ordinator and the Opinto-Ohjaaja. The first year tutorials will concentrate on effective strategies for study and the nature of the AICE programme. In the second and third years more attention will be paid to attending university fairs, meeting invited representatives of various institutions, and familiarization with application procedures and deadlines.

Questions about the Finnish matriculation examination should be discussed with the Opinto-Ohjaaja. Questions about the AICE programme should be taken to the AICE Co-ordinator.  All discussions are held in confidence.

An important part of student guidance and the effective running of the school are played by the weekly tutorials. Students are requested to be prompt and regular in attending these sessions, during which the tutor will typically notify students of forthcoming events and deadlines. Please have your diary readily to hand. Also take this opportunity to raise issues.

Test week falls at the end of each period. Avoid leaving revsion to the last minute: it helps to review your notes (and order them) at intervals during the course.

The duration of the tests is typically three hours per day; AICE tests may be shorter, especially during the final year when training in real-time conditions is deemed important. Those absent from tests for health reasons (supported by a sick note) will be given the opportunity to sit the re-test. Unexplained absence may result in the need to repeat a course.

Students failing a test may participate in re-tests held shortly after the end of each period. Registration forms are available from outside the Secretary´s room – please check the date for registration in good time.  Re-tests cannot be repeated; it will be necessary to re-do the course.

Students on AICE courses who gain less than a grade 7 may be permitted to re-sit the test. The reason for this is that the threshold for success in the Cambridge examinations is perceived as somewhat more demanding than that of the matriculation exams. It should be stressed that this eligibility to re-sit tests (where the candidate has achieved a grade 5 or 6) applies only to AICE courses.

Twice a year there are up-grade tests when you have the possibility to improve any grade in any subject studied within the same year. Registration dates can be found in the diary section of this guide.

It may be handy to run through a checklist of things to remember during each course. 

• Have I registered via Wilma for at least four courses?
• Am I eligible to study any courses independently?
• Do I know how the courses are structured and assessed?
• Do I have the necessary textbooks?
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• Do I understand the material?
• Are there any problems I need to deal with?
• Is my attendance record good?
• Am I meeting deadlines?
• Am I catching up on missed notes and getting all handouts?
• Am I reading widely enough and taking additional notes?
• Am I getting the most out of this course?
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• Am I revising effectively?
• Have I returned all library books?
• Have I signed up for meals during test week?
• Do I know the time, date and place of the test?