General
Puolimatka School
Puolimatka School is a comprehensive school offering education from nursery and preschool through primary and lower secondary levels. Our pupils are aged between 5 and 16 years (in some cases up to 17 years).
The school is located halfway between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna in Finland. The name Puolimatka literally means “halfway.” The school has a long tradition, having been established over 111 years ago.
We have approximately 580 pupils, including those from Talvisilta and Lemmilä schools. Teaching is organized in grades (0) 1–9 (ages (6) 7–16).
Our school provides strong support services, including:
- 7 special education teachers
- 2 special classes:
- a class for intensified special education
- a rehabilitative class for pupils with medical or clinical needs who are unable to study in a regular group
- Approximately 120 pupils with immigrant backgrounds
Our staff includes:
- Around 50 teachers
- 6 classroom assistants
- 1 school nurse
- 1 shared school psychologist
- 1 shared school social worker (curator)
- 1 school secretary
- 1 caretaker
- 5 kitchen and cleaning staff members
You can read more about our international projects here:
One perspective: Trust in Finnish School system - trust in Puolimatka
"In the US, the Finnish school system is sometimes seen as o sort of spectacle. How does such a small, quiet country, with shorter school days and less homework hove such successful students? Many people have tried to answer this question, and as such, many articles have been written about the virtues of the Finnish school system. As on education student at university with a long-time love of Finland, I have always read these articles with great interest, but at times, I have wondered how the things I read could really be applied to my own future classroom. I felt like the ideas I read (no standardized tests, free lunches, more outside play, less homework, etc.) just could not work outside of the context of the Finnish school system. I have had the amazing opportunity for the post month and o half to observe and work with the teachers and students here at Puolimatka school, and as I have experienced the system first hand, one theme jumps out to me as the glue which holds all the elements of the Finnish school system together: trust. In Finland, and particularly at Puolimatka, both students and teachers are given a great amount of autonomy and trust. Teachers ore trusted to teach in a way that best facilitates their students' learning. They in turn trust their students to be respectful and to take ownership of their education. The students know that their teachers trust them and believe in them, so they work hard to be worthy of that trust. Their teachers' faith in them, leads them to believe in their own abilities. They perform better because they know thot they ore trusted. Of course, students and teachers in Finland are just as human as students and teachers anywhere else. They are not perfect; they make mistakes, but the policy of trust does not go away. lt is evident during the time between classes when students go outside to play. lt is evident in the special education system as students come to get help in whatever subjects they are struggling with. lt is evident in the way that teachers and students treat each other both in the classroom and on field trips. Trust is everywhere. There are many lessons that I hope to take with me as I begin my career as a teacher, but I believe that one of the most important ones, the one that will make all the others matter is trust in my students and to believe that each of them are capable and worthy of learning."
Ruth Bruce (ruth.bruce(at)brucefamily.org)
Ruth worked as a language trainee at our school in 2019 and wrote the above after completing her three-month period in Finland and at our school.
Welcome - take a tour in our school with us!
The following clips are made by students in 2017, the school is still the same - some interior might have changed since...:
in English: Our school in English
en francais: Notre école en français 1, Notre école en français 2
på svenska: Vår skola på svenska
ERASMUS+ 
Social and Green Entrepreneurship 2023 - 2025
This project differed from previous initiatives due to changes in the EU-level funding system and revised project structures. Throughout the project, we collaborated with several key partners from France, Croatia, and Belgium. Initially, a partner from Portugal was also involved; however, they later withdrew from the project. Subsequently, during our activities in Belgium, we established new and valuable connections with colleagues from Poland.
In addition, we had the opportunity to host several Erasmus+ job-shadowing participants from across Europe, as well as from Martinique. These exchanges proved highly beneficial, promoting cultural understanding and supporting the professional development of both staff and participants. Our students, in particular, gained significantly from these interactions, acquiring practical insights and broadening their perspectives.
The learning outcomes of the project were substantial. Students developed entrepreneurial skills through engagement in real-life projects, such as designing sustainable business models for local enterprises and exploring innovative approaches to marketing eco-friendly products. Furthermore, ecological awareness was strengthened through activities such as developing waste-reduction strategies for school events and analyzing the carbon footprint of everyday actions. These experiences fostered critical thinking, creativity, and a sense of responsibility—key competencies for future professionals in a rapidly evolving world.
CAN - Climate Action Now 2021 - 2023
In this project we had partners from Croatia (Main Coordinators), Poland, Portugal, France and Spain.
Our project was called Climate Action Now and it focused on sustainable living, social skills - social sustainability, climate change etc. Project could be followed in Instagram @erasmus_climateactionnow and on eTwinning-platform and you can still reach it on the website: https://wecanerasmus.weebly.com/
Sustainability is Everyone's responsability 2018-2020
Our school took part in an Erasmus+project with France, Croatia, Poland and Portugal. This project was called Sustainability is everyone's responsability.
Project can still be found on these websites:
Facebook: Sustainability - Everyone's responsability- @sustainabilityErasmus
and on eTwinning-platform with the same name - if you are a member of eTwinning-platform.
Our school took part in an Erasmus+ project with several other countries.
Read more about our Erasmus+ project 2014-2017:
FRIENDS IN CHINA
We receive every year some 25 students from Beijing, China. This cooperation is very fruitfull for our students as some 25 4th-5th graders receive "one chinese friend" during 3 days.
Read more: https://peda.net/hyvinkaa/peruskoulut/pk1/international-news/vfc2
We also receive teachers, educators and school directors from China every year. These visits are 3-5 hours long and concentrate on observing classes and hearing about our school and our school system.
FRIENDS IN FRANCE
Dôle 2019
We started an exchange project with a school in Dôle, France in 2018.
In April 2019 we will receive some 25 students from France in Hyvinkää!
Please read more here: https://peda.net/hyvinkaa/peruskoulut/pk1/international-news/france
Bretagne 2017
Our school has constant co-operation with different international institutions. In March 2017 we received 17 French students and two teachers who wanted to learn about our school and our country. This friendship continued in June 2017 when 22 students from Puolimatka-school visited La Bretagne (France) . More information about the exchange projects: veera.toivonen@edu.hyvinkaa.fi.
Read more in French: http://www.collegelebocagedinard.ac-rennes.fr/spip.php?article356
Hundred
Please read in English here: https://hundred.org/en/about
Institut français
Ranskan kielen vaihto-ohjelma Institut francais'n kanssa. Ranskan instituutti Suomessa tarjoaa kaikille suomalaisille ysiluokkalaisille ja/tai lukiolaisille mahdollisuuden kolmen viikon vaihtoon Ranskassa. Koulustamme on useana vuonna osallistunut oppilaita tähän itsenäiseen vaihtoon kouluvuoden aikana. Kokemukset ovat poikkeuksetta positiivisa - vaikka kommelluksia ja muistoja on monenlaisia, kun matkalle lähdetään! Lue lisää vaihtoprojekteista: _linkki tähän_
Hundred-hanke 2015-2018
Mikä HundrEd?
Suomalaista koulujärjestelmää on pidetty vuosikymmeniä yhtenä maailman parhaista.
Viime aikoina oppimistuloksemme ovat kuitenkin olleet laskussa. HundrED - 100 Koulua -hankkeen tavoitteena on/oli auttaa Suomea pysymään opetuksen mallimaana myös tulevaisuudessa.
100 Koulua -hankkeessa haastateltiin 100 kansainvälistä koulutusasiantuntijaa ja kerätään 100 koulua uudistavaa innovaatiota eri puolilta maailmaa. Hanke huipentui sataan konkreettiseen kokeiluun, jotka toteutettiin suomalaisissa kouluissa lukuvuonna 2016 - 2017.
Meidän HundrEd-tavoitteemme on: "Oman koulun kehittäminen opetuksen muotona".
Puolimatkan koulun oppilaat kehittävät ja testaavat yhdessä koulun henkilökunnan ja vanhempien kanssa menetelmiä, joiden avulla pohditaan sitä, millainen tulevaisuuden koulun pitäisi olla. Tavoitteena on auttaa oppilaita ymmärtämään oppimisprosessia ja koulun roolia useasta eri näkökulmasta. Hankkeessa etsitään uusia tapoja, joiden avulla on mahdollista lisätä oppilaiden osallistumismahdollisuuksia heidän omaa oppimistaan ja kouluaan koskevaan päätöksentekoon.
Lue tarkemmin tavoitteista: