Contact information
Coordinator of international activities:
Ms Riikka Nirvi
+358 40 5753511
riikka.nirvi@eduvantaa.fi
Principal:
Ms Elina Arokannas
+358 43 8272331
elina.arokannas@vantaa.fi
Address: Virtatie 4, FI-01600 Vantaa, Finland
Erasmus+ PIC941126981
Introduction
Welcome to the website of Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School. On this website you can find some basic information about our school.
Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School was established in 1996. It has three different curricula, namely the General Curriculum, the Music Curriculum and the Dance Curriculum. New students choose the one which suits them best when they apply for a student place at Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School. Music in all its diversity has always been a speciality of Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School. A special dance curriculum further expands our range of performing arts. Besides music and dance, Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School is also known for its special expertise in the fields of information technology, media studies, mathematics and natural sciences. We also have an extensive language program and we have a lot of good international connections. Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School is active in physical education instruction as well.
Our school is located in the Myyrmäki area in the city of Vantaa. It has around 1000 students altogether, 120 of whom are studying in the music and dance curriculum.
Emphasis areas of Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School
Music, dance, mathematics, media studies, natural sciences, physical education, internationality and languages.
Music
You can study music in all curricula of Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School. Music has become an especially well-known part of the education at our school as a result of our excellent and esteemed chamber choir and high-quality musical theatre productions. In addition, our school has a modern recording studio, which the students can use. Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School with its emphasis on music offers an excellent chance for students interested in music, or aiming for the music industry, to combine their hobby and upper secondary school studies. Though the Music Curriculum offers an opportunity to replace some compulsory courses with music courses, students do not have to choose the Music Curriculum to take advantage of this great selection of courses we offer.
Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School has several choirs, such as the chamber choir and a girls' choir. Other music groups for students include a Big Band and a vast range of rock bands. Important parts of the music education are the lessons of expressive art. This is the foundation of the large yearly musical theatre productions open for all students to participate in.
Music courses include: music knowledge and history, big band, choirs, rock music, ear training, chamber music, individual instrument tutoring, classical solo-singing, recording techniques and computer-aided music.
Dance
The Dance Curriculum was established at Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School at the beginning of the school year 2000-2001. 7 new students are selected into the Dance Curriculum every year. The teaching of the dance curriculum is carried out in cooperation with Vantaa Dance Academy and other dance institutes. In addition to Vaskivuori Upper Secondary School courses, students can get course credit for attending courses in other schools providing basic dance instruction. All courses, including music courses, of our school are naturally available to students in the dance curriculum.
Mathematics and natural sciences
Mathematics and natural sciences education has a solid base in our school thanks to a wide range of courses and a renovated science laboratory with great equipment for hands-on learning and lab work. Students studying advanced mathematics can take up to 17 courses of mathematics, ranging from statistics to space geometry. Technical devices, such as graphing calculators and computers, ease especially the statistics and probability calculations and the numerical methods courses. The physics courses range from a computer-aided lab course to courses preparing students for studies in the higher levels of our education system. Lab work using measurement sensors attached to graphing calculators is the state-of-the-art in physics teaching. Education in natural sciences encourages students to take an interest in the environment and the laws of nature. Experimenting in our modern physics and chemistry laboratories provides students with first-hand knowledge of them.
The highlight of the year for students interested in computers has traditionally been the Lamerfest event every autumn. The wide lobby of our school with spectacular light shows and excellent audio system provides a great setting for Lamerfest. Great atmosphere is guaranteed!
Physical education
Vaskivuori upper secondary school has a sports centre, a public swimming pool, a football hall, an indoor ice-hockey area and other outdoor activity possibilities in its immediate surroundings. The school cooperates with the Vantaa Dance Academy and local sport clubs, such as the Vantaa Football Club. It is possible to qualify for an upper secondary school diploma in physical education during the third school year. This requires passing at least 5 PE courses. Physical education courses include: ball games, swimming, hiking, aerobics and downhill skiing.
Physical education courses include: ball games, swimming, hiking, aerobics and downhill skiing.
Language program
Vaskivuori Upper Secondary school has a comprehensive foreign language programme. English, German, French and Swedish can be studied as first foreign languages, and other languages offered include French, German, Spanish and Russian. There are also short courses in Chinese, Japanese, Latin and Italian. Courses in Finnish give the students a solid basis in advanced writing and oral presentation, and introduce them to a wide variety of literature.
Erasmus+ KA2
Erasmus+ Ka2 project "Filming together for being closer" starts autumn 2018 and lasts season 2018/2019 and 2019/2020.
Project concentrates on film making together with schools from Spain, Latvia, Romania, Turkey and Vaskivuori from Finland.
Contact person: mr Marko Kalmari; marko.kalmari@eduvantaa.fi
Erasmus+ KA1
About Erasmus+KA1
Studies
Upper secondary schools in Finland do not have year grades.
The school year is divided into five terms (course periods). In each term the student has a different schedule and a different selection of courses. Students compile their own individual timetables for each period choosing courses from a vast selection. Each of these courses lasts approximately 38 lessons during the period. Studies include from 45 to 49 compulsory courses depending on the level of mathematics studies. The total number of courses required is 75, which must include at least 10 optional courses. This adds up to 6 courses per period on average during the three years of studies. The studies in the Music Curriculum include from 37 to 41 compulsory courses, again depending on the level of mathematics studies, and at least 12 music courses in addition to the minimum of 10 optional courses. The required total number of courses in the Music Curriculum is 75 courses as well.
(Read more about the matriculation examination on the website of the Ministry of Education)
