Preschool education
Preschool education provided at IIS follows the school's academic calendar and is organized in cooperation with early childhood education and educational services.
Participation in preschool education is mandatory according to the Basic Education Act. The child's guardian is responsible for ensuring that the child participates in preschool education or activities that achieve its goals in the school year preceding the start of compulsory education.
Free preschool education is provided 19 hours per week during the school year. Preschool education generally follows the work schedule of schools and daycare centers.
You don't need to apply for preschool.
Preschool enrollment is carried out without a separate application or registration phase, and the child is assigned a preschool place based on the home address recorded in the population register. The buddy principle for everyone means that preschool students are placed in groups with future school friends who are transferring to the same nearby school.
The need for supplementary early childhood education also affects the child's future preschool place. Preschoolers who do not need supplementary early childhood education are admitted to school preschool groups. If the child's need for supplementary early childhood education ceases, the child is transferred to preschool organized by the school. If the child needs supplementary early childhood education during the preschool year, he or she is transferred to an early childhood education preschool group.
Deciding on a preschool place
Decisions on preschool places will be sent no later than February. For children in early childhood education, the decision will be sent to the Daisy system. A guardian can apply for a preschool place in a unit other than the one assigned to the student in accordance with the criteria for secondary admission. The criteria for secondary admission include health-related reasons, sibling grounds, preschool travel or other reasons. The wish will be fulfilled as far as possible. In this case, the guardian is responsible for the student's transportation.
Early childhood education supplementing preschool education
Preschool education is free of charge in kindergarten, but early childhood education outside of preschool hours is subject to a fee. More information about the fee categories for supplementary early childhood education can be found here. Customer fees | Iin municipality.
If a preschooler needs supplementary early childhood education, a place can be applied for electronically. Daisy services .
What is preschool?
Preschool education is part of a lifelong learning path that begins at home and in early childhood education and continues after preschool in basic education. Preschool education is an activity that supports a child's learning, participation, development and growth.
During the preschool year, children play, move, explore, experiment, create, acquire knowledge and solve problems. Preschool education strengthens the child's self-esteem and offers positive learning experiences. In the preschool group, interaction and friendship skills are practiced in a variety of ways with peers of the same age.
It is important for a child's growth and learning that they receive diverse learning experiences during their preschool years, which strengthen their self-concept as a learner and prepare them for school. In preschool, children gain experience in belonging to a group and working in a peer group.
Preschool education follows the municipality's own curriculum, which is based on national criteria. Preschool education offers support for learning and participation in preschool education, as well as student support services if necessary.
Are there subjects in preschool?
Preschool education does not have subjects, as in school. Teaching is carried out in learning units, the design of which is based on the children's interests.
Preschool education promotes children's broad-based competence in the following areas:
- thinking and learning
- cultural competence, interaction and expression
- self-care and everyday skills
- multiliteracy
- information and communication technology expertise
- participation and influence
At the beginning of preschool education, parents are discussed with their guardians about how activities can best support the child's growth, development and learning. The agreed matters are recorded in the child's preschool curriculum.
The starting point in Iiss is regular attendance at preschool. The practice is that absences other than illness are also reported. Request a leave of absence for 1-5 days from your child's preschool teacher, or for longer periods from the daycare center director or principal. Leave of absence is always granted, and absence does not require making up tasks.
Units providing preschool education
In 2026-2027
- Kotikuja kindergarten
- Nikkari Kindergarten
- Kuivaniemi kindergarten
- Harjuntähti Kindergarten (private)
- Hamina School
- Jaku School
Preschool working and holiday hours
Fall semester 12.8. - 22.12.2026
Spring semester 7.1. - 5.6.2027
Autumn break 19.10.-23.10.2026 (week 43)
Christmas break 23.12.2026 - 6.1.2027
winter vacation 8.3.-12.3.2027 (week 10)
Easter 26.3.-29.3.2027
Ascension Thursday and the following Friday, May 6-7, 2027
Support for learning and well-being in preschool education
Student welfare is implemented as both community and individual student welfare. It is implemented in accordance with the Pupil and Student Welfare Act and as preventive and multidisciplinary community student welfare that supports the entire community. Student welfare creates the conditions for cohesion, care and open interaction in the preschool unit.
Community support for student services
Community-based student welfare work monitors, evaluates and develops the well-being of the community. Student welfare work is carried out in cooperation with students, guardians, education, social and health services and other partners. Children's well-being, strengths and interaction skills are strengthened in accordance with a joint action plan.
- Community study care plan
- Functional everyday life
- The ABCs of Responsibility in Early Childhood Education
- Responsibility survey results
Individual support from student services
Students have the right to individualized study care and study care services. Individualized study care includes tutoring and psychological services. It also includes a multidisciplinary team of experts, which is assembled on a case-by-case basis to support the student.
In student care, the main task of the curator and school psychologist is to prevent, support and help the student in difficult life situations. The curator supports the individual student in matters related to human relationships, learning and psychological well-being. The main form of work is discussion and finding solutions together with the student, guardians and teachers.
Right to free transportation
The municipality arranges transportation in accordance with the principles approved by the Education Board when the distance to preschool exceeds three kilometers. In addition, all school routes are assessed using the School Chalkboard method, and free transportation is also arranged for routes that are considered too dangerous. In these cases, a transportation decision is granted directly, and the guardian does not need to apply for it separately.
Discretionary free school transport benefit must be applied for in the Wilma system by 31.5 May. The application must be accompanied by the necessary expert opinions. Instructions and further information on school transport and the principles applicable to it School transportation | Ii municipality
CONTACT
For more information, please contact the Educational Services Service Guidance, tel. 040 6233 550, educational services [at] ii.fi
More detailed information about pre-school education in kindergartens and schools:
Nikkari Daycare Center: Regional Daycare Center Director Paula Kinnunen, tel. 040 357 7999
Kotikuja and Kuivaniemi daycare center: regional daycare center director Tiina Kallio, tel. 040 768 7883
Hamina School: Principal Samuli Hanhisalo, tel. 040 6203255
Jaku School: tel. 050 3950 463
ATTACHED FILES
Preschool curriculum
Additional information
Education and Early Childhood Education Service Office, Piisilta 1, PO Box 24, 91101 Ii
Service control
tel. 040 623 3550
educational services [at] ii.fi
