Study guidance and support

In the upper secondary schools of the City of Oulu, the "Koko koulu ohjaa" model is followed. This means that guidance is a shared and goal-oriented effort by the entire staff. All personnel participate in providing guidance.

Upper secondary school students have the opportunity and the right to receive guidance to support their studies, learning, and matriculation examination, as well as in planning and making decisions about further education and career paths.

The group advisor helps monitor the progress of studies and the matriculation examination.

Each student has a personal study counsellor who coordinates the school’s guidance activities, organizes study counselling lessons, and provides both individual and small group guidance.

Further information on student counselling can be found on individual upper secondary school websites.

Coordinating guidance councellors

The coordinating guidance counsellors are in charge of coordinating collaboration between upper secondary schools' guidance councellors. In addition, they act as contact persons in matters related to guidance between upper secondary schools and basic education, as well as between upper secondary schools and other educational institutions or working life.

• Tiina Rautalin, Oulu Lyseo Upper Secondary School, tel. 044 703 9454, tiina.rautalin@eduouka.fi
• Kirsi Raetsaari, Raksila Upper Secondary School tel. 044 703 9371, kirsi.raetsaari@eduouka.fi (On a leave of absence until July 31, 2026)

Learning support

Learning support refers to addressing the individual support needs of students as well as providing community-based and learning environment-related support solutions. Support can be provided based on students’ needs either individually or in groups. Learning support is implemented through subject teachers’ pedagogical approaches and, when necessary, through remedial teaching.

A special education teacher can also provide guidance and support in areas such as study skills and strategies, and support for independent and goal-oriented studying. The support provided by the special education teacher may also include assessing the need for special arrangements in the matriculation examination and planning methods and accommodations for demonstrating learning and competence during upper secondary school, in collaboration with subject teachers.

Special education

A student has the right to special education if learning support is not sufficient for their needs and they require special education due to verified learning difficulties or other comparable reasons in order to complete the upper secondary school curriculum. The education provider makes an administrative decision regarding the provision of special education. The decision may be positive or negative depending on how the provider assesses whether the criteria for special education are met.

Special education is regular, systematic, and goal-oriented support and guidance provided by a special education teacher, and it focuses more deeply on verified challenges. The special education teacher is responsible for assessing the need for special pedagogical support measures and for planning support related to studying and demonstrating competence.

Coordinating Special Education Teacher

The coordinating special education teacher is responsible for coordinating collaboration among special education teachers in upper secondary schools.

• Tanja Lapinlampi, Laanila Upper Secondary School and  Kiiminki Upper Secondary School, tel. 040 502 8435, tanja.lapinlampi@eduouka.fi

All upper secondary schools in the City of Oulu provide student welfare services for full-time students, including access to a school social worker (curator), psychologist, and student health care. These services are organized by the wellbeing services county of North Ostrobothnia, Pohde.

The school social worker and psychologist support students in matters related to wellbeing, studies, everyday life, and interpersonal relationships. They also contribute to the wellbeing of the entire school community, aiming to promote learning, wellbeing, active participation, and social skills for all students.

The school social worker supports the student’s

• Wellbeing and everyday life
• Social and psychological functioning
• Interpersonal relationships

You can contact the school social worker for help with

• Study-related issues, friendships, and family situations
• Life changes and transitions

The psychologist supports the student’s

• Wellbeing, healthy development, and mental health
• Studying, learning, and functional capacity

You can contact the psychologist for support with

• Studying, learning difficulties, and planning support measures
• Mental wellbeing, coping, mood, relationships, and life changes or crisis situations

Students or guardians can contact the school social worker or psychologist directly. A group advisor, study counsellor, special education teacher, or school nurse can also refer the student to these services.

More detailed information about all student welfare services is available on the upper secondary schools’ websites.

Student welfare team

The responsibility for creating and developing a safe, pleasant, and healthy learning and working environment lies especially with the principal and the student welfare team. The team includes the principal, study counsellor(s), school nurse, special education teacher, school social worker, psychologist, and representatives of students, guardians, and other stakeholders as appropriate for each school.

The team meets regularly and its primary task is to maintain the wellbeing of the school community and prevent problems. However, the entire school staff and students are involved in this work.

More detailed information about all student welfare services is available on the upper secondary schools’ websites.

All upper secondary schools in the City of Oulu provide student health care services for full-time students. These services are organized by the wellbeing services county of North Ostrobothnia, Pohde.

The goal of student health care is to support students’ wellbeing and ability to study.

Each school has a school nurse, through whom students can book appointments with a psychiatric nurse and a doctor. The services aim to promote students’ overall health and capacity to learn.

Services include:

• Monitoring and promoting health and wellbeing
• Primary health care services (including mental health and substance abuse support)
• Promotion of sexual health
• Oral health care
• Health check-ups that consider the student’s overall wellbeing

Treatment for illnesses is provided at the wellbeing center corresponding to the student’s place of residence.

More detailed information about all student welfare services is available on the upper secondary schools’ websites.