Preschool

Preschool education is provided in Early Childhood Education centres and on some school premises. The goal is to form groups that allow cooperation with the children´s future school. The formation of preschool groups and places is influenced by the number of children that have signed up for preschool. Families will be informed of the preschool place allocated to their child along with the preschool admission decision. Even if a child has been allocated a preschool place in connection with a school or in the vicinity of a school, does not guarantee this child a place in that school later on.

Preschool education is free of charge

Preschool attendance is free of charge. If preschool is complemented with part-time early education, a fee of 60% of the full-time early education fee allocated to the family will be charged. The fee will be charged fully, if the family uses the service during brakes and between semesters. Those Private daycare centres that have been accepted to give preschool education are financially supported by the City.

The child´s parents, or a person authorized by the child´s parents, are responsible for taking the child to and picking him/her up from early education or from preschool education.  Children who attend free-of-charge preschool are entitled to free transportation in some cases. This transportation does not apply to preschoolers who also attend municipal or private daycare or who attend only private preschool. An application for transportation must be handed in by the end of April. 

You can sign your child up for preschool during the period of 18 January to 31 January 2021.

You will need to fill in an electronic application. Please select the ‘Preschool registration' (signing up for preschool) option on the front page.

Preschool education in the English language is provided by Pikku-Ainon päiväkoti, on the premises of Oulu International School, for children who pass a separate language test. Preschool education in the English language will be provided if there are at least seven children who meet the selection criteria.

After attending preschool education in English in Pikku-Ainon päiväkoti, the children may continue their education at Oulu International School. The parents of the children in this preschool group are obliged to pay the costs of transportation themselves.

Bilingual preschool education is also organised in some other municipal and private daycare centres. After attending preschool education in English, children can access Oulu International School via entrance tests.

Preschool education is also organised in Swedish and German.

More information about bilingual preschool education options.

Preparatory education is for children whose Finnish language skills are on the elementary level. Observation is used to specify the level of language skills and the levels are defined in Pienten kielireppu (the language rucksack for small). The participation in preparatory education is always agreed with guardians.

In Oulu, preparatory preschool for basic education for 6-year old children is organized in municipal daycare centres. Those children who take part in preparatory education get tuition 5 hours per day on preschool working days.