Guidance and counselling are of key importance from the viewpoint of the pupils, school, and society alike. The guidance forms a continuum that extends throughout the pupil’s years in basic education to subsequent studies.

Every pupil is entitled to guidance during school days. Guidance and counselling promote

  • the successful completion of schoolwork
  • the progress of the studies
  • the productivity and effectiveness of education.

A key task of guidance and counselling is to support students’ growth and development in a way that enables them to promote their social maturity and capacity to study and to develop knowledge and skills required in life planning.

Furthermore, guidance and counselling connect the school to society and the working life. Guidance and counselling promote fairness, equity, equality and participation, and prevent exclusion from education and working life.

Guidance and counselling in different grades

The National core curriculum for basic education defines the guidance objectives for grades 1-2, 3-6 and 7-9.

Grades 1-2

  • Guidance is implemented as an integral part of the school’s other activities.
  • The class teacher is responsible for the guidance in cooperation with other teachers.
  • Guidance and counselling promote the development of pupils' study capabilities and skills and supports pupils in gradually assuming more responsibility for their schoolwork, assignments and personal belongings.

Grades 3-6

  • Guidance is mainly implemented in conjunction with the different subjects and other school activities; however, lessons may also be reserved for guidance.
  • Guidance and counselling support pupils in matters such as identifying their strengths and developing their social and teamwork skills.

Grades 7-9

  • The guidance counsellor has the main responsibility for carrying out guidance counselling.
  • The task of the guidance is to develop pupils' ability to cope with changing life situations and with the transitions in their studies and future careers. 

Guidance is especially important in educational transition points, such as when pupils move to a different school or make choices concerning their studies.

Topics discussed in guidance and counselling

Topics discussed in guidance and counselling include

  • study skills and school attendance
  • self-knowledge
  • opportunities for further studies
  • professions and professional fields
  • working life.

If necessary, all pupils receive advice and guidance personally or in small groups in addition to the lessons reserved for guidance and counselling. Furthermore, pupils are guided in the use of different information seeking tools and the guidance and counselling services provided by society.

Special support

Pupils who require special support in basic education receive more individual guidance for moving to further studies than other pupils. When guiding pupils, the guidance counsellor works in cooperation with experts from different fields.

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Each school draws up a guidance plan governing the guidance activities. The plan describes

  • the structures for the provision of guidance counselling
  • the operating methods
  • the division of work and responsibilities
  • the multidisciplinary networks required to achieve the objectives of the guidance
  • the cooperation between home and school in guidance counselling, the school’s cooperation with working life and the arrangements for pupils' introduction to working life.

The guidance plan is drawn up in cooperation with students, guardians and stakeholders and the realisation of its objectives is assessed on a regular basis.

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Familiarisation with different industries, working life and professional fields and practice in job seeking increase the pupils' knowledge of working life. At the same time, pupils learn about entrepreneurship, industries and professions that they find interesting.

During the highest grades of comprehensive school, periods of work experience should be organised for pupils to help them make educational and career choices. Usually pupils familiarise themselves with working life during periods of work experience lasting one or two weeks. In conjunction with them, it is also possible to organise familiarisation with VET.

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The development of pupils’ skills in planning their further studies and future is a continuum and pupils explore contents relevant to it in guidance and counselling throughout comprehensive school. For example, they familiarise themselves with different further study opportunities and learn to find more detailed information about further studies and applying for a study place.

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Under the Basic education act, a local authority may provide activities within flexible basic education (JOPO) to the extent it chooses in conjunction with grades 7-9. The aim of flexible basic education is to reduce dropping out of basic education, prevent marginalisation and strengthen students’ study motivation and life management.

In flexible basic education, the education is provided at school and as guided learning at workplaces and other learning environments. Studying outside the school is an important part of the studies.

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During voluntary additional basic education, the so-called grade 10, students strengthen the skills they have acquired in basic education. If necessary, they have the opportunity to improve the grades in their basic education certificate to broaden their opportunities for further studies.

Students in voluntary additional basic education receive at least 1,100 hours of teaching and guidance. Application for this education takes place in the Studyinfo service through the joint application for preparatory training after basic education.

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Good guidance criteria is a recommendation that has been made for the purpose of developing and ensuring the quality of guidance in basic education, general upper secondary education and VET. The aim of the criteria is to promote the high quality and diverse range of guidance as well as to ensure the availability of high-quality guidance for children and adolescents, regardless of their place of residence and circumstances. Furthermore, the criteria are used to ensure the equality, quality and availability of guidance services for pupils and students throughout Finland.

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