Principal Study Tour
Finnish schools are among the best in the World for a reason. They are also led and managed exceptionally well. It is the principals and headmasters who lay the foundation for equality and trust in Finnish schools. It is they who make sure that teachers and students can perform at their best and achieve outstanding results.
The Principal Study Tour gives visitors an overall view on Finnish education, it’s core principles and factors influencing Finland’s success in international learning comparisons. It also highlights the meaning of pedagogical leadership, and school governance and administration.
Target groups: Principals, headmasters, school leaders, school owners, early childhood education directors and managers.
Objectives: The program gives visitors an overview of the Finnish education system and role of pedagogical leadership. Study Tour introduces the founding principles in Finnish Education management and leadership and how it is implemented in action. The program also offers an up-close and personal view of daily life of principals in the Finnish schools.
Where: Tampere, Finland.
Daily program: 9am – 3pm
Program language: English
The Program
Monday: Introduction to the Finnish Education System
- Finnish Education system and training routes
- Introduction to the principles behind the education system
- Paradoxes of Finnish Education: Less is More, No dead ends etc.
- School visit
Tuesday: Pedagogical Leadership in Finnish schools
- Pedagogical leadership and learner-centered learning approach
- Curriculum and Assessment in the Finnish Basic Education
- Development of school curriculum, self-assessment and operational culture
- School as a learning community
- Shared leadership in Finnish schools
- School visit
Wednesday: School governance and administration
- How to become a principal in Finland
- Role and tasks of principal in Finnish schools
- Principal´s digital management tools
- School administration and finance
- School visit
- Finnish Nature Experience or Dinner at Näsinneula Observation Tower
Thursday: Co-operation and leading educational support
- Home – school co-operation
- Multi-professional co-operation
- Co-operation with other stakeholders and the importance of networking
- Leading inclusive education and student welfare services
- School visit
Friday: School of the future
- Future of education
- System thinking and leadership
- Strategic planning, leading school development and coaching
- Self-development of principal: professional growth, self-management, own well-being at work
- Farewell lunch
- Reflection of the program, ideas of implementation and co-operation
The program includes:
- Expert lectures and workshops
- Study material
- Visits and transportation to visit places
- Expert host
- Finnish Nature Experience or Dinner at Näsinneula Observation Tower
- Certificate of participation
- Premium version of LessonApp for free for a year
- Book Finnish Education in Practice: What, Why and How
- Lunches, coffee and farewell lunch.
Visits include:
- Guided visits to Finnish schools
- Different types of schools
- Participation in the school’s day-to-day activities: classroom, meal time, recesses etc.
- Opportunities to talk with principals, teachers and students
Trainers:
Learning Scoop’s staff comprises experienced and internationally respected trainers, who are experts in the field of Finnish education and school leadership. The trainers have over 25 years of experience in leadership training in Finland and abroad.
Costs:
The price for individual participant is 1650e + possible VAT 25,5% / person
Group prices: (please ask if VAT applies)
5-9 participants in a group the price is 1500e + possible VAT 25,5% / person
10-14 participants in a group the price is 1350e + possible VAT 25,5% / person
15-20 participants in a group the price is 1250e + possible VAT 25,5% / person
Please note that accommodation is not included in the price.
Next pre-scheduled study tours in Tampere, Finland:
On request for groups, contact us!
Excursions and cultural experiences:
There are plenty of excursions and evening activities available.
Are you interested in Boat Tour or seeing Finnish Wilderness? How about Sauna Experience or Ice hole swimming?
Contact us: info@learningscoop.fi
Accommodation:
We are happy to collaborate with Lapland Hotels which offers you a chance to experience Lapland in the heart of a city. The centrally located hotels are close to our training premises. The design of the rooms was influenced by nature and the stories of Lapland.
Lapland Hotels offer fixed prices for our customers accordingly:
Lapland Hotels Tampere, Address Yliopistonkatu 44, Tampere:
Room in Comfort Class for 1 person 112€/night in 2024 (118€ in 2025)
Room in Comfort Class for 2 persons 132€/night in 2024 (138€ in 2025)
Lapland Hotels Arena, Address Ratapihankatu 54, Tampere:
Room in Comfort Class for 1 person 122€/night in 2024 (128€ in 2025)
Room in Comfort Class for 2 persons 142€/night in 2024 (148€ in 2025)
Prices include buffet breakfast with local delicacies, taxes, sauna and wireless internet connection.
Check the availability and book your room at Lapland Hotels in Tampere by email sales.tampere@laplandhotels.com with code “LEARNINGSCOOP”
Our happy customers say
No question was too difficult to answer, and everything was a grand adventure! I loved every moment - from conversations with children about their education, to the hard Q & A´s about education with other professionals and how we can make things better in our corner of the classroom. Thank you for the extra experiences as well! We will never forget our first ice bath in Finland, or how to grip the ice in spikes. The team from Learning Scoop partnered perfectly with Tour for Teachers and were very encouraging in all our new experiences! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for creating such a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience!
Thank you for an amazing study tour and experience in Finland. The balance of the practical experiences and theory was perfect. I really enjoyed the school visits and seeing the schools and classrooms in action. I felt very welcome in each of the schools we visited and appreciated the time the principals in each school took to talk to us and guide us through their schools. The principals had a great sense of pride in their schools, their staff and their students. School tours were relaxed and a natural experience, not too formal which was great. The students were friendly and happily engaged in learning and play. Our group enjoyed seeing the students play outside in the snow, something we don't see in Australia! I particularly enjoyed the collaboration and professional conversations with principals, our guides, teachers and students. Our Learning Scoop staff who talked to us each day about Finland education were very knowledgeable and professional. The timing of each day was just right.
I loved my time with Learning Scoop. I have come back to work buzzing with things to share with my colleagues. While our systems are very different and I'm jealous of the support schools in Finland get to help their students progress and achieve, there are still things we can consider applying in our learning context. The Learning Scoop team were very generous with their knowledge and we were very well looked after. Thanks so much to all our trainers and hosts. It was great to see such variety in schools and age groups. I look forward to returning to Finland one day, maybe when it is snowing so that I can enjoy a small amount of the Finnish winter.