Enrolment in pre-primary education

Enrolment in pre-primary education 2-31 January 2025

Pre-primary education is systematic and goal-oriented early childhood education and care for six-year-olds, organised by a day-care centre or school. Education is based on the national core curriculum for pre-primary education and the local Kuopio pre-primary curriculum.

Participation in pre-primary education is mandatory under the Basic Education Act. The child’s guardian is responsible for ensuring that the child participates in pre-primary education or other activities that meet the objectives for pre-primary education the year preceding the start of their compulsory education. For the most part, the school year and holidays for pre-primary education are the same as in basic education.

In 2025–2026, all children born in 2019 are entitled to free pre-primary education (4 hours on weekdays) in accordance with the Basic Education Act. In addition, those 7-year-olds whose first school year has been postponed as well as those 5-year-olds with a decision on extended compulsory education are entitled to pre-primary education.

Required additional early childhood education and care is organised in the same location as pre-primary education. The guardians need to apply for a service voucher, if they require early childhood education and care in addition to pre-primary education organised in private day-care centres. Service voucher decisions are made in August 2025 when the families have submitted their income statements.

Registration for pre-primary education 2025–2026 must be submitted 2-31 January 2025
Pre-primary education begins on 14 August 2025 and ends on 29 May 2026. Enrolment for municipal or privately organised pre-primary education is done using an electronic registration form. Additional information in the application can include the primary preference for the pre-primary education, such as a forest school pre-primary group.

The most expedient groups for pre-primary education will be formed after the enrolment period is over. If necessary, some units can have smaller pre-primary groups. If there are few enrolled pupils, a group may not be formed in all the possible places.

Kuopio has four municipal forest school pre-primary groups. These campfire hut groups operate in connection with Länsi-Puijo, Puijonlaakso, Uppo-Nalle, and Von Wright day-care centres. Forest school activities for pre-primary-aged children mainly take place in nature close to the day-care centre. A campfire hut acts as a headquarters for the group. Children are selected for the group based on applications and suitability.

To enrol in pre-primary education organised by the Christian comprehensive school and Steiner school, contact the school directly.
- - New client families
    Are you a new client? Here you can find all applications, enrolments, and a calculator for early childhood education and care client fees.
  - Current client families
    Are you already a client? Here you can find all applications, enrolments, decisions, income statements, and a calculator for early childhood education and care client fees.
Pre-primary education for 2024-2025 ends on 28 May 2025.
The decisions on pre-primary education will be delivered to families by 31 March 2025 either electronically or by letter, depending on the guardians’ choice.

Electronic decisions can be viewed in the E-services (E-services > Our family / Family information).

Early childhood education and care forms (printed).

Install EdlevoApp to report the child’s hours in pre-primary education and in early childhood education care. You can also read notices related to pre-primary education and early childhood education and care in the application.
Edlevo’s notice for parents (pdf, in Finnish)
If the child needs early childhood education in addition to free pre-primary education, before they start in early childhood education and care,
- 1. an apply for a place for early childhood education and care that a child needs in addition to free pre-primary education
  2. an hour agreement for early childhood education and care must be delivered to the day-care centre manager / family day care supervisor no later than two weeks before the start of the agreement
    Agreement on hours in early childhood education and care (Varhaiskasvatusaikaa koskeva sopimus, pdf)
  3. an income statement must be submitted electronically in the online service
    Income statement (electronic income statement, Tuloselvitys)
    Fees for early childhood education and care in Kuopio (Varhaiskasvatusmaksut Kuopiossa, pdf)
If these documents have not been submitted, the highest client fee will be determined for the family.