Location: The school is located in Vantaa, about 20 minutes by train from the centre of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. There is also a regular bus connection to Helsinki city centre.
Teaching: Martinlaakson lukio is a school offering all-round education aimed at the matriculation examination. Students are between 16 to 20 years of age. They may choose from a wide range of curricular and extra curricular subjects taught by qualified teachers.
Focuses of activity
Drama
There are several courses to choose from (e.g. drama and theatrical expression). Students can get a diploma in drama. Many co-operative projects connect drama to other academic subjects.
Science
In addition to obligatory and advanced science courses, there is a multitude of specialisation courses offered to students. Science teachers have also co-operation with companies, enterprises and other institutes. Many students get to visit CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Geneva, Switzerland.
Other activities
Daily, a warm school meal is offered to every student free of charge, as are the services of a nurse and a dentist. Students may spend their time and study in the library, which is a lively centre for learning. The classrooms are equipped with the latest technological devices. In addition, driving school instruction enables the students while still at school to obtain driving licences.
Teachers' and students' joint celebrations are very popular. The Christmas concert, Christmas party and nocturnal Mass anticipate the Christmas holiday. In February school-leavers celebrate their last day at school and the 2nd-year students dance old ballroom dances.
Martinlaakso Upper Secondary School is an internationally active school. The co-operation with the Tanzanian twin school, Kilingi Primary School, has continued for over 20 years. Groups of students have visited Kilingi six times, and the Tanzanians have been to Finland five times. There has been active co-operation and student exchange withVoltaire Schule in Potsdam, Germany, as well. In addition, each year the school has different international projects providing students with the opportunity to go abroad (e.g. to France, Spain, Sweden, Brazil).
The achievements and merits of Martinlaakso Upper Secondary School have been widely acknowledged. The school has been given an honorary diploma in the Quality Competition organised by the governor of the Uusimaa Province. Also, the City of Vantaa has awarded the staff the prize for one of the best working communities in town.
Martinlaakson lukio
Martinlaaksontie 36
01620 VANTAA
FINLAND
www.edu.vantaa.fi/martinlu/
Tel: +358 (0) 9 8393 4924
Salme Sulander, principal
salme.sulander@vantaa.fi
+358 (0)43 825 7199