What a School's First Year of OPPI Affiliation Looks Like
Affiliating with OPPI is the start of a process, not a one-off event. Here is what schools typically work through in the first twelve months, from initial teacher training to the first full year of Finnish-pedagogy classrooms.
- The first year typically centres on teacher training, curriculum planning and setting up K-5 classrooms before moving to full delivery.
- Training focuses on practical shifts such as play-based early learning, phenomenon-based projects and descriptive, formative feedback rather than exam-driven teaching.
- Ongoing support and quality checks continue well beyond year one, as covered in our guide to quality assurance for affiliated schools.
- Most schools introduce Finnish pedagogy grade by grade in the early years rather than converting an entire school at once.
Before term one: training and planning
Before the first Finnish-pedagogy classroom opens, staff go through structured training that covers the theory and the day-to-day practice: how phenomenon-based learning is planned, how classrooms are physically arranged, and how assessment without high-stakes exams actually works in practice. School leaders work through how the approach fits alongside existing board requirements, similar to the process described in how affiliation works.
Most schools start with the early primary grades (K-5) rather than converting every grade at once, which keeps the first year manageable for both teachers and families.
The first term: settling into new routines
Once classrooms open, the early weeks are typically about routine as much as pedagogy: shorter, more varied lesson blocks, more time for outdoor and unstructured play, and a shift toward descriptive feedback instead of marks. Teachers usually continue to receive coaching and classroom visits through this period rather than being left to apply their training alone.
- Classroom layout and materials set up for small-group and project work
- Teachers co-planning phenomenon-based units together rather than working in isolation
- Regular check-ins on how descriptive feedback is landing with parents and pupils
Beyond year one
By the end of the first year, most schools have a working rhythm rather than a finished product. Curriculum planning, teacher development and classroom practice continue to be refined every year, supported by the same quality assurance process used across all OPPI-affiliated schools.
Frequently asked questions
Do all teachers need retraining before a school can start?
Not all at once. Schools typically train the teachers in the grades adopting Finnish pedagogy first, then extend training as the approach rolls out to further grades.
How long does it take before a school feels fully settled into the approach?
Most schools describe the first year as establishing the basics, with confidence and consistency building over the second and third years, which is why ongoing support continues well past the first twelve months.
Does the first year include support with parents, not just teachers?
Yes. Explaining the shift away from marks and exams to parents is usually part of the first year, since it is often the biggest change families notice day to day.
Related reading
Bring Finnish pedagogy to your school
OPPI affiliates a selective cohort of schools each year for its K-5 Finnish-pedagogy programme, backed by Education Finland. Tell us about your school and our team will reach out.
Backed by Education Finland. Over 20 schools have already affiliated, including DPS, Radcliffe and Sanctus. Places in each cohort are limited.
Apply to the affiliation cohort →