Two schools from Oulu topped Finland’s latest upper secondary school ranking, while Helsinki’s Ressu Upper Secondary School recorded one of the biggest rises among the country’s largest schools.
The annual ranking published by Finnish News Agency STT placed Haukipudas Upper Secondary School in Oulu first among large upper secondary schools. Borgå Gymnasium in Porvoo ranked second and Helsinki’s Ressu Upper Secondary School moved into third place.
The comparison examined matriculation examination results against the average grades students achieved when they completed comprehensive school three years earlier. The method aims to measure how much schools contribute to student performance rather than comparing examination results alone.
Ressu’s rise drew attention after the school climbed from 14th place last year to third in the latest ranking. The school also produced Finland’s highest-performing matriculation examination candidate this spring.
Aleksi Laitinen, a graduate of Ressu, achieved 14 laudatur grades and two eximia grades in the matriculation examinations. Finnish media reported that the result set a national record.
Among large upper secondary schools, Haukipudas secured the top position ahead of Borgå Gymnasium. Other schools in the top ten included Laukaa Upper Secondary School, Nurmijärvi Upper Secondary School, Paimio Upper Secondary School, Vammala Upper Secondary School in Sastamala, Katedralskolan i Åbo in Turku, Gymnasiet Lärkan in Helsinki and Pargas svenska gymnasium in Parainen.
Several schools from the Helsinki region also featured prominently. Helsingin normaalilyseo ranked eleventh, Gymnasiet Grankulla samskola in Kauniainen twelfth, the Franco-Finnish School in Helsinki thirteenth and Kyrkslätts gymnasium in Kirkkonummi fourteenth.
The ranking divided schools into two categories based on the number of matriculation examination candidates. Schools with more than 50 candidates competed in the large-school category, while those with 50 or fewer candidates were placed in the small-school category.
In the small-school category, Oulu Teacher Training School took first place. The Christian School of Finland in Kaarina ranked second and the Finnish-Russian School in Helsinki came third.
The top ten small schools also included Hanko Upper Secondary School, Savitaipale Upper Secondary School, Gymnasiet i Petalax in Maalahti, Rudolf Steinerskolan i Helsingfors, Lieksa Upper Secondary School, Toholampi Upper Secondary School and Juuka Upper Secondary School.
HT
