Our school is part of a global network of part-time Finnish schools. The School promotes bilingualism within Finnish and British-Finnish families and learning Finnish among wider community. In addition to the Finnish language, children will also have a chance to learn about Finnish culture, traditions and history and develop their sense of Finnish identity. Children of all abilities are welcome to join our classes. We have also a group for adult learners. New students are welcome all year round so feel free to turn up and see us in action on any school day.

The School is located in Robjohn Hall, Narborough, Leicester. It is convenient to reach for people based in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and along the M1 corridor.

We run three groups for children:

Play Group for children up to the age of 6 - Smaller children learn Finnish through social interaction during play, listening music and doing art. They will also listen to stories in Finnish. The children learn about the familiar events and characters of Finnish childhood, such as the Moomins. Half an hour of singing and dancing in Finnish is included at the beginning of the session; All the little ones are welcome to join!

ABC Group for 6 to 10 years olds - In this group teaching Finnish is slightly more formal, although still playful. Social interaction with other Finnish speakers is important. The topics covered are close to the children's own world of experience, such as home, family, hobbies and food, and they reflect the annual cycle. Finnish culture and traditions are also explored.

School Children's Group for children aged 10 and above - School aged children primarily practise reading, writing and discussing in Finnish. The main emphasis is on learning the vocabulary and expressing oneself in Finnish. The following topics are explored, amongst others: Finnish culture, traditions, numbers, weekdays, months, public holidays, weather, clothes, food and travelling.

Lessons for adult beginners

The Finnish lessons for adults are designed for both beginners and intermediate speakers and offer professional Finnish tuition in a small group setting, tailor-made to the individual learner's needs and abilities. Emphasis is placed on developing students' practical skills and using spoken Finnish as quickly as possible. Finnish grammar, which has a reputation for complexity, is explained by taking students through examples of usage in everyday settings.

Created on 24 October 2011
Last updated: 22 October 2016