Oulu schools top national ranking as principal credits strong teaching and community

Two Oulu high schools have secured first place in Finland’s national school performance comparison, with Haukiputaa Upper Secondary School leading among large institutions and Oulu Normal School among smaller ones, state news agency STT reported Saturday.

Haukiputaa Upper Secondary School achieved its best-ever result in the ranking, a feat principal Sirpa Risteelä attributes to dedicated teachers and a deliberate focus on fostering school spirit. “It’s wonderful to see how collaboration between students and teachers bears fruit,” she said.

Student feedback has highlighted the school’s supportive learning environment, where low-threshold “language cafés” and “math cafés” allow pupils to seek help outside regular class hours. Risteelä noted that these informal sessions, held after 2 p.m., have proven more accessible for many than traditional tutoring.

Community-building efforts extend beyond academics, with events like wellness days, sports days, and international projects designed to strengthen cohesion. “These shared activities develop a sense of belonging,” Risteelä explained.

While Haukiputaa Upper Secondary has previously ranked highly in Northern Ostrobothnia, this marks its first national top placement. Recent graduates praised the school’s open teacher-student relationships and the availability of academic support.