Helsinki redraws school catchment areas across eastern districts

The City of Helsinki is redrawing the catchment areas for 13 schools in eastern Helsinki to balance pupil numbers between schools, Yle reports.

The changes affect schools in Mellunkylä, Vartiokylä, Myllypuro and Herttoniemi. Some of the new boundaries will take effect in autumn 2027, while others will be introduced in 2030.

Pupils who started at their school this autumn or earlier will be able to remain there after the changes. Pupil numbers will also increase at some schools as they become comprehensive schools covering grades 1 to 9.

Schools in Mellunkylä

Laakavuori Primary School in Mellunkylä will become Laakavuori Comprehensive School, which is expected to have about 700 pupils. Its catchment area will change in autumn 2027 for children starting first grade that year.

Seventh-graders will begin at the school from autumn 2030, and by autumn 2032 it is expected to operate as a comprehensive school for grades 1 to 9.

The existing school building will be demolished and replaced with a new building that will also house a daycare centre, a youth centre and facilities for the Helsinki Adult Education Centre. Laakavuori School will operate temporarily at Aarrekuja during construction.

Vartiokylä Primary School will become Vartiokylä Comprehensive School, with about 700 pupils in the future. Its catchment area will change in autumn 2027 for children starting first grade that year.

The school will begin expanding to cover grades 1 to 9 in autumn 2028, when the first seventh-graders start there. The expansion is expected to be complete by autumn 2030.

A completely new school building is currently expected to be completed at Kiviportintie 10 in spring 2028. It will also include a daycare centre.

Kontula Primary School is expected to have about 550 pupils in the future. Its catchment area will change in autumn 2027 for children starting first grade that year.

The school building on Rintinpolku is being renovated, and the school is operating temporarily at Aarrekuja. The renovation is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026.

Helsinki Yhteislyseo in Kontula is expected to have about 500 pupils. From autumn 2027, seventh-graders will come to the school from Kontula, Mellunmäki and Laakavuori primary schools. From autumn 2028, they will come from Keinutie, Kontula and Laakavuori primary schools, and from autumn 2030 from Keinutie and Kontula primary schools. The school also includes an upper secondary school.

Mellunmäki Primary School will have fewer pupils in the future, with about 350 expected. Its catchment area will change in autumn 2027 for children starting first grade that year.

Puotila Primary School and Vartiokylä Lower Secondary School will merge next autumn to form Puotila Comprehensive School, which is expected to have about 900 pupils. Its catchment area will change in autumn 2027 for both first-graders and seventh-graders.

The school will operate at three locations in Puotila and Marjaniemi.

Keinutie Primary School is expected to have about 450 pupils in the future. Its catchment area will change in autumn 2027 for children starting first grade that year. The school operates at two addresses in Kontula and Kivikko.

Vesala Comprehensive School is expected to have about 800 pupils. Its catchment area will change in autumn 2027 for children starting first grade that year.

Until August 2028, the catchment area for grades 7 to 9 will also include the area currently served by Keinutie Primary School.

Itäkeskus school district changes

Itäkeskus Comprehensive School has been underused and is expected to have 700 pupils in the future, compared with just over 400 currently.

Its catchment area will change in autumn 2027 for first-graders whose home addresses have previously been in the catchment area of Myllypuro Comprehensive School.

The school building will be renovated and will include, among other facilities, a large sports hall.

In autumn 2030, the catchment area will also be expanded to include Karhukallio, Karhunkaataja and Roihupelto. These areas currently belong to the catchment areas of Hertsikka Primary School and Herttoniemi Coeducational School.

The change is linked to the city’s district boundaries. Karhunkaataja, Karhukallio and Roihupelto belong to the eastern major district, but children from those areas currently attend school in Herttoniemi, which is part of the southeastern major district.

In 2020, Helsinki’s Education and Training Committee decided that school catchment areas should follow the boundaries of the city’s major districts. The aim was to improve the collection of statistical data about the city.

The change will affect pupils starting first or seventh grade in autumn 2030.