Afternoon activities in basic education

Viisi alakoulun oppilasta seisoo ja peukuttaa.

The application period for the afternoon activities of the 2025-2026 school year has ended.

In school year 2025-2026 in Kuopio, afternoon activities for basic education will be organized primarily for 1st grade pupils. Possible remaining slots in the groups shall be allocated to special support pupils and to the 2nd grade pupils that fulfil the eligibility criteria. The application period is in February (February 3d to 19th 2025), the supplementary application period is in May (May 2d to 19th 2025). Afternoon activity groups will be formed for those schools in the urban area that have received at least ten applications from pupils in grade 1 by the end of May. Afternoon activity groups will be formed for those schools in the rural area that have received at least four applications for pupils in grade 1 by the end of May. City afternoon activity groups will be open from 12:00 to 16:00, there may be exceptions to the open hours in schools in rural areas.

Private schools decide on the scope of the activities themselves.

If no afternoon activity group is formed at a school, the above-mentioned pupils will be offered the opportunity to participate in afternoon activities in a group at another school. If a pupil participates in the activities of a group at another school, the custodian is responsible for transporting the child to the other school and back home after the afternoon activities end.

First graders moving to Kuopio in the middle of the school year as well as those whose eligibility criteria have changed since May can apply for the afternoon activity club. After May is over, you can apply for the afternoon activity club by filling a paper form. No new groups will be set up in the middle of the school year.

If the number of pupils decreases in the middle of the school year below the criteria for setting up a group, the group may be dissolved or combined with another group.

The aim of afternoon activity clubs is to support child-rearing work being done at home and at school, the child’s emotional development and safe free time. In afternoon activity clubs, the children participate in activities planned, guided and supervised by instructors. For example, in the groups you do crafts, play, do homework and go outside. Snack sessions are educational sessions.

Afternoon activities in basic education

Service e-mail: iltapaivatoiminta@kuopio.fi

Telephone number: 044 718 1388

Telephone service hours: Mon between 13:00 and 15:00, Tue-Fri between 9:00 and 11:00

Afternoon activity secretary and afternoon activity planner will answer you calls. A personal appointment must be made in advance by e-mail or by telephone.

Applying for afternoon activities for school year 2025–2026

The application period for afternoon activity clubs in school year 2025-2026 is from February 3d to February 19th 2025.
The supplementary application period is from May 2d to May 19th 2025.
For first grade pupils, special support pupils, and pupils in the second grade who meet the criteria for taking part in activities, apply online via Wilma application form (https://kuopio.inschool.fi/). The online form is only open during the application period. If it is not possible to apply using the online application form, the guardian may fill in the paper application form.
After May, you can apply for a place with a paper application form. First graders moving to Kuopio in the middle of the school year as well as those whose eligibility criteria have changed since May can apply for the afternoon activity club. The application shall be delivered to the education services by post to address: Kasvun ja oppimisen palvelualue, Perusopetuksen iltapäivätoiminta, Suokatu 42, 70100 Kuopio or by returning a filled in paper form to the post boxes outside entrance A of Suokatu 42 or by sending it as an attachment to a secure e-mail. (Instructions for sending secure e-mail).
Private schools decide on the scope of their activities and organisation themselves, and private school pupils apply for a place by filling in a paper form. If you are unable to print out the application form, the application form can be obtained at the school.

Applying for afternoon activities in basic education in school year 2025–2026 Instructions for filling in an online application in Wilma for afternoon activities

Eligibility criteria for the afternoon activity clubs

After places have been distributed between the pupils of the 1st grade, any remaining places in the groups shall be allocated to pupils in need of special support and to pupils in the 2nd grade in the following order.

pupils receiving special support until 31 July 2025 and as of 1 August 2025, pupils from other grades receiving pupil-specific support in accordance with Sections 20c and 20 i of the Basic Education Act who are entitled to short-term care as defined in the Disability Services Act
pupils receiving special support until 31 July 2025 and as of 1 August 2025, pupils from other grades receiving pupil-specific support in accordance with Sections 20c and 20 i of the Basic Education Act
pupils in the 2nd grade having serious health related grounds, assessed individually and based on a medical certificate, with issues such as severe diabetes, epilepsy or severe heart disease
pupils in the 2nd grade on the basis of official statements, to be assessed separately, for reasons of custody
pupils in the 2nd grade needing to participate in an afternoon activity club due to work or studies of the custodians on the basis of supporting documents provided by the custodian
other 2nd grade pupils
the guardian shall provide the necessary supporting documents to the education services in addition to the application.
If the number of pupils decreases in the middle of the school year below the criteria for setting up a group, the group may be dissolved or combined with another group.

Client fees

if the child participates in the afternoon activities for no more than 12 days in acalendar month, the monthly fee is 120 euros
If the child participates in the afternoon activity for over 12 days in a calendar month, the monthly fee is 160 euros.
The client fee for August is 120 euros for everyone. During school holidays, no activities are organised.
The fee is charged for each month the child participates in afternoon activities.

Impact of absence on client fees

If the child is ill for the whole calendar month, no fee will be charged.
If the child is ill for 11 days or more during a calendar month, half of the monthly fee will be charged.
If the child is absent for reasons other than their own illness for the whole calendar month, half of the client fee is charged.
A guardian may terminate the enrolment in writing using the Wilma change notification form for afternoon activity clubs, or by sending an e-mail to e-mail address iltapaivatoiminta@kuopio.fi. The notice period is one month from the date of notice.

Application for a fee exemption or a halving of the client fee for school year 2025-2026

You can apply for fee exemption with a separate application, which must be accompanied by the latest supporting documents. Application and its appendices shall be submitted at the same time, incomplete applications will not be processed. The fee exemption will be taken into account for the month in which it was received. Decisions are not made retrospectively.
A fee exemption is granted if the family’s income is below the income limit for early childhood education, or if the family receives social assistance, or by a statement from a child welfare / social worker. The guardian or child welfare/social worker submits the statement to the School agency as an appendix to the application.
A guardian may apply for a halving of the client fee with a separate application. The fee is reduced by one half if at least three children in the family are enrolled in the afternoon activity clubs and/or in day care. The application will be taken into account for the month in which it arrived, decisions will not be made retroactively.
The payment exemption application with its appendices or the application for a halving of the fee shall be submitted when the child starts in an afternoon activity club, by post to address Kasvun ja oppimisen palvelualue, Perusopetuksen iltapäivätoiminta, Suokatu 42, 70100 Kuopio or by returning a paper form to the post boxes outside entrance A of Suokatu 42 A or as an attachment to a secure e-mail.
To send your application and latest supporting documents as an attachment to a secure e-mail, follow the instructions below. (Suojattu sähköposti – Kuopio)