School rules

The school rules help ensure the well-being of everyone at Turun normaalikoulun lukio. According to the law, everyone has the right to a safe learning environment. Bullying and harassment are not allowed. We treat each other with respect.

General rules 

• We treat each other equally.

• We respect the integrity of each person.

• We respect everyone’s right to be heard.

• We do not discriminate or offend anyone.

• We use language that is appropriate and respectful.

Working environment

• We take care of the spaces where we work, eat, move and spend time. We all do our part to keep the school’s premises clean and pleasant. We clean up after ourselves and put things back in their place.

• We do not smoke or use intoxicating substances in and around the school, or on any excursions organised by the school.

• We follow the rules of safe transport.

• We only park our vehicles in permitted places.

Studying

• We participate in education unless we have been granted an exemption.

• We complete our assignments conscientiously within the agreed timetable.

• We arrive on time for lessons and bring the necessary study equipment.

• We do our part to create a positive learning environment.

• We value our own work and the work of others.

• We give constructive feedback.

• We take responsibility for our own learning.

Procedures in the event of violations and disruptions

A student who does not follow the school rules, disrupts lessons or otherwise behaves improperly may be subject to disciplinary measures.

Classroom disruptions and inappropriate behaviour

1. The teacher addresses the inappropriate or disruptive classroom behaviour once, and the incident will be recorded in Wilma.

1. If the teacher needs to address the behaviour a second time, they will hold an educational discussion with the student. A notification of the discussion will be sent via Wilma to the homeroom teacher, the student, their guardian, and the vice principal. The teacher will record the disruption in Wilma.​

1. If the inappropriate behaviour or disruption of the lesson continues, the vice principal will discuss with the student. A message about this will be sent to the student’s guardian or legal representative and the homeroom teacher. In addition, the disruption will be recorded in Wilma.

1. In cases of persistent and repeated inappropriate or disruptive classroom behaviour, the principal will invite the student, their guardian or legal representative (if the student is a minor), and the homeroom teacher to a meeting. Persistent inappropriate behaviour may lead to a written warning or to the student being excluded from school-organised trips and excursions.

Tardiness

• The teacher points out the late arrival to the student and marks it in Wilma.

• Repeated tardiness will be discussed, just like inappropriate or disruptive behaviour in lessons.

This is how we work:

Students are expected to arrive on time for lessons. If a student arrives late, they may join the lesson up to 15 minutes after it has started, or at another point the teacher deems appropriate. The student will be marked as tardy in Wilma.

If a student arrives later than 15 minutes after the lesson has begun, they will be marked absent. The teacher will admit the student to the lesson at a suitable point.

Notification of late arrival (time and reason): students must inform the school of their late arrival and the reason for it at least 15 minutes before the lesson begins.

Tardiness will affect the student’s assessment. The reason for all absences must always be explained, either through Wilma or with a separate certificate. The guardian or legal representative of a minor student must indicate the reason for the absence in Wilma.

If the teacher is more than 15 minutes late, students should contact the principal, vice principal, or study and careers adviser.

Harassment on the way to and from school

By law, when a principal or teacher in a comprehensive school, general upper secondary school, or vocational school becomes aware of any harassment, bullying, discrimination, or violence at school or on the way to or from school, they must inform the guardian or legal representative of both the student suspected of the behaviour and the student who has been subjected to it. In this context, the names of those involved in the incident may be disclosed to the guardian or other legal representative.

As part of its educational role, the school is also responsible for guiding young people towards good behaviour, safety and responsibility on the way to and from school.

Unauthorised and unexcused absences 

• At the start of the school year, and at the beginning of a study unit, if necessary, all students are clearly informed about the impact of absences on completing the unit and the procedure for making up missed work.

• Students will discuss absences with the subject teacher.

• The homeroom teacher monitors the accumulation of absences and discusses them with students. The homeroom teacher is also responsible for contacting the student’s guardian or legal representative to clarify the reasons for absences.

• Students with unauthorised absences are not entitled to remedial instruction.

• The homeroom teacher will consult student welfare services when necessary, and if absences continue, the homeroom teacher will convene a pedagogical meeting or a MER (multidisciplinary expert group) meeting.

• Intensified support measures and monitoring will be initiated if a student is absent for one month without a clear and consistent reason. A certificate of termination of studies may be issued, and with appropriate guidance, the student may be directed to another place of study. (Section 24 of the Act on General Upper Secondary Education)

Absences due to trips taken outside the school’s holiday periods 

• If a minor student’s absence lasts between 1 and 3 days, the guardian or legal representative must request permission from the homeroom teacher.

• If the trip exceeds 3 days, the guardian or legal representative must request permission from the principal via email.

• The student must notify their teachers of the absence at least five days before the start of the trip.

• The student is responsible for keeping up with their studies during the absence.

• Taking a computer on trips is not allowed.

• If the student is given assignments to be completed during the trip and fails to submit them by the agreed deadline, the teacher is not obliged to assess the work.

• The student is not entitled to remedial teaching for any learning gaps resulting from the trip.

• It is the responsibility of the guardian or legal representative of the minor student to ensure that the student completes their schoolwork during the trip as agreed with the teachers.

Failure to complete assignments and low number of completed studies 

• At the beginning of a study unit, the teacher and students agree on the assessment and the assignments to be completed during the study unit.

• If a student fails to complete their assignments, the teacher records this information in Wilma and discusses it with the student.

• If the same situation is the same in several subjects, the homeroom teacher will contact the student’s guardian or legal representative.

• The homeroom teacher will arrange a meeting with the student and their guardian or legal representative. An individual, multidisciplinary student welfare meeting will be held, if necessary, to review the student’s situation and progress in detail, and to agree on measures and monitoring.

Incomplete study units 

A student is given a grade of K (kesken, incomplete) if they cannot be assessed due to excessive absences or missing work.

If a student has been absent from lessons so many times that the teacher cannot assess their competence and progress based on the agreed assessment criteria, they will receive the letter K on their school report.

If a student cannot be assessed because they have not completed required parts of the study unit, they will receive the letter K on their school report.

Completing a study unit to remove the letter K:

1. The student must complete the make-up assignments and any incomplete tasks specified by the teacher during the following study period. In this case, any completed parts of the incomplete study unit will remain valid. The teacher will determine whether the student is allowed to take the final exam at the end of the period. 

1. The student will complete the entire study unit independently according to the instructions given by the teacher. The student has two study periods to complete the unit, and any previously completed parts of the incomplete study unit will not be counted. The curriculum of Turun normaalikoulun lukio determines which study units cannot be completed independently.

1. The student completes the entire study unit by participating in the teaching again. Sometimes the study unit may not be offered until the following school year.

Once the study period has started, the student cannot drop a study unit they have chosen. It must be completed in full. Absences must always be explained.

Mobile device and phone use

Students may use smartphones and mobile devices during lessons only with the teacher’s permission. Recording video or audio of others’ conversations at school is not allowed unless the principal has given special permission.

Students are not allowed to have smartphones with them during exams. Wristwatches are also not allowed. If an supervisor sees a student with a smartphone or wristwatch during an exam, the student will be disqualified from the exam. For more information, see Cheating and plagiarism. There are separate instructions for the matriculation examination.

Use of tobacco products and intoxicating substances

Smoking and the use of tobacco products (including nicotine pouches and electronic cigarettes) is prohibited. If a student is seen using them at school, on school grounds, or during a school-organised trip or excursion, the matter will be discussed with the student, and the school rules and relevant laws will be reviewed. The guardian or legal representative of a minor will also be informed about the matter.

If a student has intoxicating substances with them at school, they will be confiscated. If a student is visibly intoxicated at school and/or during a school event, the student will be removed from the school for the remainder of the day. The principal or a teacher will inform the minor’s guardian or legal representative about the incident and file a child welfare notification.

The homeroom teacher or principal will organise an individual student welfare meeting to agree on further actions and division of responsibilities. Based on this agreement, the school’s multidisciplinary group will monitor the situation.

Cheating and plagiarism 

Plagiarism refers to dishonest conduct in written assignments, such as essays, reports or other written work. It includes the unauthorised borrowing of information, insufficient referencing to another person’s text, and presenting someone else’s text as one’s own. Plagiarism is literary theft: it involves using another person’s writing, sentences, paragraphs or entire work, or even presenting someone else’s thoughts or ideas, without proper citation. In this context, presenting work completed by someone else as one’s own, or presenting collaboratively completed work as one’s own, can also be considered cheating. Sources must also be cited for any borrowed texts, tables, diagrams, images and literary excerpts.

If, after hearing the student, the teacher considers the plagiarism or cheating to be evident:

First time: If the teacher suspects cheating, the teacher is obliged to discuss the matter with the student. If it is established that cheating has occurred, the teacher informs the homeroom teacher and the principal of the incident. The principal records the incident in the school’s administrative system. The homeroom teacher informs the guardian or legal representative of the minor student about the incident. The teacher rejects the student’s work in question. The work cannot be resubmitted, which will negatively affect the assessment of the study unit. The student also loses the opportunity to receive feedback on their work.

Second time, plagiarism or cheating is evident: The teacher, homeroom teacher, student, principal, and the guardian/legal representative of a minor student hold a joint discussion. After hearing the student, the principal issues a written warning to the student. The principal records in the administrative system that a discussion has been held and a written warning issued.

Third time, plagiarism or cheating is evident: If a student is caught plagiarising for the third time during their general upper secondary studies, the principal will decide whether to start suspension proceedings for a fixed period. The principal talk to student before making this decision.

Use of AI applications in studies

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications are continuously developing tools of the future workplace. Therefore, it is important for both teachers and students to familiarise themselves with how AI applications work, their features and usage.

AI can be used to support learning, but it does not replace the student’s own learning process. AI applications may be used to help with idea generation, as well as combining and repeating information, but the student must still carry out the thinking independently. If a student uses AI to generate text, images or other content, they are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the material and for properly citing sources. The use of AI applications must always be clearly indicated.

The use of AI applications in a study unit is agreed upon at the beginning of the study unit or when necessary. Teachers have the right to prohibit the use of AI applications in a study unit or in a specific assignment.

Damaging property and endangering security 

Damaging school property or another student’s property

The principle investigates what has happened, for example, by interviewing or reviewing surveillance footage.

The principal holds a meeting with those involved, and decisions about the matter and any compensation for the damage are made according to the circumstances.

If necessary, the principal will contact the police.

Possession of prohibited items

When the matter comes to light, the student is asked to hand the item over to a teacher or the principal. If the student refuses to hand over the item or denies possession, a search is conducted by two staff members.

The item is confiscated and, depending on the situation, may be returned to the student at the end of the school day or handed over to the guardian or legal representative of a minor.

The teacher or principal informs the guardian or legal representative of the minor, and depending on the situation, the matter may also be reported to the police.

A student who is disruptive or endangers safety

According to Section 41 of the Act on General Upper Secondary Education, a student who disrupts instruction may ordered to leave the classroom or other place of instruction for the remainder of the lesson, or be ordered to leave a school function.

According to Section 43 of the Act on General Upper Secondary Education, the principal and teacher have the right to remove from the classroom or other teaching facility or school function a student who fails to comply with the order to leave referred to in the Act. If the student to be removed resists the efforts to remove them, the principal and teachers have the right to remove the student using reasonable coercive measures deemed necessary with due regard to the student’s age and the imminence of the threat or the degree of resistance put up by the student based on an overall assessment of all relevant circumstances.

A student who uses a mobile device without permission may also be removed from the lesson or an event organised by the school. However, the right to confiscate as stated in Section 45 of the Act on General Upper Secondary Education does not apply to phones or other mobile devices. The right to inspect items in a student’s possession, as stated in Section 46 of the Act on General Upper Secondary Education, does not allow the inspection to be carried out for the purpose of confiscating a phone or other mobile device.

A report is made to the police in cases where safety is endangered.

Threats made online are also reported to the police.

Disciplinary measures 

Under Section 41 of the Act on General Upper Secondary Education, a written warning may be issued if the student

• repeatedly disrupts instruction

• breaches order

• cheats

Before issuing a written warning, the student must be heard and any other necessary information gathered. Before imposing a disciplinary sanction, the guardian of a minor student must be given an opportunity to be heard. The written warning shall be issued by the principal.

Suspension for a fixed period

If the breach is serious or if the student carries on with the inappropriate conduct after being issued a written warning, the student may be suspended from the school for a fixed period of time not exceeding one year. If the student is within the scope of compulsory education they may be suspended for a maximum period of three months.

Before suspension, the student must be heard and any other necessary information gathered. The guardian or legal representative of an minor student must also be given an opportunity to be heard. The decision regrading suspension is made by the principal of the general upper secondary school.

Matters currently under court proceedings and cases leading to an exclusion process are always handled and resolved on a case-by-case basis. Serious and repeated breaches during the school day may also result in a report of an offence to the police and/or a child welfare notification. If a student is under investigation for a suspected crime, their right to attend school may be suspended for the duration of the investigation if justified by the nature of the suspected offence or related circumstances. This is done in cooperation with the lead investigator.

Principles of compliance with the general principles of legal protection in governance when using disciplinary measures

If disciplinary action is to be taken, the student concerned must be heard. The student always has the right to request the presence of a guardian or legal representative during the hearing. The principal conducts the hearing, unless they are involved in the matter. If the principal is involved, the vice-principal handles the matter. The hearing is documented and signed by the principal, the student concerned and, if present, the guardian or legal representative of the student. The measures must be based on appropriate, generally accepted and objective reasons. The same sanctions must be imposed for similar acts regardless of who committed them, however so that recurrence of acts may be taken into account as aggravating circumstances. The disciplinary consequences must be in proportion to the act. They shall not be used for inappropriate purposes, such as to humiliate the student.