About the school
State upper secondary schools
Pelgulinna State Upper Secondary School (Pelgulinna riigigümnaasium – PERG) is one of the three new state upper secondary schools that opened in Tallinn in September 2023. The building is situated on Kolde puiestee, and construction was completed in August 2023. In its first year, 360 pupils were admitted and enrolled in the 10th grade. Like the other two recently opened state upper secondary schools in Tallinn, Pelgulinna is designed for gymnasium level only, serving grades 10-12. The school started with the 10th grade and will grow gradually. At full capacity in 2025, the school will accommodate 1,080 pupils, making it one of the largest upper secondary schools in the country.
To provide high-quality general secondary education and ensure a more efficient school network, the Ministry of Education and Research has initiated the establishment of state upper secondary schools where studies are conducted for grades 10-12 in regional centers. Pelgulinna State Gymnasium is part of this network and collaborates with other state upper secondary schools to offer high-quality general education alongside a variety of options and opportunities.
Focus theme and curriculum
At Pelgulinna State Upper Secondary School, pupils learn to address social problems that have broader implications, with a focus on sustainability from both social and environmental perspectives. In addition to a comprehensive general education, every pupil can customize their learning path through a varied selection of elective subjects, concentrating on natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, or a combination of different fields of study.
Each pupil is supported in their development by a mentor. In addition to mandatory subjects (as outlined in the state curriculum), pupils can choose from a variety of elective subjects included in optional modules covering diverse areas such as media, theater, mathematics, and programming. This extensive selection of elective subjects is made possible through collaboration between PERG and various organizations (NGOs) and educational institutions, including local universities.
The main values and principles considered while establishing the school were:
- We are responsible for our influence.
- We work together and are flexible.
- We focus on solutions rather than problems.
- We aim to create an engaging school experience; we are adventurous.
Read about us in the Guardian.
School building
Sustainability was a key consideration in the architecture of the school building, with local wood as the primary building material. At the time of its opening, the school was the largest wooden building in Estonia, covering an area of over 8,200 m².
The interior of the building has a natural atmosphere. Real trees grow inside (in the foyer, open hall area, and library), and there are laboratories for natural science classes, music classrooms, project classrooms, and larger auditoriums. The facilities also include gyms and a yoga room for practicing various physical activities, both within the official curriculum and during after-school training sessions.
The school is surrounded by an open park, which features an outdoor gym, a ball court, ping pong tables, and an exhibition area. All of these facilities are accessible to the local community and visitors. There are parking spots for several hundred bicycles in the park area.
The building was designed by the Estonian architectural bureau Arhitekt Must, based on their vision “Seven Brothers.” The project was authored by architects Ott Alver, Alvin Järving, Mari Rass, Jõnn Sooniste, Katrin Vilberg, Lisett Laurimäe, Karoliine Kuus, and Kaire Koidu. The construction was funded by the state budget and the European Regional Development Fund.