Finnish children sign up for school at age 7 after several years of preschool focused on language and physical development. Schools in Finland tend to be small with 300-400 students due to smaller population centers. Local teachers have autonomy to manage their own schools and curricula. The school day is shorter than in the US and includes more outdoor play and activities. Students attend primary schools for 5-7 years before choosing a vocational or academic secondary school path. The key differences between Finland and the US systems are that Finland focuses kindergarten on developing language and physical skills rather than early reading/math as in the US, and Finland starts reading instruction at age 7 rather than 5 in the US.