The German term Volksschule generally refers to compulsory education, denoting an educational institution every person (i.e. the people, Volk) is required to attend. In Germany and Switzerland it is equivalent to a combined primary (Grundschule and Primarschule, respectively) and lower secondary education (Hauptschule or Sekundarschule), usually comprising mandatory attendance of nine years. In Austria, Volksschule only refers to primary school lasting four years. In the Nordic countries, they were referred to as folkskolen; the Finnish term kansakoulu is a direct translation; these schools covered the first years of primary education, from the ages of 7 to 11 or 12.