Academic term
In most countries, the academic year begins in late summer or early autumn and ends during the following spring or summer. In Northern Hemisphere countries, this means that the academic year lasts from August, September, or October to May, June, or July. In Southern Hemisphere countries, the academic year aligns with the calendar year, lasting from February or March to November or December. The summer may or may not be part of the term system.
Volksschule
In Germany and Switzerland it is equivalent to a combined primary ("Grundschule" and "Primarschule", respectively) and lower secondary education ("Hauptschule" or "Sekundarschule"), usually comprising a mandatory attendance over a period of nine years. In Austria, "Volksschule" solely is used for primary school from Year One to Year Four. In the Nordic countries they are referred to as "Folkskolen" and in Finnish, in a direct translation, as "Kansakoulu"; these schools covered the first years of primary education, from the ages of 7 to 11 or 12.