Schooling in Italy is divided into several stages, starting with scuola dell'infanzia (preschool) for children aged 3 to 6. This is followed by scuola primaria (primary school), which lasts for five years and is for children aged 6 to 11. Education is compulsory from ages 6 to 16, covering both primary and lower secondary education. After primary school, students attend scuola secondaria di primo grado (lower secondary school) for three years, followed by scuola secondaria di secondo grado (upper secondary school), which lasts for five years. Students can choose between different types of upper secondary schools, including liceo (academic), istituto tecnico (technical), and istituto professionale (vocational).