What is it about schools in Finland?

Finland is one the world’s most literate nations in the world with the narrowest gap between those who score the highest and lowest on achievement tests...

The four fundamental building blocks on which Finnish education is built are: all schools must be good schools, schools should constantly review and change to meet changing needs, successful schools should be at the heart of their communities, teachers should be respected and held in high regard. Just proves that there is nothing new, innovative or different about their success. It's also interesting that Finnish schools use the same curriculum for all their students who don’t start school until they are seven and never have a lot of homework. They are not obsessed with testing although diagnostic tests are used early used in a child’s schooling and with students falling behind who need extra help.Teaching is collaborative and co-operative so that teachers visit each other’s classes regularly and receive one afternoon a week of professional and curriculum development. 
Chris