The Ministry of Education has published term dates for state and state-integrated schools for 2026, 2027 and 2028. The next school holidays are the summer holidays, which start no later than Saturday 19 December 2026. Term 4 2026 runs from Monday 12 October to no later than Friday 18 December.
2026 term dates
| Term | Dates | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Starts between Mon 26 Jan and Mon 9 Feb, ends Thu 2 Apr | Up to 10 weeks |
| Term 2 | Mon 20 Apr to Fri 3 Jul | 11 weeks |
| Term 3 | Mon 20 Jul to Fri 25 Sep | 10 weeks |
| Term 4 | Mon 12 Oct to no later than Fri 18 Dec | Up to 10 weeks |
2026 school holidays
| Break | Dates |
|---|---|
| Term 1 holidays (Easter) | Fri 3 Apr to Sun 19 Apr 2026 |
| Term 2 holidays (July) | Sat 4 Jul to Sun 19 Jul 2026 |
| Term 3 holidays (spring) | Sat 26 Sep to Sun 11 Oct 2026 |
| Summer holidays | Start no later than Sat 19 Dec 2026, for 5 or 6 weeks |
The Ministry lists these public holidays inside the 2026 terms: Waitangi Day (Friday 6 February), ANZAC Day observed (Monday 27 April), King's Birthday (Monday 1 June) and Labour Day (Monday 26 October). Waitangi Day only affects schools that had already started Term 1. Easter and Matariki (Friday 10 July) fell in the holidays. Our Labour Day 2026 guide covers the Term 4 long weekend.
2027 term dates
| Term | Dates | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Starts between Thu 28 Jan and Wed 3 Feb, ends Fri 9 Apr | Up to 11 weeks |
| Term 2 | Tue 27 Apr to Fri 2 Jul | 10 weeks |
| Term 3 | Mon 19 Jul to Fri 24 Sep | 10 weeks |
| Term 4 | Mon 11 Oct to no later than Fri 17 Dec | Up to 10 weeks |
2027 school holidays
| Break | Dates |
|---|---|
| Term 1 holidays (April) | Sat 10 Apr to Mon 26 Apr 2027 |
| Term 2 holidays (July) | Sat 3 Jul to Sun 18 Jul 2027 |
| Term 3 holidays (spring) | Sat 25 Sep to Sun 10 Oct 2027 |
| Summer holidays | Start no later than Sat 18 Dec 2027, for 5 or 6 weeks |
What's different about 2027
- Easter falls in Term 1. Good Friday (26 March), Easter Monday (29 March) and Easter Tuesday (30 March) all land during term, so schools close for those days. The April holidays start after Term 1 ends on Friday 9 April. See our Easter 2027 guide.
- Term 2 starts on a Tuesday. The April holidays end on Monday 26 April, which is the observed ANZAC Day holiday. Term 2 starts on Tuesday 27 April. More in our ANZAC Day 2027 guide.
- Waitangi Day is in Term 1. It falls on Saturday 6 February and is observed on Monday 8 February. See our Waitangi Day 2027 guide.
- Two public holidays in Term 2. King's Birthday is Monday 7 June and Matariki is Friday 25 June, both in term time.
2028 term dates
The Ministry has also set the 2028 dates.
| Term | Dates |
|---|---|
| Term 1 | Starts between Mon 31 Jan and Tue 8 Feb, ends Thu 13 Apr |
| Term 2 | Mon 1 May to Fri 7 Jul |
| Term 3 | Mon 24 Jul to Fri 29 Sep |
| Term 4 | Mon 16 Oct to no later than Fri 15 Dec |
The 2028 holidays are Friday 14 April to Sunday 30 April, Saturday 8 July to Sunday 23 July, and Saturday 30 September to Sunday 15 October. Summer holidays start no later than Saturday 16 December 2028.
Why your school's dates might differ
In the Ministry's words, schools "have some flexibility to decide when Term 1 starts, and when Term 4 finishes. Terms 2 and 3 are fixed." Each school picks a Term 1 start date inside the window and a Term 4 finish date before the cut-off. Secondary schools must be open for slightly fewer days than primary schools, so they may finish earlier in December.
During term, schools also close for:
- weekends
- teacher-only days
- public holidays and local anniversary days
- the Tuesday after Easter Monday
- emergencies that require the school to close.
Anniversary days vary by region, so a school in Canterbury closes on different days from one in Auckland. Our public holidays tool lists each region's anniversary day.
Private schools and early childhood
Private schools can set their own terms and holidays, and they can open on Easter Tuesday. Some early childhood services follow the school terms. Full-time daycare is usually open through the school holidays but closes over Christmas. Check with your school or service.
Common questions
When do the 2026 summer school holidays start?
No later than Saturday 19 December 2026. Term 4 can end on Friday 18 December at the latest, and many schools finish earlier.
When does school go back in 2027?
Term 1 2027 starts between Thursday 28 January and Wednesday 3 February. Your school picks the exact day.
When are the April 2027 school holidays?
Saturday 10 April to Monday 26 April 2027. Term 2 starts on Tuesday 27 April.
When are the July 2027 school holidays?
Saturday 3 July to Sunday 18 July 2027.
When are the October 2027 school holidays?
Saturday 25 September to Sunday 10 October 2027.
Do these dates apply to private schools?
Not necessarily. These are the dates for state and state-integrated schools. Private schools can set different terms, so check with the school.
Source: Ministry of Education, School terms and holidays dates, for all term and holiday dates, closure days and the quote above. Also School opening and closing for instruction. Public holiday dates from Employment New Zealand, Public holidays and anniversary dates. Dates checked October 2026.