Autumn school holidays
Between Term 1 and Term 2
3 April 2026 - 21 April 2026
19
days off
New South Wales School Holidays 2026 & Term Dates
Current School Term Status
Term 3 is currently running
16
days left
Term 3 ends on Friday, 25 September 2026.
Next break: Spring school holidays starts after Friday, 25 September 2026.
Live School Term Tracker
New South Wales school term countdown 2026
Live countdown, current school week and a date checker - calculated from the official dates on this page.
17 days until the Spring holidays begin
Term 3 is running now. After it, the Spring holidays run 26 Sep 2026 to 12 Oct 2026.
Week 8 of 10 - Term 3
Last day of schoolFriday, 25 September 2026Term 3 ends
Holidays beginSaturday, 26 September 2026Spring holidays
Counting down to the Spring holidays
17
Days
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Pick a date to see whether schools are in term or on holidays then - and which week of term it falls in.
Pick a date above to check its school-term status.
📅 2026 New South Wales School Term Dates
Use the table below as the main reference for New South Wales 2026 school term dates.
| Term | Starts | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | 2 February 2026 | 2 April 2026 | 9 weeks |
| Term 2 | 22 April 2026 | 3 July 2026 | 11 weeks |
| Term 3 | 21 July 2026 | 25 September 2026 | 10 weeks |
| Term 4 | 13 October 2026 | 17 December 2026 | 10 weeks |
🏖️ School Holidays NSW 2026
These are the main school holiday breaks between terms in New South Wales for 2026. Use them as a planning guide and confirm details with your school when needed.
Winter school holidays
Between Term 2 and Term 3
4 July 2026 - 20 July 2026
17
days off
Spring school holidays
Between Term 3 and Term 4
26 September 2026 - 12 October 2026
17
days off
Summer school holidays
After Term 4 2026
18 December 2026 - 27 January 2027
41
days off
New South Wales 2026 school year at a glance
- Total school terms: 4
- Total instructional time: 40 weeks across the four terms
- Longest term: Term 2 (11 weeks)
- Shortest term: Term 1 (9 weeks)
- Total school holiday time: 94 days across the four holiday breaks
- Longest break: Summer school holidays, at 41 days
2026 has the least total instructional time of the 5 years shown on this site, at 40 weeks across the four terms — 2 fewer than the longest year (42 weeks). Its 41-day summer holidays are the longest of the years with confirmed dates on this site.
Compared to 2027: Term 1 2026 falls 5 days later than Term 1 2027, Term 4 2026 falls 3 days earlier than Term 4 2027, and total school holiday time is 6 days more in 2026 than in 2027 (94 vs 88).
These figures are calculated directly from the term and school holiday dates listed on this page.
Plain-English summary for New South Wales 2026
New South Wales school students generally have four school terms in 2026, with autumn, winter, spring and summer holiday breaks between terms.
- School year starts: 2 February 2026.
- School year ends: 17 December 2026.
- Important note: Government, Catholic, independent and private schools may use different student dates, so families should confirm dates with their school.
The detailed term dates and school holiday tables above remain the main reference. This section is only a quick plain-English explanation.
Download and print NSW 2026 school calendar
Download the New South Wales 2026 school calendar as an iCal file, import it into Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar, or print this page for offline planning.
22 calendar items included. The file includes available term dates, school holiday breaks and public holidays that appear on this page. Always confirm dates with the official source and your school.
2026 Public Holidays in New South Wales
NSW public holidays include a bank holiday entry that may not apply to everyone. Schools can also set school development days separately from public holidays.
| Public holiday | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thursday, 1 January 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Australia Day | Monday, 26 January 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Good Friday | Friday, 3 April 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Day after Good Friday (Easter Saturday) | Saturday, 4 April 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday, 5 April 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Easter Monday | Monday, 6 April 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| ANZAC Day | Saturday, 25 April 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| ANZAC Day Additional Holiday | Monday, 27 April 2026 | Additional public holiday. |
| King’s Birthday | Monday, 8 June 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Bank Holiday | Monday, 3 August 2026 | Bank holiday; may not apply to everyone. |
| Labour Day | Monday, 5 October 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Christmas Day | Friday, 25 December 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Boxing Day | Saturday, 26 December 2026 | Statewide public holiday. |
| Boxing Day Holiday | Monday, 28 December 2026 | Additional public holiday. |
Use this table as a planning guide only. Confirm public holidays, regional holidays and school-specific arrangements with the official NSW government source and your school.
See the full NSW 2026 public holiday list, with types and long weekends →
Good to know: New South Wales planning notes for 2026
NSW is one of the few states where Term 1 start dates can differ within the state itself: the Eastern Division and Western Division sometimes start a few days apart, so it’s worth checking which division applies to your school. NSW also observes a Bank Holiday on the first Monday in August, but unlike most public holidays it mainly affects banks and some public sector workers rather than schools, shops or the general workforce. Catholic systemic schools (run through the local Catholic diocese) generally track NSW government dates closely, but independent schools can vary more. New South Wales calls its pupil-free days School Development Days. The dates are set centrally by the NSW Department of Education rather than by individual schools, so once the department publishes its calendar the same dates apply to every NSW government school. The 2026 NSW Bank Holiday falls on 3 August 2026 — see the NSW public holidays page for the full 2026 list.
Frequently asked questions about 2026 school dates
When do New South Wales schools go back in 2026?
The first day of Term 1 starts on 2 February 2026.
When are school holidays NSW 2026?
School holidays NSW 2026 are the breaks listed above between each school term. The final summer holiday starts after Term 4 ends on 17 December 2026.
What are the term dates New South Wales 2026?
Term dates New South Wales 2026 are: Term 1 runs from 2 February 2026 to 2 April 2026, Term 2 runs from 22 April 2026 to 3 July 2026, Term 3 runs from 21 July 2026 to 25 September 2026, Term 4 runs from 13 October 2026 to 17 December 2026.
Are these dates the same for every New South Wales school?
No. These dates are based on New South Wales government schools. Independent, private and Catholic schools may set different student dates or pupil-free days.
Why do some NSW term dates show an Eastern and Western Division?
NSW splits some of its term dates between an Eastern Division and a Western Division, mainly affecting when Term 1 begins. Check which division your school falls under if the page notes a difference for the year you’re planning around.
Do Catholic schools in NSW follow the same term dates?
Catholic systemic schools generally follow term dates very close to the NSW government calendar, but individual schools can set their own pupil-free and staff development days. Independent schools have more flexibility and can differ by several days.
Where can I confirm official NSW school term dates?
The NSW Department of Education publishes official term and vacation dates at education.nsw.gov.au, linked from the source note on this page. Check there directly for the latest confirmed dates.