NSW Department of Education - 2026 term dates
Source checked for student dates, school development days and Eastern/Western Division holiday differences.
Verified government school dates
NSW School Holidays and Term Dates 2026
Check the official 2026 government school holiday dates for New South Wales, including the next break, back-to-school dates and the Eastern and Western Division calendars.
Next listed break: Winter school holidays, 6 July 2026 to 17 July 2026 .
New South Wales 2026 dates
The default calendar shown first is Eastern Division. Where the official source publishes variants, each variant is listed separately below.
NSW
Eastern Division
| Break | Dates | School returns | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2025-26 school holidays | 22 December 2025 to 26 January 2026 | 2 Feb 2026 | Eastern Division summer holidays end before Term 1 school development days. |
| Autumn school holidays | 7 April 2026 to 17 April 2026 | 22 Apr 2026 | |
| Winter school holidays | 6 July 2026 to 17 July 2026 | 21 July 2026 | |
| Spring school holidays | 28 September 2026 to 9 October 2026 | 13 Oct 2026 | |
| Summer 2026-27 school holidays | 18 December 2026 to 27 January 2027 | Check next year source | The official 2026 page lists the holiday period; confirm 2027 student return dates before publishing a 2027 page. |
| Term | Student dates | Teacher start | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | 2 February 2026 to 2 April 2026 | 27 Jan 2026 | |
| Term 2 | 22 April 2026 to 3 July 2026 | 20 Apr 2026 | |
| Term 3 | 21 July 2026 to 25 September 2026 | 20 July 2026 | |
| Term 4 | 13 October 2026 to 17 December 2026 | 12 Oct 2026 |
NSW
Western Division
| Break | Dates | School returns | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2025-26 school holidays | 22 December 2025 to 2 February 2026 | 9 Feb 2026 | Western Division schools receive additional vacation days at the beginning of the year. |
| Autumn school holidays | 7 April 2026 to 17 April 2026 | 22 Apr 2026 | |
| Winter school holidays | 6 July 2026 to 17 July 2026 | 21 July 2026 | |
| Spring school holidays | 28 September 2026 to 9 October 2026 | 13 Oct 2026 | |
| Summer 2026-27 school holidays | 18 December 2026 to 3 February 2027 | Check next year source | The official 2026 page lists the Western Division holiday period; confirm 2027 student return dates before publishing a 2027 page. |
| Term | Student dates | Teacher start | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | 9 February 2026 to 2 April 2026 | 3 Feb 2026 | |
| Term 2 | 22 April 2026 to 3 July 2026 | 20 Apr 2026 | |
| Term 3 | 21 July 2026 to 25 September 2026 | 20 July 2026 | |
| Term 4 | 13 October 2026 to 17 December 2026 | 12 Oct 2026 |
NSW notes
- NSW is split into Eastern and Western divisions at the start of the school year.
- Western Division schools in the far west receive additional vacation days before Term 1.
- School development days are not student attendance days.
- Western Division schools in the far west of NSW start later in Term 1.
- School development days are listed separately by the NSW Department of Education and students do not attend on those days.
- Catholic, independent and individual school dates can vary.
Official sources
FAQ
Are NSW Eastern and Western Division dates different?
Yes. The 2026 NSW source lists different Term 1 student starts and summer holiday endings for Eastern and Western Division schools.
When are the next NSW school holidays?
Use the countdown on this page and select the relevant NSW division. It calculates the next listed break from the verified 2026 source data.
Do Catholic schools use the same NSW calendar?
Not necessarily. This page covers NSW government schools. Catholic, independent and individual school dates may vary.