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NSW School Holidays & Term Dates 2026

Schools in Central Coast follow the New South Wales calendar, which runs across four terms in 2026. Here are the official term dates and every school-holiday period for the year.

Updated 13 July 2026 · Source: NSW Department of Education

NSW school term dates 2026

TermStudents startTerm ends
Term 1Monday 2 FebruaryThursday 2 April
Term 2Wednesday 22 AprilFriday 3 July
Term 3Tuesday 21 JulyFriday 25 September
Term 4Tuesday 13 OctoberThursday 17 December

Dates are for the Eastern Division, which covers Sydney and most of NSW. A small number of Western Division schools in the far west start later.

NSW school holidays 2026

  1. Autumn holidays7 April – 17 April
  2. Winter holidays6 July – 17 July
  3. Spring holidays28 September – 9 October
  4. Summer holidaysFrom 18 December

Holiday breaks are the periods between terms. The summer break runs through to the start of the 2027 school year.

NSW school holidays: your questions

What are the NSW school term dates for 2026?

For New South Wales government schools in 2026: Term 1 runs Monday 2 February to Thursday 2 April; Term 2 runs Wednesday 22 April to Friday 3 July; Term 3 runs Tuesday 21 July to Friday 25 September; Term 4 runs Tuesday 13 October to Thursday 17 December.

When do the NSW school holidays start in 2026?

The first NSW government-school break of 2026 falls 7 april – 17 april, after Term 1 ends on Thursday 2 April. Students return for Term 2 on Wednesday 22 April.

When are the mid-year school holidays in NSW in 2026?

The 2026 mid-year (winter) break in New South Wales falls 6 july – 17 july, after Term 2 ends on Friday 3 July.

Do Catholic and independent schools follow the same dates?

These are the NSW Department of Education dates for government schools. Most Catholic and independent schools follow similar term dates, but pupil-free days and start dates can differ by a day or two, so always confirm the exact 2026 dates with your school.

Always confirm exact 2026 dates with the NSW Department of Education or your school, as pupil-free days can vary.

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