School Calendar 2027 South Africa: Term Dates, Holidays and Long Weekends

South Africa's 2027 public school year starts on 13 January and ends on 8 December, in four terms: 13 January to 19 March, 6 April to 25 June, 20 July to 22 September, and 5 October to 8 December. The dates come from the Department of Basic Education's gazetted 2027 calendar.

Whether you're booking holidays, planning a move or deciding when to change schools, the 2027 calendar shapes the year. Here are the official public school term dates, the school holidays between them, every public holiday and long weekend, and what the calendar means if you're considering online school.

2027 school term dates

From the Department of Basic Education's 2027 Calendar for Public Schools:

• Term 1: Wednesday 13 January – Friday 19 March 2027

• Term 2: Tuesday 6 April – Friday 25 June 2027

• Term 3: Tuesday 20 July – Wednesday 22 September 2027

• Term 4: Tuesday 5 October – Wednesday 8 December 2027

For teachers: educators report on 11 January and close on 10 December, two days before learners arrive and two days after they leave.

One calendar for the whole country. All provinces follow the same public school calendar.

How many school days are there in 2027?

By our count, 197, once weekends and the public and special school holidays that fall inside the terms are removed:

• Term 1: 48 school days

• Term 2: 56 school days — the longest term, despite losing 26 April, 27 April and 16 June

• Term 3: 46 school days, with Women's Day on Monday 9 August

• Term 4: 47 school days

Calculated from the gazetted term dates and public holidays.

2027 school holidays

Between the terms:

• Autumn holiday: 20 March – 5 April 2027, including the Easter weekend

• Winter holiday: 26 June – 19 July 2027

• Spring holiday: 23 September – 4 October 2027, including Heritage Day

• Summer holiday: from 9 December 2027

The longest break mid-year is the winter holiday, at just over three weeks. The autumn and spring holidays are shorter, at around two weeks each, and both include a public holiday — Easter in autumn and Heritage Day in spring — which makes them popular times for short family trips and visits.

Public holidays 2027

• 1 January — New Year's Day

• 21 March — Human Rights Day (a Sunday)

• 22 March — public holiday (Monday, as Human Rights Day falls on a Sunday)

• 26 March — Good Friday

• 29 March — Family Day

• 26 April — special school holiday

• 27 April — Freedom Day

• 1 May — Workers' Day

• 16 June — Youth Day

• 9 August — National Women's Day

• 24 September — Heritage Day

• 16 December — Day of Reconciliation

• 25 December — Christmas Day

• 26 December — Day of Goodwill

• 27 December — public holiday

Long weekends and school breaks in 2027

The calendar creates several natural breaks:

• Easter, 26–29 March — falls inside the autumn school holiday

• Freedom Day, 26–27 April — the special school holiday on Monday 26 April and Freedom Day on Tuesday make a four-day weekend for schools

• Women's Day, 9 August — a Monday, giving a long weekend during Term 3

• Heritage Day, 24 September — falls inside the spring holiday

Planning a family trip? The autumn and spring holidays are short; the winter and summer holidays give the most room.

When does the matric year happen?

Matric learners follow the same term structure, with the final National Senior Certificate examinations usually running from late October into late November. The exam boards publish their timetables during the year.

Key dates for the matric class of 2027 at Teneo:

• Grade 12 enrolment closes earlier than other grades, on the exam boards' cut-off dates

• Grade 12 exam board fees must be paid to Teneo by 31 March 2027 under its fee policy, so learners can be registered

See online Grade 12.

A 2027 calendar checklist for families

• Before 13 January: stationery, textbooks, devices and uniforms or equipment sorted; for online school, a quiet workspace and a tested connection

• January: matric results for the class of 2026 are released, and university registration begins — a busy month if you have an older child

• By 31 March: Grade 12 exam board fees due at Teneo for the matric class of 2027

• Autumn holiday (20 March – 5 April): a natural point to review Term 1 marks and adjust support

• Winter holiday (26 June – 19 July): for Grade 11s and matrics, the time to plan university applications, which open from around April

• Spring holiday (23 September – 4 October): final revision window before matric examinations

• October and November: National Senior Certificate examinations

Put the dates in your calendar now — the deadlines that catch families out are the ones that fall outside term time.

Do independent and online schools follow this calendar?

Not necessarily. The DBE calendar applies to public schools. Independent and online schools set their own term dates, though many follow a similar pattern.

At Teneo: confirm the 2027 term dates on enrolment. Every live lesson is recorded, so a learner who misses lessons for a family trip can catch up — but learners should still follow the assessment timetable.

How Teneo's calendar has compared

In 2026, Teneo's terms tracked the public calendar closely: 12 January – 25 March, 7 April – 26 June, 20 July – 23 September and 5 October – 9 December.

Expect a similar pattern in 2027, and confirm the exact dates on enrolment. A few days' difference is normal between public, independent and online schools.

What doesn't depend on the calendar at Teneo: recorded lessons stay available, and families can travel during term with lessons waiting when they return — though assessments still follow the timetable.

Planning a school change around the 2027 calendar

The cleanest time to change schools is the start of the school year in January, when every learner starts a new grade.

If you're considering online school for 2027:

• Enrol before January to start with everyone else — Teneo accepts enrolments all year, and 2027 enrolments are opening now

• Mid-year changes work too. Teneo's registration fee is lower for learners who join from term 2

• Grade 12 has earlier deadlines, so decide on matric moves early

Fees for 2027 depend on grade and learning option — see the 2027 fees and the learning options.

Using the calendar to plan the year

Term 1 (13 January – 19 March): settling in, routines and the first assessments. For matrics, the 31 March exam-fee deadline falls just after the term ends.

Term 2 (6 April – 25 June): usually the busiest assessment term, with mid-year examinations in many schools.

Term 3 (20 July – 22 September): for matrics, preliminary examinations and final preparation.

Term 4 (5 October – 8 December): final examinations, and for matrics the National Senior Certificate.

A tip for families with several children: if your children attend different schools, compare each school's calendar early — independent and online schools may differ from the public calendar by a few days.

Frequently asked questions

When does school start in 2027 in South Africa? Public schools start on Wednesday 13 January 2027. Teachers report on 11 January.

When does school close in 2027? Term 4 ends on Wednesday 8 December 2027 for learners, and teachers close on 10 December.

What are the 2027 school term dates? Term 1: 13 January – 19 March; Term 2: 6 April – 25 June; Term 3: 20 July – 22 September; Term 4: 5 October – 8 December.

When are the 2027 school holidays? 20 March – 5 April, 26 June – 19 July, 23 September – 4 October, and from 9 December.

Is there a school holiday in April 2027? Yes — the autumn holiday runs from 20 March to 5 April, and Monday 26 April is a special school holiday before Freedom Day.

Do online schools follow the public school calendar? Not necessarily. Independent and online schools set their own dates. Confirm Teneo's 2027 term dates on enrolment.

How many school days are there in 2027? 197 by our count, after weekends and the holidays that fall inside the terms: 48 in Term 1, 56 in Term 2, 46 in Term 3 and 47 in Term 4.

What are the long weekends in 2027? Easter (26–29 March, inside the autumn holiday), a four-day Freedom Day weekend for schools (24–27 April), Women's Day (Monday 9 August) and Heritage Day (inside the spring holiday).

Source: Department of Basic Education, 2027 Calendar for Public Schools (Government Gazette 52178). Ready to plan 2027? Talk to admissions.