When Do Kids Go Back To School

When do kids go back to school after summer?

Most countries operate a long summer recess where children are not required to be in school. The timing and duration of this recess (or summer holiday) varies from country to country. The main factors affecting the dates are the climate and geography of the country in question

How long are summer holidays?

Countries not listed typically adopt back-to-school dates in line with countries close to them geographically. 

When do kids go back to school in England and Wales?

In state schools in England and Wales, the autumn term usually starts in the first week of September, after a 6 or 7 week summer holiday period. Independent schools go back around the same time, although their summer holidays tend to be longer (8 or 9 weeks). There are usually 2 weeks at Christmas (from approx 20 December to 3 January) and two weeks at Easter. Because Easter is a movable holiday, the exact 2-week holiday period varies from year to year. Schools and local authorities publish their term dates 2-3 years ahead to give families a view of when holidays can be taken. Each of the three terms has a mid-term break of 1 week, typically mid-October, mid-February and the end of May/early June.

When do kids go back to school in Scotland?

In Scotland, the summer holiday ends in mid-August. There are further holidays of 1 - 2  weeks in October, at Christmas and at Easter. Some local education authorities have a short break in mid-February. Schools also have a number of one-day holidays, which matches the Scottish public holiday calendar.

When do kids go back to school in Northern Ireland?

1st week of September; the summer break covers all of July and August. Christmas and Easter are shorter breaks than in England, at just over one week each. There are short (two-day) mid-term breaks at Halloween and in mid-February, along with a number of one-day holidays in line with the Northern Ireland pattern of public holidays.