School calendar: When do the South African school holidays start in December?
Mark your calendars! School holidays start on 11 December 2025. With 33 days of holiday it’s the perfect time to plan that family getaway.
The Department of Basic Education has confirmed that this year’s December school holidays will begin on Thursday, 11 December 2025.
The Department of Basic Education has confirmed that this year’s December school holidays will begin following the end of the fourth term on Thursday, 11 December 2025.
Pupils will return to their desks on Tuesday, 13 January 2026 for Term 1.
That means a December-January holiday period of 33 days – including weekends.
School term dates
The 2026 school year is divided into four terms:
- Term 1: 13 January to 19 March
- Term 2: 6 April to 25 June
- Term 3: 20 July to 22 September
- Term 4: 6 October to 11 December
All provinces in South Africa follow the same school calendar. Private schools may have different term dates.
This means that whether you’re in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Western Cape, or any other province, the school holidays begin on the same date.
The 2026 academic year consists of 200 school days.
Public holidays during December
The December break includes three important public holidays:
- 16 December: Day of Reconciliation
- 25 December: Christmas Day
- 26 December: Day of Goodwill
Parents, how excited are you about the upcoming school holidays?