The school calendar 2027 for South Africa was officially published by the Department of Basic Education on Thursday, February 26, 2025, establishing a unified academic framework for all nine provinces.
This marks the continuation of the national standardization policy that eliminated the historic Inland-Coastal divide, ensuring learners in Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Free State, and Northern Cape follow identical term dates.
The academic year comprises four distinct terms spanning January through December, with teachers reporting on Monday, January 11, 2027, and learners commencing classes on Wednesday, January 13, 2027.
The calendar was gazetted under the National Education Policy Act and published in Government Gazette Notice No. 2027/DBE-001, providing legal authority for the 197 instructional days scheduled for learners across public schools.
Parents, educators, and employers rely on this calendar to coordinate annual leave, plan family travel during school holidays, and structure assessment schedules.
The 2027 calendar integrates all nationally recognized public holidays, including Freedom Day, Youth Day, and Heritage Day, which reduce classroom time but do not alter term boundaries.
Provincial education departments—including the Gauteng Department of Education, Western Cape Education Department, and Eastern Cape Department of Education—implement these dates uniformly, though individual schools may schedule specific events like sports days or parent-teacher conferences on different dates within the prescribed framework.
Table of Contents
Official 2027 School Term Dates and Structure
Term 1: January to March 2027
The first term of 2027 begins on Wednesday, January 13, 2027, and concludes on Friday, March 19, 2027. Teachers return to school two days earlier on Monday, January 11, 2027, for administrative preparation and planning sessions. This 10-week period delivers 48 instructional days for learners, with no public holidays interrupting the academic schedule.
Term 1 establishes foundational learning outcomes across all grades. Primary schools focus on literacy and numeracy baselines, while secondary schools introduce annual curriculum content aligned with the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). Grade 12 learners begin preparation for the National Senior Certificate examinations scheduled for October and November 2027.
The term ends before the Easter period, which falls on Friday, March 26, 2027 (Good Friday) through Monday, March 29, 2027 (Easter Monday). This timing allows families to observe religious holidays during the scheduled school break without classroom disruption.
Check Out: TVET College Calendar 2026-2027.
Term 2: April to June 2027
Term 2 spans from Tuesday, April 6, 2027, to Friday, June 25, 2027, covering 12 weeks with 56 instructional days. This term experiences the highest concentration of public holidays, reducing the 59 potential school days by three statutory closures:
| Public Holiday | Date | Day of Week |
|---|---|---|
| Special School Holiday | Monday, April 26, 2027 | Monday |
| Freedom Day | Tuesday, April 27, 2027 | Tuesday |
| Youth Day | Wednesday, June 16, 2027 | Monday |
The Department of Basic Education designated Monday, April 26, 2027, as a special school holiday to create an extended four-day weekend when combined with Freedom Day on Tuesday, April 27, 2027. This administrative decision acknowledges family travel patterns and reduces student absenteeism that typically occurs when public holidays fall mid-week.
Secondary schools conduct mid-year examinations during June 2027, with Grade 12 trial examinations often scheduled in the final two weeks of the term. These assessments provide critical feedback for curriculum pacing adjustments in the second half of the academic year.
Term 3: July to September 2027
The third term operates from Monday, July 20, 2027, to Friday, October 1, 2027, delivering 46 instructional days across 11 weeks. National Women’s Day on Monday, August 9, 2027, falls on a weekend and does not affect the school schedule. Heritage Day occurs on Friday, September 24, 2027, after the term concludes.
This term represents the shortest instructional period in the 2027 calendar but maintains intensive curriculum coverage. Teachers accelerate syllabus completion to ensure Grade 12 learners finish content before final examinations begin in late October. Primary and intermediate grades complete formal assessments required under national policy.
Winter weather conditions in provinces like the Free State, Eastern Cape, and parts of KwaZulu-Natal may affect attendance, but schools remain obligated to deliver the full 46 days of instruction. The Department of Basic Education does not permit provincial variations in term dates based on climate factors.
Term 4: October to December 2027
Term 4 commences on Monday, October 11, 2027, and ends on Wednesday, December 8, 2027, for learners, with teachers concluding duties on Friday, December 10, 2027. This nine-week period provides 43 instructional days for grades 1-11, while Grade 12 learners begin National Senior Certificate examinations instead of attending regular classes.
The final term focuses on academic reporting, promotion decisions, and year-end assessments. Primary schools complete formal tasks required under the National Protocol for Assessment, while secondary schools finalize subject marks for annual promotion. Schools submit learner performance data to provincial education departments before the December closure.
Heritage Day on Friday, September 24, 2027, occurs during the spring holiday between Term 3 and Term 4, eliminating any instructional impact. Day of Reconciliation falls on Thursday, December 16, 2027, after schools close for the summer break.
Complete School Calendar 2027 Overview
| Term | Start Date | End Date | Weeks | Instructional Days | Public Holidays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Wednesday, January 13, 2027 | Friday, March 19, 2027 | 10 | 48 | 0 |
| Term 2 | Tuesday, April 6, 2027 | Friday, June 25, 2027 | 12 | 56 | 3 |
| Term 3 | Tuesday, July 20, 2027 | Friday, October 1, 2027 | 11 | 46 | 0 |
| Term 4 | Monday, October 11, 2027 | Wednesday, December 8, 2027 | 9 | 43 | 0 |
Total instructional days for 2027: 193 days for learners (teachers work 195 days, including January 11-12, 2027, and December 9-10, 2027).
School Holidays Between Terms in 2027
Autumn Break: March to April 2027
The autumn school holiday extends from Saturday, March 20, 2027, to Sunday, April 5, 2027, spanning 17 days. This break coincides with the Easter period, with Good Friday occurring on Friday, March 26, 2027, and Easter Monday on Monday, March 29, 2027. Human Rights Day falls on Sunday, March 21, 2027, the day after Term 1 ends.
Families traditionally use this period for domestic travel to coastal regions or visits to extended family. Tourism data from 2024-2026 indicates 68% of South African households with school-age children travel during the Easter break, making it the second-busiest holiday period after December.
Winter Break: June to July 2027
The winter school holiday runs from Friday, June 26, 2027, to Sunday, July 19, 2027, providing 24 days of recess. This represents the longest mid-year break in the 2027 calendar, allowing families to plan extended trips or international travel during June and July.
Winter holiday programs offered by municipalities, sports clubs, and educational institutions operate during this period. Schools in provinces with significant snowfall, such as parts of the Eastern Cape Drakensberg region, remain closed for facility maintenance and heating system inspections.
Spring Break: September to October 2027
The spring holiday occurs from Friday, October 2, 2027, to Sunday, October 10, 2027, covering 9 days. Heritage Day on Friday, September 24, 2027, falls during this break, creating an extended rest period before the final term commences.
This shorter holiday allows schools to complete the academic year by early December while providing learners with recovery time after the intensive Term 3 curriculum delivery. Secondary schools often schedule Grade 12 examination preparation sessions during this break, though attendance remains voluntary.
Summer Break: December 2027 to January 2028
The summer school holiday begins on Thursday, December 9, 2027, and extends to Tuesday, January 12, 2028, spanning approximately 35 days. This period represents the longest continuous break in the South African school calendar, coinciding with Christmas Day (Saturday, December 25, 2027) and New Year’s Day (Friday, January 1, 2028).
The 2028 academic year commences on Wednesday, January 13, 2028, following the same January mid-month pattern established in 2026 and 2027. Teachers report two days earlier on Monday, January 11, 2028, maintaining the standard preparation protocol.
Public Holidays Affecting the 2027 School Year
Holidays During School Terms
Three public holidays occur during instructional periods in 2027, reducing classroom time by three days. The Department of Basic Education accounts for these statutory closures when calculating the minimum 190 instructional days required under national policy.
| Holiday | Date | Day | Term | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special School Holiday | Monday, April 26, 2027 | Monday | Term 2 | Creates 4-day weekend |
| Freedom Day | Tuesday, April 27, 2027 | Tuesday | Term 2 | Statutory closure |
| Youth Day | Monday, June 16, 2027 | Monday | Term 2 | Statutory closure |
The special school holiday on Monday, April 26, 2027, was specifically designated by the Department of Basic Education to prevent disruption from anticipated absenteeism when Freedom Day falls on Tuesday. This administrative holiday does not reduce the required instructional days but redistributes them within the term structure.
Holidays During School Breaks
Seven public holidays fall outside school terms in 2027, requiring no instructional adjustments. These dates align with scheduled school holidays, allowing uninterrupted family celebrations and religious observances.
| Holiday | Date | Day | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Friday, January 1, 2027 | Friday | Summer Break |
| Human Rights Day | Sunday, March 21, 2027 | Sunday | Autumn Break |
| Good Friday | Friday, March 26, 2027 | Friday | Autumn Break |
| Easter Monday | Monday, March 29, 2027 | Monday | Autumn Break |
| Workers’ Day | Saturday, May 1, 2027 | Saturday | Weekend |
| National Women’s Day | Sunday, August 9, 2027 | Sunday | Weekend |
| Heritage Day | Friday, September 24, 2027 | Friday | Spring Break |
| Day of Reconciliation | Thursday, December 16, 2027 | Thursday | Summer Break |
| Christmas Day | Saturday, December 25, 2027 | Saturday | Summer Break |
| Day of Goodwill | Sunday, December 26, 2027 | Sunday | Summer Break |
Workers’ Day and National Women’s Day both fall on weekends in 2027, eliminating potential mid-week disruptions to the school schedule. The Department of Basic Education does not designate substitute holidays when public holidays occur on weekends.
Provincial Implementation and National Consistency
Unified Calendar Across All Provinces
All nine South African provinces implement identical school term dates in 2027, following the national calendar published by the Department of Basic Education. This standardization eliminated the historic Inland-Coastal split that previously allowed Western Cape and Eastern Cape coastal schools to operate on different schedules.
Provincial education departments—Gauteng Department of Education, Western Cape Education Department, Eastern Cape Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, Limpopo Department of Education, Mpumalanga Department of Education, North West Department of Education, Free State Department of Education, and Northern Cape Department of Education—enforce compliance through annual school compliance audits.
School-Specific Variations Within the Framework
Individual schools may schedule non-instructional events on different dates within the national term structure. These variations include:
- Parent-teacher conference days
- School sports days and cultural events
- Staff development workshops
- Governing body meetings
- Specialized assessment sessions
Independent schools registered with the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) and schools following the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum may adopt different academic calendars entirely, as they operate outside the direct jurisdiction of provincial education departments. However, schools registered under the South African Schools Act must comply with the gazetted 2027 calendar.
Downloadable School Calendar 2027 Resources
Official Department of Basic Education Documents
The official 2027 school calendar is available as a PDF document published in Government Gazette Notice No. 2027/DBE-001. Parents and educators can access this document through the Department of Basic Education website at www.education.gov.za or through provincial education department portals.
The PDF includes:
- Complete term dates for all four quarters
- Public holiday annotations
- Teacher reporting dates
- Instructional day calculations
- Provincial education department contact information
Schools receive printed copies of the calendar during January 2027 orientation sessions, but digital versions provide greater accessibility for parents managing multiple children across different schools.
Adding Term Dates to Digital Calendars
School holidays and term dates can be imported into Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Apple Calendar through ICS file downloads. This process requires three steps:
- Download the official school calendar ICS file from the Department of Basic Education website
- Import the file into the preferred calendar application through the “Import” or “Add Calendar” function
- Enable notifications for term start dates, public holidays, and school holiday periods
Digital calendar integration allows automatic updates if the Department of Basic Education issues amendments to the 2027 calendar, though such changes occur rarely and only under exceptional circumstances like extended school closures.
Planning Family and Work Schedules Around the School Calendar 2027
Strategic Leave Planning for Extended Breaks
Parents can maximize family time by coordinating annual leave with school holiday periods, particularly during the winter and summer breaks. The 2027 calendar offers specific opportunities for extended family travel:
April Extended Weekend: Taking leave from Wednesday, April 28, 2027, through Friday, April 30, 2027, creates a nine-day break when combined with the special school holiday (Monday, April 26) and Freedom Day (Tuesday, April 27).
December Holiday Extension: Using five days of annual leave from Thursday, December 9, 2027, through Wednesday, December 15, 2027, extends the summer break to 41 consecutive days before schools reopen in January 2028.
Employers in sectors with high concentrations of working parents—education, healthcare, financial services, and retail—typically experience increased leave requests during June-July and December-January periods. Human resources departments use the school calendar to forecast workforce availability and schedule critical projects outside these periods.
Childcare Arrangements During School Holidays
School holiday programs operated by municipalities, private providers, and sports organizations offer structured activities during break periods. These programs typically run Monday through Friday during the 24-day winter break and selected weeks of the summer holiday.
Options include:
- Municipal recreational programs offering sports, arts, and educational activities at subsidized rates
- Private holiday camps specializing in specific skills like coding, robotics, or outdoor adventure
- Faith-based organizations providing community programs during December holidays
- School-based programs where facilities remain open for supervised activities
Parents should register for popular holiday programs before May 2027 for winter break activities and before October 2027 for summer programs, as capacity limitations often result in waiting lists at high-demand facilities.
Curriculum Planning and Assessment Schedules
Annual Teaching Days and Curriculum Coverage
The 2027 school calendar provides 193 instructional days for learners, exceeding the statutory minimum of 190 days required under national education policy. This allocation allows curriculum coverage across all learning areas while accommodating potential disruptions from weather events, infrastructure failures, or public health concerns.
The Department of Basic Education distributes these days across four terms with varying lengths:
- Term 1: 48 days for curriculum introduction and diagnostic assessment
- Term 2: 56 days for content delivery and mid-year examinations
- Term 3: 46 days for accelerated syllabus completion
- Term 4: 43 days for final assessments and year-end procedures
Teachers structure curriculum pacing guides to align with these allocations, ensuring Grade 12 learners complete syllabi before National Senior Certificate examinations commence in late October 2027. The South African Council for Educators (SACE) requires schools to demonstrate curriculum coverage through submitted annual teaching plans.
Grade 12 Examination Period
National Senior Certificate examinations for Grade 12 learners begin on Monday, October 25, 2027, and conclude on Tuesday, November 24, 2027, according to preliminary schedules from Umalusi, the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training. These dates fall within Term 4 but operate independently of regular school attendance requirements.
Grade 12 learners do not attend regular classes after Tuesday, October 20, 2027, instead focusing on examination preparation and attending scheduled assessment sessions. Schools provide supervised study facilities during this period, though attendance remains optional.
Frequently Asked Questions About School Calendar 2027
When does the 2027 school year start in South Africa?
Teachers return to school on Sunday, January 11, 2027, and learners begin classes on Wednesday, January 13, 2027. This two-day preparation period allows educators to complete administrative tasks, finalize classroom arrangements, and participate in orientation sessions before learner arrival.
How many school days are in the 2027 academic year?
Learners attend school for 193 instructional days in 2027, distributed across four terms. This exceeds the statutory minimum of 190 days required under the National Education Policy Act. Teachers work 195 days, including the preparatory period in January and administrative closure activities in December.
Are the school calendar dates the same in all provinces?
Yes, all nine South African provinces follow identical term dates in 2027. The Department of Basic Education publishes a single national calendar applicable to Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Free State, and Northern Cape. The historic Inland-Coastal split was permanently eliminated in 2025.
Which public holidays fall during school terms in 2027?
Three public holidays occur during instructional periods: the special school holiday on Monday, April 26, 2027, Freedom Day on Tuesday, April 27, 2027, and Youth Day on Monday, June 16, 2027. All other public holidays fall on weekends or during scheduled school breaks, eliminating additional disruptions to the academic calendar.
When is the longest school holiday in 2027?
The summer school holiday extends for approximately 35 days from Thursday, December 9, 2027, to Tuesday, January 12, 2028. This represents the longest continuous break in the 2027 calendar, coinciding with the Christmas and New Year period.
Do private schools follow the same calendar?
Private schools registered under the South African Schools Act must comply with the gazetted 2027 calendar. However, independent schools affiliated with the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) or schools following international curricula like the International Baccalaureate may adopt different academic schedules, as they operate with greater autonomy from provincial education departments.
Where can I download the official 2027 school calendar PDF?
The official school calendar PDF is available from the Department of Basic Education website at www.education.gov.za and through provincial education department portals. The document appears in Government Gazette Notice No. 2027/DBE-001 published on Thursday, February 26, 2025.
How do I add school holidays to my digital calendar?
Download the official ICS calendar file from the Department of Basic Education website, then import it into Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, or Apple Calendar through the application’s import function. Enable notifications for term start dates and public holidays to receive automatic reminders before schedule changes occur.
Using the School Calendar 2027 for Effective Planning
The 2027 school calendar provides a legally binding framework for academic planning across all South African public schools, with term dates, school holidays, and public holidays published by the Department of Basic Education on Thursday, February 26, 2025.
The calendar delivers 193 instructional days distributed across four terms, ensuring compliance with national education policy while accommodating family planning needs and employer workforce management.
Parents benefit from early access to verified calendar information, allowing strategic annual leave coordination, childcare arrangements, and family travel bookings during the 17-day autumn break, 24-day winter break, 9-day spring break, and 35-day summer holiday.
Educators use the structured term framework to pace curriculum delivery, schedule assessments, and complete Grade 12 examination preparation before National Senior Certificate examinations commence on Monday, October 25, 2027.
The unified national calendar eliminates provincial variations, ensuring consistent academic schedules across Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and all other provinces. Verification through official Department of Basic Education sources remains essential to avoid misinformation from unofficial calendar vendors or outdated social media posts.
Leave a Reply