Term dates
2026 school calendar for South African public schools
School term dates for 2026, with the number of weeks and school days in each term and the public holidays that fall in term time. There are 201 school days in 2026.
2026 term dates
Term 1
Wed, 14 January to Fri, 27 March
11 weeks · 53 school days
Term 2
Wed, 08 April to Fri, 26 June
12 weeks · 55 school days
Term 3
Tue, 21 July to Wed, 23 September
10 weeks · 46 school days
Term 4
Tue, 06 October to Wed, 09 December
10 weeks · 47 school days
| Term | Schools open | Schools close | Weeks | School days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Wed, 14 January | Fri, 27 March | 11 | 53 |
| Term 2 | Wed, 08 April | Fri, 26 June | 12 | 55 |
| Term 3 | Tue, 21 July | Wed, 23 September | 10 | 46 |
| Term 4 | Tue, 06 October | Wed, 09 December | 10 | 47 |
Weeks are counted the way ATPs count them: Week 1 is the week the term opens. Dates are for learners at public schools; teachers usually return a few days earlier. Independent schools set their own dates, so always confirm with your school or provincial education department.
2026 public holidays
- Thu, 01 JanuaryNew Year's Day
- Sat, 21 MarchHuman Rights Day
- Fri, 03 AprilGood Friday
- Mon, 06 AprilFamily Day
- Mon, 27 AprilFreedom Day
- Fri, 01 MayWorkers' Day
- Tue, 16 JuneYouth Day
- Sun, 09 AugustNational Women's Day
- Mon, 10 AugustPublic holiday (Women's Day falls on a Sunday)
- Thu, 24 SeptemberHeritage Day
- Wed, 16 DecemberDay of Reconciliation
- Fri, 25 DecemberChristmas Day
- Sat, 26 DecemberDay of Goodwill
Freedom Day, Workers’ Day and Youth Day fall in Term 2, and the Women’s Day holiday (Monday 10 August) falls in Term 3, so plan for shorter weeks then.
Planning your lessons around the calendar
Your ATP sets the topic for every week of the term. Match each ATP week to the dates above, and plan shorter weeks where there is a public holiday or an assessment.
In Lesson Plan Gen, This week does this for you: it knows the 2026 term dates, shows the ATP topic for the current week, and makes the lesson plans in your school’s format. See how CAPS lesson plans are made or download the free lesson plan template.