View all of the year’s school holidays and term dates for New Zealand primary and secondary schools with our handy guide.
No sooner have the kids gone back to school, then they’re hanging out for the next round of holidays! Term dates tend to move around a bit but the standard school term is 10 weeks long. There’s no need to count the weeks though as our handy guide has all the dates you need to know including public holidays. Don’t forget about teacher only days and the odd days off that private or independent schools tend to drop in – check with your child’s school for the full calendar.
2025 NZ School terms and holiday calendar
| TERM START | TERM END | |
| 1st Term (up to 11 weeks) |
Between Monday 27 January (at the earliest) and Friday 7 February (at the latest) |
Friday 11 April |
| 2nd Term
(9 weeks) |
Monday 28 April | Friday 27 June |
| 3rd Term
(1o weeks) |
Monday 14 July | Friday 19 September |
| 4th Term
(up to 11 weeks) |
Monday 6 October | No later than Friday 19 December |
Primary, intermediate and special schools must be open for instruction for a minimum of 382 half-days in 2025. Secondary and composite schools must be open for instruction for 376 half-days in 2025.
Source: Ministry of Education: School terms and holidays dates
2025 New Zealand Public Holidays
Schools must be closed in 2025 on Saturdays and Sundays and on the following holidays:
- New Year’s Day – 1 January
- Day after New Year’s Day – 2 January
- Waitangi Day – 6 February
- Good Friday – 18 April
- Easter Monday – 21 April
- Easter Tuesday – 22 April (not a public holiday, only observed by schools)
- Anzac Day – 25 April
- King’s Birthday – 2 June
- Matariki – 20 June
- Labour Day – 27 October
- Christmas Day – 25 December
- Boxing Day – 26 December
- The relevant Anniversary Day Holiday as listed below
NZ Regional Anniversary Day Holidays 2025 (observed dates)
- Auckland – 27 January
- Buller – 3 February
- Canterbury – 14 November
- Canterbury (South) – 22 September
- Chatham Islands – 1 December
- Hawkes’ Bay – 24 October
- Marlborough – 3 November
- Nelson – 3 Febraury
- Northland – 27 January
- Otago – 24 March
- Southland – 22 April
- Taranaki – 10 March
- Wellington – 20 January
- Westland – 1 December
Source: NZ Government: Dates for public holidays and anniversary days
2026 NZ School terms and holiday calendar
| TERM START | TERM END | |
| 1st Term
(up to 10 weeks) |
Between Monday 26 January (at the earliest) and Monday 9 February (at the latest) |
Thursday 2 April |
| 2nd Term
(11 weeks) |
Monday 20 April | Friday 3 July |
| 3rd Term
(1o weeks) |
Monday 20 July | Friday 25 September |
| 4th Term
(up to 11 weeks) |
Monday 12 October | No later than Friday 18 December |
Primary, intermediate and special schools must be open for instruction for a minimum of 378 half-days in 2026. Secondary and composite schools must be open for instruction for 376 half-days in 2026.
Source: Ministry of Education: School terms and holidays dates
2026 New Zealand Public Holidays
Schools must be closed in 2026 on Saturdays and Sundays and on the following holidays:
- New Year’s Day – 1 January
- Day after New Year’s Day – 2 January
- Waitangi Day – 6 February
- Good Friday – 3 April
- Easter Monday – 6 April
- Easter Tuesday – 7 April (not a public holiday, only observed by schools)
- Anzac Day – 25 April (observed 27 April)
- King’s Birthday – 1 June
- Matariki – 10July
- Labour Day – 26 October
- Christmas Day – 25 December
- Boxing Day – 26 December (observed 28 December)
- The relevant Anniversary Day Holiday as listed below
NZ Regional Anniversary Day Holidays 2026 (observed dates)
- Auckland – 26 January
- Buller – 2 February
- Canterbury – 13 November
- Canterbury (South) – 28 September
- Chatham Islands – 1 December
- Hawkes’ Bay – 23 October
- Marlborough – 2 November
- Nelson – 2 Febraury
- Northland – 26 January
- Otago – 23 March
- Southland – 7 April
- Taranaki – 9 March
- Wellington – 19 January
- Westland – 30 November
Source: NZ Government: Dates for public holidays and anniversary days
Do you find that the NZ school terms are too short, too long, or just right?
Read more on Kidspot:
I think this year Term 1 was a long term but as we come into the last week of Term 2 it seems to have flown by. I think the terms are about right. All the children get tired near the end of the term, regardless of whether its a short term or a longer term, so changing the length of the terms isn’t necessarily going to help this. I think the winter terms are always the harder as we often end up inside a lot more due to the weather.
Year 2020 is the year my son is becoming a school aged kid so all of these term dates and planning of holidays around it would be crucial. We are planning a big family holiday before he starts school officially. And this is such a good reminder to start planning as early as now to get into the good deals.
That’s brilliant – I actually find myself googling school term dates quite often haha. But having everything in one place makes it so much easier. Especially the Regional public holidays as that can make a difference with business too. I enjoy the school holidays, I still work fulltime and hubby looks after our daughter but I get to sleep in a bit and not have to make school lunches etc hehe
This guide could have probably proved more useful towards the end of last year when our son’s school provided it but it is a good guide for those who for some reason don’t have the dates. It’s always good to look ahead to the next year too!
What a great guide. Makes life easier when you know term dates etc to plan holidays and that sort of thing. On school newsletters it states any holidays coming up term dates and teacher only days which is great and that comes out fortnightly by email now which is handy. I find the terms just fine not too long and not too short. I always get excited for school holidays for sleep ins as my kids love sleep ins and no routine of having to make school lunches etc.
Love it! I’m always googling these dates haha. I think term times are mostly okay. Though term 3 is always just a touch too long. This term feels like it went so quickly but then we have also been sick for these last weeks too.
This is great as I feel like I am always googling when are the school holidays (NZ) It’s great to know public holidays and anniversary days as well as when the kids will not be at school then. I like that the 2020 dates are listed as well so can all be super organised and know when these holidays all are in (NZ).
Now this is handy… i am one of those mums who is never up to date with term start and end dates, public holidays and teacher only days… i put that down to only having my oldest start school last year but reallt its probably more forgetfulness on my part… what i find helps me is a board with monthly dates which i update with things that need to be done… looks like i will print this page out too… thank you for the reminders.
I always look forward to the school holidays then about 2 days in im over it and want them to end! I need to come up with better activities for the kids so they stop fighting and whining!!