8th November 2018

UK school terms: when do they start and how long do they run for?

The structure of UK school terms is similar to that in the US and Canada, but markedly different to the holiday dates in Australia and New Zealand, in which the academic year begins in January following a long Christmas break.

In the UK the first school term begins in September and the academic year concludes in mid-July.

UK school terms: 2018-2019 term dates

Autumn term

• The term begins on Tuesday 4th September 2018 and ends on Wednesday 19th December 2018
• The half term holiday runs from Monday 22th October to Friday 26th October
• The Christmas holiday runs from Thursday 20th December 2018 to Wednesday 2nd January 2019

Spring term

• The term begins on Thursday 3rd January 2019 and ends on Friday 5th April 2019
• The half term holiday runs from Monday 18th February 2019 to Friday 22nd February 2019
• The Easter holiday runs from Monday 8th April 2019 to Tuesday 23rd April 2019

Summer term

• The term begins on Tuesday 23rd April 2019 and ends on Wednesday 24th July 2019
• The half term holiday runs from Monday 27th May 2019 to Friday 31st May 2019
• The summer holiday runs from Thursday 25th July 2019 until Friday 30th August 2019

UK school terms: bank holidays

The dates of UK bank holidays differ between countries.

Bank holidays in England and Wales include:

• Christmas Day (Tuesday 25th December 2018)
• Boxing Day (Wednesday 26th December 2018)
• New Year’s Day (Tuesday 1st January 2019)
• Good Friday (Friday 19th April 2019)
• Easter Monday (Monday 22nd April 2019)
• May Day (Monday 6th May 2019)
• Spring Bank Holiday (Monday 27th May 2019)

Bank holidays in Scotland include:

• St Andrew’s Day (Friday 30th November 2018)
• Christmas Day (Tuesday 25th December 2018)
• Boxing Day (Wednesday 26th December 2018)
• New Year’s Day (Tuesday 1st January 2019)
• 2nd January (Wednesday 2nd January 2019)
• Good Friday (Friday 19th April 2019)
• May Day (Monday 6th May 2019)
• Spring Bank Holiday (Monday 27th May 2019)

Bank holidays in Northern Ireland include:

• Christmas Day (Tuesday 25th December 2018)
• Boxing Day (Wednesday 26th December 2018)
• New Year’s Day (Tuesday 1st January 2019)
• St Patrick’s Day (Sunday 17th March 2019)
• Good Friday (Friday 19th April 2019)
• Easter Monday (Monday 22nd April 2019)
• May Day (Monday 6th May 2019)
• Spring Bank Holiday (Monday 27th May 2019)
• Orangemen’s Day (Friday 12th July 2019)

UK school terms: how to make the most of your holiday

In the UK the teaching profession is renowned for the generous holiday allowance that its staff receive – and for many, this is a major incentive to work as a teacher.

Due to the fact that the UK school year is divided into three terms of 13 weeks, with a holiday following each and a half term break in the middle, teachers work for no more than six weeks without getting a break of at least a week.

Although teachers spend much of their holiday time working, completing activities such as marking, lesson planning for the following term and even running clubs or revision sessions during the holidays,  it’s advisable to take some time to relax to avoid burnout.

This is especially true of the UK summer holiday, which lasts at least six weeks in state schools and more in private schools. It’s the perfect time to relax and recuperate in preparation for the start of the new academic year.

To make the most of your break, lay your bag of marking to one side and switch off from your life in education. Socialise with your non-teacher friends to ensure that you’re feeling ready and refreshed for the start of the next term.

With a work week of more than 60 hours, teachers must make the most of their time to wind down. Learning to distance yourself from your role when appropriate will make you a more effective teacher in the long run.

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