The Department of Basic Education’s official 2026 school calendar has confirmed the exact dates for the current term, giving parents and pupils clarity on when the September break will begin.
According to the 2026 calendar for public schools, Term 3 runs for ten weeks, starting on 21 July and ending on 23 September 2026. The term includes 47 official school days, with one public holiday falling during this period. Term 3 is the third of four terms in the 2026 academic year, following a first term of 53 school days and a second term of 54 school days.
Once Term 3 closes on 23 September, pupils will move into a school holiday before returning for the final stretch of the year. Term 4 is scheduled to begin on 6 October and run through to 9 or 11 December, depending on the province, spanning ten weeks and 47 to 49 school days.
Public holidays affecting the term
The calendar notes that Heritage Day, observed annually on 24 September, falls just after Term 3 officially ends, meaning pupils will already be on holiday when the public holiday is marked.
These holidays are factored into the total school-day count for the year, which sits at 200 official days, or up to 204 depending on how additional administration and special school holiday days are allocated in different provinces.
What parents and pupils should note
The calendar also distinguishes between different types of non-teaching days, including weekends, days for administration, public holidays, and special school holidays.
Parents planning family trips, medical appointments or other commitments around the end of Term 3 are advised to work directly off the confirmed 23 September closing date rather than estimating based on previous years, since school calendars can shift slightly from one year to the next depending on how public holidays fall.
With 43 weeks and 205 to 209 total school days across the full 2026 calendar, the Department has structured the year to balance four relatively even terms.
