Ireland School Calendar 2025/26: Key Term Dates & Holidays

What are the school terms in Ireland for 2026?

The 2025/26 year splits into three terms: autumn, spring and summer. The first term runs from the start of the school year in late August/early September 2025 until the Christmas break in December. The second term picks up in January 2026 and runs through to the Easter break. The third term covers the period from mid‑April to the end of June, with state exams held in early June.

First term dates (September to December 2025)

Schools open in late August or early September and continue until Friday 19 December 2025, closing for the Christmas holidays.

Second term dates (January to March 2026)

Classes resume on Monday 5 January 2026 and run until Friday 27 March 2026, with a February mid‑term break for most schools (usually 15–19 February).

Third term dates (April to June 2026)

Schools reopen on Monday 13 April 2026 after Easter and the academic year ends in late May or late June, depending on exam schedules and primary school finishing dates.

Are school term dates the same for every school in Ireland?

No. The Department of Education sets the national school year, but according to Citizens Information (official public guide to school terms) individual schools keep three discretionary days that can be attached to local breaks or used if the school loses time to an unexpected closure.

That is why two schools in the same town can have the same October mid-term but slightly different closing dates for Easter and summer.

The implication: always confirm specific dates with the school’s published calendar before making travel plans.

When does the 2025/26 Irish school year start and finish?

Most schools open in late August or on the first school morning of September. The official baseline from the Government of Ireland – Department of Education (official school-holiday calendar) places the start window between late August and early September 2025.

The most useful comparison for parents is between primary and post-primary baselines:

These figures use the national baseline published by Citizens Information (official public guide to school terms).

The pattern: the national baseline is reliable for broad planning but always check the individual school’s calendar for the exact finish date.

What are the key dates for the secondary school year in 2026?

Post-primary students follow the same term structure as primary schools but with a tighter summer window. The Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle examinations usually begin in the first week of June 2026. Many schools treat the first morning of the exam timetable as the effective end of classes for senior students.

Transition Year and senior cycle programmes may include work experience modules or field trips that fall outside the standard term dates, so students should confirm those with their school.

When is the October mid-term in 2025?

The fixed October slot in the official 2025/26 calendar is Monday 27 to Friday 31 October 2025. Citizens Information lists this as the standard mid-term reference.

Some schools keep one of their three discretionary days back so that the break becomes longer, but the core mid-term week is the same for most.

What this means: you can safely book travel for 27–31 October, but check local clubs if your child attends after-school care.

When is the Easter break in 2026 for Irish schools?

Easter Sunday falls on 5 April 2026. The typical two-week school break runs from Thursday 2 April to Friday 17 April 2026, giving families a clear window around the public holiday.

According to the Government of Ireland – Department of Education (official school-holiday calendar), the national pattern places Easter in the spring term. That is also why post-primary exam preparation tends to restart after the break rather than before it.

The pattern: the national baseline suggests 2–17 April, but a school may trim that window by using a discretionary day or by adding an extra closure for staff training.

Why is Easter so early in 2026?

Easter is a movable feast determined by the lunar calendar – it falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox. In 2026, the equinox occurs on 20 March and the full moon follows shortly after, pushing Easter Sunday to 5 April – one of the earliest possible dates. This compresses the spring term and means students return to school in mid‑April with only a few weeks before state exams begin in early June.

How many school days are in the 2025/26 Irish school year?

Under the rules used by Citizens Information (official public guide to school terms), the minimum school year is:

• 183 pupil days for primary schools;
• 167 pupil days for post-primary schools;
• a further three discretionary days that the school can set locally.

Those three discretionary days are included in the overall minimum and can be used for staff development, local closures or catch-up after an unexpected closure.

The implication: the national minimum is a floor, not a fixed finish – always confirm the actual last day with your school.

When does the 2025/26 school year actually finish?

Primary schools generally remain open into late June, while post-primary students point towards the state exam season in early June. The State Examinations Commission (Ireland’s exam authority) is the reference for those exam dates.

For many post-primary students, the real end-of-year signal is the first morning of the exam timetable rather than a fixed closing date on a national calendar.

The catch: even within the same school, exam-class students may finish earlier than other year groups, so double‑check with the school office.

What’s confirmed and what’s still flexible

Confirmed: the national mid-term reference, the minimum primary and post-primary day counts, Easter Sunday and the early-June exam window. These come from the Government of Ireland – Department of Education and Citizens Information.

Still flexible: the three discretionary days, the exact day school closes before Easter, and any local adjustment for an unforeseen closure. Those local decisions are published by the school and cannot be guessed from the national pattern.

What the official sources say

Primary schools must be open for at least 183 school days, while post-primary schools must be open for at least 167 school days.

The 2025/26 school year is set out nationally, with schools also able to use three discretionary days for local needs.

What is the 2025/26 school calendar at a glance?

This table uses the national baseline; actual dates may shift by a day or two at individual schools.

Steps to plan the 2025/26 school year

1. Pin the four anchors: start window, October mid-term, Easter window and early June exam slot.
2. Visit your child’s school website and download the school’s own PDF calendar.
3. Note how the school uses its three discretionary days – check if they are attached to the Easter break, February mid-term or used for a local holiday.
4. Cross‑reference the school calendar with Junior Cert 2026 Dates: Timetable, Fees & Results Guide and When Is the Next Bank Holiday? Ireland & NI 2026 to align exam and public holiday planning.

Summary: one page to keep near the kitchen calendar

Plan around four anchors: start in late August or early September, keep 27–31 October free, protect the period from 2 to 17 April for Easter, and remember that early June is the post-primary exam signal.

Then check the three discretionary days on the school’s own PDF. Those three days will decide whether the local Easter break becomes a single weekend or a full two-week holiday.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

For the official version, start with the Department of Education school holidays. For exam timing, see the State Examinations Commission. For local school PDFs, SchoolDays.ie tracks calendars as they are posted. You can also check Junior Cert 2026 Dates: Timetable, Fees & Results Guide and When Is the Next Bank Holiday? Ireland & NI 2026 for complementary planning resources.