2027 and 2028 School Term and Cohort Entry Dates and Minimum Half-day Opening Requirement
Under Regulations 6(1) and 7(1) of the Education (When State Schools Must Be Open and Closed) Regulations 2024, I prescribe the number of half-days on which schools must be open and the Terms schools must observe for the 2027 and 2028 school years as:
|
2027 School Terms and Holidays |
|
|
Term 1 |
|
|
Number of weeks |
Up to 11 |
|
Term start and end dates |
Starts between Thursday 28 January (at the earliest) and Wednesday 3 February (at the latest), and ends Friday 9 April (88–96 half-days) |
|
School holidays |
Saturday 10 April – Monday 26 April |
|
Term 2 |
|
|
Number of weeks |
10 |
|
Term start and end dates |
Tuesday 27 April to Friday 2 July (94 half-days) |
|
School holidays |
Saturday 3 July – Sunday 18 July |
|
Term 3 |
|
|
Number of weeks |
10 |
|
Term start and end dates |
Monday 19 July to Friday 24 September (100 half-days) |
|
School holidays |
Saturday 25 September – Sunday 10 October |
|
Term 4 |
|
|
Number of weeks |
Up to 10 |
|
Term start and end dates |
Monday 11 October to no later than Friday 17 December (up to 98 half-days) |
|
School holidays |
5 to 6 weeks (from school’s closing date until opening date of school the following year) |
Primary, intermediate and specialist schools are required to be open for instruction for 380 half days in 2027.
Secondary and composite schools are required to be open for instruction for 380 half days in 2027.
|
2028 School Terms and Holidays |
|
|
Term 1 |
|
|
Number of weeks |
Up to 11 |
|
Term start and end dates |
Starts between Monday 31 January (at the earliest) and Tuesday 8 February (at the latest), and ends Thursday 13 April (96 –106 half-days) |
|
School holidays |
Friday 14 April – Sunday 30 April |
|
Term 2 |
|
|
Number of weeks |
10 |
|
Term start and end dates |
Monday 1 May to Friday 7 July (98 half-days) |
|
School holidays |
Saturday 8 July – Sunday 23 July |
|
Term 3 |
|
|
Number of weeks |
10 |
|
Term start and end dates |
Monday 24 July to Friday 29 September (100 half-days) |
|
School holidays |
Saturday 30 September – Sunday 15 October |
|
Term 4 |
|
|
Number of weeks |
Up to 9 |
|
Term start and end dates |
Monday 16 October to no later than Friday 15 December (up to 88 half-days) |
|
School holidays |
5 to 6 weeks (from school’s closing date until opening date of school the following year) |
Primary, intermediate and specialist schools are required to be open for instruction for 382 half days in 2028.
Secondary and composite schools are required to be open for instruction for 380 half days in 2028.
The school term dates and half-day requirements are administered by the Ministry of Education and the information is published here: https://www.education.govt.nz/school/school-terms-and-holiday-dates/.
Under section 66(1) of the Education and Training Act 2020, I prescribe the mid-term start dates for the 2027 and 2028 school years as:
|
Term |
Start of term date |
Mid-term start date |
End of term date |
|
1 |
28 January 2027 |
8 March 2027 |
9 April 2027 |
|
2 |
27 April 2027 |
31 May 2027 |
2 July 2027 |
|
3 |
19 July 2027 |
23 August 2027 |
24 September 2027 |
|
4 |
11 October 2027 |
15 November 2027 |
17 December 2027 |
|
Term |
Start of term date |
Mid-term start date |
End of term date |
|
1 |
31 January 2028 |
13 March 2028 |
13 April 2028 |
|
2 |
1 May 2028 |
6 June 2028 |
7 July 2028 |
|
3 |
24 July 2028 |
28 August 2028 |
29 September 2028 |
|
4 |
16 October 2028 |
13 November 2028 |
15 December 2028 |
The mid-term start dates have been prescribed to determine when new entrants can start school under a cohort entry policy.
The school cohort entry dates are administered by the Ministry of Education and the information is published here https://www.education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/starting-school/cohort-or-group-entry-children-starting-school.
This notice revokes and replaces “2027 and 2028 School Term and Cohort Entry Dates and Minimum Half-day Opening Requirement” notified in the New Zealand Gazette, 8 May 2025, Notice No. 2025-sl2489.
This notice is secondary legislation for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2019 (https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2021/0246/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7298104).
This notice was made on the 14th day of October 2025.
Hon ERICA STANFORD, Minister of Education.