School in South Africa starts at the beginning of January and ends at the end of November. The term break is usually around June, with a one-month break for the summer holidays. The schools are divided into Primary (1-7), High School (8-12) and Tertiary education institutions that offer higher learning via diplomas, bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees in various fields of study.
When Does School Start in South Africa?
Most South African schools start in January and end in December. On average, it takes 190 teaching days to complete the school year.
School starts on a Monday at 8:00 am and usually ends at 3:00 pm (with some schools ending earlier). A typical school day lasts for six hours, with two breaks of at least 20 minutes each. School is open from Monday to Friday, with some schools having Saturday classes or extra-curricular activities outside regular hours.
School Holidays
South African school holidays are the same as in other countries. The summer holidays usually start in December and end in late February or early March.
The winter holidays usually last from around mid-April to mid-June.
Some schools have different holiday periods for each year, so it’s a good idea to check with your child’s school if you’re planning a trip during one of these times, especially if you’ll be travelling abroad and want to go on holiday with them.
Term Breaks
Term breaks are usually 2-3 weeks long and occur once every four months. But there are some schools that have longer-term breaks, while others don’t have them at all; it all depends on the school’s academic calendar.
