NSW public schools run on a four-term year, with slightly different start dates for Eastern Division and Western Division schools. This guide covers the official 2027 NSW term dates, school holidays, school development days and public holidays, so families in Sydney and across NSW can plan the year ahead. Independent and Catholic schools often follow similar dates, but always check your school's calendar.
NSW Public School Term Dates 2027
These are the first and last days for students in NSW government schools, as set by the NSW Department of Education.
| Term | Eastern Division (incl. Sydney) | Western Division |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Wed 3 Feb – Fri 9 Apr | Wed 10 Feb – Fri 9 Apr |
| Term 2 | Thu 29 Apr – Fri 2 Jul | Thu 29 Apr – Fri 2 Jul |
| Term 3 | Tue 20 Jul – Fri 24 Sep | Tue 20 Jul – Fri 24 Sep |
| Term 4 | Tue 12 Oct – Mon 20 Dec | Tue 12 Oct – Mon 20 Dec |
📌 School development days (students don't attend): Eastern Division schools have school development days from Thu 28 Jan to Tue 2 Feb, on Tue 27 and Wed 28 Apr, Mon 19 Jul and Mon 11 Oct. Western Division schools have theirs from Thu 4 Feb to Tue 9 Feb, with the same dates for Terms 2 to 4.
NSW School Holidays 2027
| Holiday | Dates |
|---|---|
| Summer Holidays 2026–27 | Fri 18 Dec 2026 – Wed 27 Jan 2027 (Eastern) / Wed 3 Feb 2027 (Western) |
| Autumn Holidays | Mon 12 Apr – Fri 23 Apr 2027 |
| Winter Holidays | Mon 5 Jul – Fri 16 Jul 2027 |
| Spring Holidays | Mon 27 Sep – Fri 8 Oct 2027 |
| Summer Holidays 2027–28 | Tue 21 Dec 2027 – Fri 28 Jan 2028 (Eastern) / Fri 4 Feb 2028 (Western) |
NSW Public Holidays in 2027
These are the statewide public holidays in New South Wales, as listed by the NSW Government. Schools and many businesses are closed on these dates.
| Public Holiday | Date 2027 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Fri 1 Jan |
| Australia Day | Tue 26 Jan |
| Good Friday | Fri 26 Mar |
| Easter Saturday | Sat 27 Mar |
| Easter Sunday | Sun 28 Mar |
| Easter Monday | Mon 29 Mar |
| Anzac Day | Sun 25 Apr |
| Additional Anzac Day holiday | Mon 26 Apr |
| King's Birthday | Mon 14 Jun |
| Labour Day | Mon 4 Oct |
| Christmas Day | Sat 25 Dec |
| Additional Christmas Day holiday | Mon 27 Dec |
| Boxing Day | Sun 26 Dec |
| Additional Boxing Day holiday | Tue 28 Dec |
📌 In NSW, when Anzac Day, Christmas Day or Boxing Day falls on a weekend, an additional public holiday is given on the following weekday. The Bank Holiday (Mon 2 Aug) affects banks only and is not a general public holiday.
What's Different About 2027?
- Easter falls during Term 1. Good Friday (26 March) and Easter Monday (29 March) are public holidays in the middle of Term 1, so the autumn holidays (12–23 April) don't include Easter.
- A later start for students. Eastern Division students start on Wednesday 3 February, after five school development days.
- A long gap before Term 2. After the autumn holidays, Monday 26 April is the additional Anzac Day public holiday, and Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 April are school development days. Students return on Thursday 29 April.
- Term 4 finishes on a Monday. The last day for students is Monday 20 December.
Planning the 2027 School Year
Term dates are a great starting point for planning the whole year, not just holidays:
- Year 11 and 12 students: Our term-by-term HSC study plan shows what to focus on in each term. New to senior school? Start with how the HSC works and our HSC subject selection guide.
- HSC exams in Term 4: HSC written exams are held across October and November. See how they were scheduled in our HSC exam timetable 2026 guide.
- Years 3, 5, 7 and 9: NAPLAN is held in Term 1. Read our analysis of recent results for Year 3, Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9.
- Every student: Use the holidays to reset and plan ahead with our guide to creating a study plan that works.
Quick Summary for Families
School year start and finish
- Eastern Division: students start Wed 3 Feb and finish Mon 20 Dec.
- Western Division: students start Wed 10 Feb and finish Mon 20 Dec.
Holiday periods
- Autumn: mid to late April
- Winter: early to mid July
- Spring: late September to early October
- Summer: late December to late January (early February for the Western Division)
Major NSW public holidays
Australia Day, the Easter long weekend, Anzac Day, King's Birthday, Labour Day, and Christmas and Boxing Day.
School Dates in Other States
Planning around family or school commitments interstate? See our 2027 guides for Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Want Extra Support in 2027?
Our Sydney tutors offer one-on-one support in person and online for students from Year 1 to Year 12, including specialist HSC tutors.
