It is very important to know upcoming school holidays as a parent, guardian, or student. This helps you to plan ahead of time.
Below are the New Zealand school terms, you can use the table of contents to jump to what exactly you are looking for.
The School Holidays Guide 2021/2022/2023
The guide starts from 2021 to 2023. Each standard New Zealand School term lasts for 10 Weeks long and 4 terms per year.
NZ School Terms Calender 2021
| TERM 1 | Start | End |
| 10 To 11 Weeks | Starts between Monday 1 February (at the earliest); and Tuesday 9 February | 16 April (92-102 half-days) |
| TERM 2 | ||
10 Weeks | Monday 3 May | Friday 9 July (98 half-days) |
| TERM 3 | ||
10 Weeks | Monday 26 July | Friday 1 October (100 half-days) |
| TERM 4 | ||
Up To 10 Weeks | Starts Monday 18 October | for all schools, no later than Monday 20 December (80-90 half-days)* |
*Or to a day in December that ensures that the school has been open for instruction for a minimum of 380 half-days in 2021.
NZ School Holidays For 2021
The holidays for each term start from the closing of the term and ends at the beginning of a new term. You can check the holidays for each term below.
Since some of the schools will not close or begin the Term on the exact day on the calendar, it will be a very good idea to compare your school’s calendar to be sure of when the terms will end or begin.
- Easter Tuesday – 6 April
- Saturday 17 April to Sunday 2 May
- Saturday 10 July to Sunday 25 July
- Saturday 2 October to Sunday 17 October
- 5 or 6 weeks (from school’s closing date until opening date of school the following year)
Public holidays affect all working day activities. Therefore it is just right to know all the public holidays and anniversaries since most of them will affect the school days.
NZ Public Holidays For 2021
- Waitangi Day – Monday 8th February
- Good Friday – 2nd April
- Easter Monday – 5th April
- Easter Tuesday – 6th April
- Anzac Day – 25th April
- Queen’s Birthday – Monday 7 June
- Labour Day – Monday 25 October
- Christmas Day – Saturday 25 December
- Boxing Day – Sunday 26 December
- New Year’s Day – Saturday 1 January 2022
- 5 or 6 weeks (from school’s closing date until opening date of school the following year)
Regional Anniversary Days 2021
- Auckland – Monday 1 February, Auckland Council
- Canterbury (South) – Monday 27 September, Environment Canterbury
- Canterbury – Friday 12 November, Environment Canterbury
- Chatham Islands -Monday 29 November, Environment Canterbury
- Hawke’s Bay – Friday 22 October, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
- Marlborough – Monday 1 November, Marlborough District Council
- Nelson – Monday 1 February, Nelson City Council
- Otago – Monday 22 March, Otago Regional Council
- Southland – Tuesday 6 April, Southland District Council
- Taranaki – Monday 8 March, Taranaki Regional Council
- Wellington – Monday 25 January, Wellington City Council
- Westland – Monday 29 November, Westland District Council
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NZ School Terms Calendar For 2022
| TERM 1 | Start | End |
10 To 11 Weeks | Between Monday 31st January and Tuesday 8th February | Thursday 14th April (96-106 half-days) |
| TERM 2 | ||
10 Weeks | Monday 2nd May | Friday 8th July (96 half-days) |
| TERM 3 | ||
10 Weeks | Monday 25th July | Friday 30th September (100 half-days) |
| TERM 4 | ||
Up To 10 Weeks | Monday 17th October | ends no later than Tuesday 20th December (92 half-days)* |
*For primary, intermediate, and special schools: or to a day in December that ensures that the school has been open for instruction for a minimum of 384 half-days in 2022.
For secondary and composite schools: or to a day in December that ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 378 half-days in 2022.
NZ School Holidays For 2022
Since some of the public holidays will interrupt school days, they are also classified as school holidays. Certainly, the same holidays will appear on the public holiday list as well.
1. Waitangi Day (Observed) – Monday 7 February
2. Good Friday – 15 April
3. Saturday 16 April to Sunday 1 May
4. Queen’s Birthday – Monday 6 June
5. Matariki – Friday 24 June
6. Saturday 9 July to Sunday 24 July
7. Saturday 1 October to Sunday 16 October
NZ Public Holidays For 2022
1. Waitangi Day (Observed) – Monday 7 February
2. Good Friday – 15 April
3. Easter Monday – 18 April
4. Easter Tuesday – 19 April
5. Anzac Day – Monday 25 April
6. Queen’s Birthday – Monday 6 June
7. Matariki – Friday 24 June
8. Labour Day – Monday 24 October
9. Christmas Day – Sunday 25 December
10. Boxing Day – Monday 26 December
11. New Year’s Day – Sunday 1 January 2023
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NZ School Terms Calendar For 2023
| TERM 1 | Start | End |
| 10 To 11 Weeks | Starts between Monday 30 January (at the earliest); and Tuesday 7 February (at the latest) | Thursday 6 April (86-96 half-days) |
| TERM 2 | ||
10 Weeks | Monday 24 April | Friday 30 June (96 half-days) |
| TERM 3 | ||
10 Weeks | Monday 17 July | Friday 22 September (100 half-days) |
| TERM 4 | ||
Up To 10 Weeks | Monday 9 October | ends no later than Wednesday 20 December (up to 104 half-days)* |
*For primary, intermediate, and special schools: or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for a minimum of 386 half-days in 2023.
For secondary and composite schools: or to a day in December which ensures that the school has been open for instruction for 380 half-days in 2023.
NZ School Holidays For 2023
1. Waitangi – Monday 6 February
2. Good Friday – 7 April
3. Friday 7 April to Sunday 23 April
4. Anzac Day – Tuesday 25 April
5. Queen’s Birthday – Monday 5 June
6. Saturday 1 July to Sunday 16 July
7. Matariki – 14 July
8. Saturday 23 September to Sunday 8 October
9. 5-6 weeks (from school’s closing day until the opening date the following year).
NZ Public Holidays For 2023
1. Good Friday – 7 April
2. Easter Monday – 10 April
3. Easter Tuesday – 11 April
4. Anzac Day – Tuesday 25 April
5. Queen’s Birthday – Monday 5 June
6. Matariki – 14 July
7. Labour Day – Monday 23 October
8. Christmas Day – Sunday 25 December
9. Boxing Day – Monday 26 December
10. New Year’s Day – Sunday 1 January 2023
This information was sourced from education.govt.nz.co website.
Parents, guardians, institutions etc, can also download the calendar as an ical file for their smartphone calendar.
