{"id":37955,"date":"2026-06-17T14:35:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T12:35:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=37955"},"modified":"2026-06-22T16:15:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T14:15:10","slug":"winter-school-holidays-2026-key-dates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/winter-school-holidays-2026-key-dates\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter School Holidays 2026: Key Dates South African Parents Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">South African pupils are entering the final weeks of the second school term, with winter school holidays set to begin at the end of June.<\/p><div id=\"gaute-2366039341\" class=\"gaute-after-paragraph-1 gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While many learners recently enjoyed the additional public holiday linked to Youth Day, attention is now turning to the upcoming winter break and the remaining school calendar dates for 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the Department of Basic Education&#8217;s official school calendar, schools will close for the second term on <em><strong>Friday, 26 June 2026. <\/strong><\/em>Learners will then begin a three-week winter holiday before returning to classrooms on <strong><em>Tuesday, 21 July 2026.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For parents, learners and educators, the approaching break offers an opportunity to plan ahead for the remainder of the academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/fathers-day-2026-in-gauteng\/\"><strong>ALSO READ: Father\u2019s Day 2026 in Gauteng: Events, Markets, Music and Family Experiences to Enjoy This Weekend<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/gauteng-school-calendar\/\"><strong>ALSO READ: Gauteng School Calendar 2026 and 2027: Term Dates and School Holidays<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Winter Holidays Begin at the End of June<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second term officially ends on Friday, 26 June 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schools across South Africa will then close for the winter holidays from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Saturday, 27 June 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Monday, 20 July 2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Learners will return for the start of the third term on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tuesday, 21 July 2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The winter break remains one of the longest school holidays on the academic calendar and comes after a busy second term that included Freedom Day, Workers&#8217; Day and Youth Day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Third Term Will Be Shorter Than Second Term<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once schools reopen in July, learners will move into the third term, which runs until September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Key third-term dates include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Schools reopen: 21 July 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Schools close: 23 September 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Heritage Day holiday: 24 September 2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The third term is traditionally one of the busiest periods of the school year as schools prepare for final assessments and examinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-3769992096\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final School Term Starts in October<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Following the September holiday period, learners will return for the fourth and final term of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fourth term dates are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Schools reopen: 6 October 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Schools close: 9 December 2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For matric learners, the fourth term coincides with the National Senior Certificate examinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key School Calendar Dates Remaining in 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Date<\/th><th>Event<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>26 June 2026<\/td><td>Second Term Ends<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>27 June \u2013 20 July 2026<\/td><td>Winter School Holidays<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>21 July 2026<\/td><td>Third Term Begins<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>23 September 2026<\/td><td>Third Term Ends<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>24 September 2026<\/td><td>Heritage Day<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6 October 2026<\/td><td>Fourth Term Begins<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>9 December 2026<\/td><td>Schools Close for 2026<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Published-2026-School-Calendar.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Published 2026 School Calendar.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-b1023323-dc54-4eaa-910d-1a6a57ab73c9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Published-2026-School-Calendar.pdf\">Published 2026 School Calendar<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Published-2026-School-Calendar.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-b1023323-dc54-4eaa-910d-1a6a57ab73c9\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What This Means for Gauteng Residents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Gauteng families, the approaching winter school holidays may influence travel plans, childcare arrangements and family activities during the three-week break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The holiday period is also expected to increase visitor numbers at museums, heritage sites, family attractions, parks and tourism destinations across the province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many Gauteng attractions typically introduce special programmes and activities during school holidays, making it one of the busiest periods for the tourism and leisure sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When do schools close for the winter holidays in 2026?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schools close on Friday, 26 June 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When do learners return to school?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The third term begins on Tuesday, 21 July 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How long are the winter school holidays?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The winter holiday period runs from 27 June to 20 July 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When does the third term end?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The third term ends on 23 September 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When do schools close for the year?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2026 school year ends on 9 December 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-3769992096\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Looking Ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the second term nearing its conclusion, parents and learners can begin preparing for the winter break and the remainder of the academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.education.gov.za\/portals\/0\/documents\/publications\/2025\/Published%202026%20School%20Calendar.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Department of Basic Education&#8217;s calendar<\/a> shows that schools will reopen in July before learners complete the final two terms leading up to the end of the 2026 school year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>South African pupils are entering the final weeks of the second school term, with winter school holidays set to begin at the end of June.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":37960,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"Winter School Holidays,winter","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"","footnotes":"","_ppma_block_editor_authors":""},"categories":[68],"tags":[11648,2014,3190],"ppma_author":[11575],"class_list":["post-37955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-education","tag-gauteng-department-of-basic-education","tag-gauteng-schools","tag-school-holidays"],"authors":[{"term_id":11575,"user_id":23,"is_guest":0,"slug":"nomthandazo","display_name":"Nomthandazo Ntisa","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ec3262463e8ed5ea26dca074ed7eff95ffede057639be73a77f7896ccd06170f?s=96&r=g","author_category":"1","first_name":"Nomthandazo","last_name":"Ntisa","user_url":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/","job_title":"Content Editor","description":"Nomthandazo Ntisa is a journalist and Content Editor at What's On G with more than six years of experience in journalism, digital publishing, and content strategy. She covers the people, places, events, and issues shaping Gauteng - producing stories that help readers understand and connect with life across the province."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37955"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37955\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37964,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37955\/revisions\/37964"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37960"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37955"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=37955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}