Term Dates

2026 Term Dates

Thursday, 5 February 2026 – Meet the Teacher Day

Term 1       Monday, 9 February – Thursday, 2 April 2026

Term 2       Monday, 20 April – Friday, 3 July 2026

Term 3       Monday, 20 July – Friday, 25 September 2026

Term 4       Monday, 12 October – Friday, 18 December 2026 (3.00pm finish)

 

Public Holidays 2026

Waitangi Day – Friday, 6 February

Good Friday – Friday, 3 April

Easter Monday – Monday, 6 April

Easter Tuesday – Tuesday, 7 April (a school holiday)

Anzac Day – Saturday, 25 April (observed on Monday 27 April)

King’s Birthday – Monday, 1 June

Matariki – Friday, 10 July

Labour Day – Monday, 26 October

 

Cohort Entry

Cohort Entry refers to new entrant children starting school as a group, at the beginning or midpoint of a term, AFTER THEIR FIFTH BIRTHDAY. This means they will no longer be starting school on their fifth birthday. Whānau will continue to have the option of not starting their child in school until their sixth birthday.

Once your child turns 5 you can choose any of the dates below. They can’t start before they turn 5 but must start by the time they turn 6.

There are start dates at the beginning and middle of each school term.

2026 start dates:

TERM	START OF TERM DATE	MID-TERM DATE
1	9 February 2026	9 March 2026
2	20 April 2026	01 June 2026
3	20 July 2026	24 August 2026
4	12 October 2026	16 November 2026

The start dates are set by the Minister of Education. Schools using cohort entry must use these dates and cannot change them.