Dubai Schools Shift October Half-Term Dates to Align with Unified Academic Calendar

Families who locked in flights or hotels around a mid-October school break may need to check their dates again. A number of private schools across Dubai recently notified parents that this year's half-term has been moved forward by a week, with the new schedule communicated as pupils returned to school to start the 2026-27 academic year.

For those schools making the change, the October half-term break will now run from Monday, October 12 to Friday, October 16, offering the opportunity for a nine-day holiday including both weekends. Many institutions had originally scheduled October 19 to October 23 for the break before revising their dates. Dove Green Private School, Greenfield International School, Jumeirah Primary School, and Dubai British School are among the facilities that have written to parents to confirm the update.

In a notification seen by The National, one Dubai school told parents: “We have been informed that the October half-term break will take place from Monday 12 to 16 for all schools. The school calendar will be updated accordingly.” The administration also apologized for any inconvenience caused to families.

The adjustment is not arbitrary. In February, the Ministry of Education announced a new three-year academic calendar for public and private schools running until 2029, which officially fixed the first midterm break at October 12 to October 16. Meanwhile, Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority, which regulates private schools in the emirate, has adopted the ministry's calendar. Rather than adhering to earlier schedules, schools are now adopting unified calendars following this decision.

Schools utilizing the ministry's curriculum must follow the national calendar. However, private schools outside the Ministry of Education curriculum can apply for approval to split their midterm break between October and February, provided the combined total remains at or below five school days. Additionally, schools in Sharjah follow their own emirate regulator, while those teaching Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi curriculums typically follow a different academic year and are exempt from this shift.

Because schools design their calendars based on specific regulatory frameworks—whether through the Ministry of Education, Knowledge and Human Development Authority, emirate-level authorities, or curriculum-specific guidelines—holiday dates can differ. Parents are advised to verify their specific school’s calendar rather than assuming a uniform UAE holiday schedule.

According to the Ministry of Education school calendar, the first term began on Monday, August 31, and will last 13 weeks with 67 teaching days. Schools will observe a midweek break at the start of December for Eid Al Etihad or UAE National Day, falling on December 2 to December 3 according to Cabinet decision. Winter break will run from Monday, December 14 to Sunday, January 3, 2027, with the last school day being Friday, December 11, and classes resuming on January 4. Notably, the winter break has been reduced from four weeks in the 2025-26 academic year to three weeks over the next three years. Spring break is scheduled from Monday, April 5 to Friday, April 11, 2027, and the academic year will conclude on July 2, 2027.