South Africa’s education officials have approved the new school calendar for 2025. The biggest change affects the September holiday period, which has created lots of talk among students teachers & families. This update looks at what’s new in the calendar, focusing on how the September break changes will affect both public and private schools across South Africa. The changes will impact daily schedules & holiday planning for everyone involved in South African education. The new system aims to better organize school terms while meeting the needs of students and staff.
2025 Academic Year Highlights Every Parent Must Know
Public schools will start classes on January 15. The school year will end on December 10 2025. The year has four terms with 200 days of teaching. Term 1 starts January 15 & ends March 28. This is 11 weeks long. Term 2 goes from April 8 to June 27 & lasts 12 weeks. Term 3 runs from July 22 to October 3 and takes 11 weeks. The last term starts October 13 and ends December 10. Term 4 is the shortest with 9 weeks. Students will follow this schedule like in past years. Each term has breaks in between to give students time to rest.
September School Break 2025 – Dates, Duration, and What to Expect
The September break for 2025 will run from September 26 to October 5. Students will go back to school on October 6. We made the break shorter this year to meet teaching time goals. The break includes Heritage Day which is a holiday that celebrates South African culture. Schools in Gauteng & Western Cape will get one extra day off during Midterm for local events & building work. Parents should check these dates with their children’s schools to make sure they are correct.
How the September Break Impacts Students and Family Life
The shorter break in September helps students the most especially those who need to take their final exams in November. Teachers who work with grades 10 and 11 like these short breaks because they keep students focused on finishing their lessons. Some parents don’t like the shorter spring breaks because they want more time for family trips and local events. To help with childcare Rainbow Kids offers vacation camps that include language learning and sports activities. These camps are open to kids who live nearby.
Private Schools in 2025 – Special Schedules and Operational Differences
Private schools don’t follow the same rules as public schools in South Africa. They don’t use the same school calendar and make their own schedules. Most schools start on January 15 and finish on December 3. Some private schools have shorter days and use a three-term system. Parents should contact private schools directly to learn about their schedules. Jessie mentioned that ISASA schools in KwaZulu-Natal operate differently from other ISASA schools in the country. These private schools can set their own policies because they don’t have to follow the Department of Basic Education guidelines.
Preparing Smartly for Exams After the September Break
Private schools in South Africa work differently than public schools. They can create their own schedules and don’t need to follow the normal school calendar. Most schools run from January 15 to December 3 each year. Private schools often have shorter school days & split the year into three terms. If you want to know a private school’s schedule you should call them directly. Jessie says that ISASA schools in KwaZulu-Natal run on different schedules than other ISASA schools. This happens because private schools can make their own rules without following what the Department of Basic Education says. They have more freedom to decide how they want to operate.
