School calendar: When does Term 4 end?

With Term three officially being over, South African pupils are entering the home stretch of the 2026 academic year. Here’s everything you need to know about the final term.

WHEN DOES TERM FOUR END?

According to the Department of Basic Education’s official 2026 school calendar, Term 4 begins on Tuesday, 6 October and runs until Wednesday, 9 December 2026. Administration days follow on 10 and 11 December, officially closing out school for 2026.

Term 4 spans 10 weeks, making it one of the shorter terms of the year. However, it does match Term 3 in length. In total, it covers roughly 47 school days (or 49, including the administration days at the end).

Unlike earlier terms, which included breaks for holidays like Freedom Day, Workers’ Day, Youth Day and National Women’s Day, Term 4 has no public holidays falling within it. That means it will run as a continuous, uninterrupted stretch of learning right through to December, giving teachers a solid run to complete the curriculum before the year wraps up. Take a look at how many public holidays are left for 2026 here.

Once schools close on 9 December, the 2026 academic year officially ends. Learners then head into the long December school holiday, which overlaps with public holidays including the Day of Reconciliation and Christmas.

A FULL RECAP OF THE 2026 SCHOOL YEAR

• Term 1: 14 January – 27 March (11 weeks)
• Term 2: 8 April – 26 June (12 weeks)
• Term 3: 21 July – 23 September (10 weeks)
• Term 4: 6 October – 9 December (10 weeks)

These dates applied to the public schools under the Department of Basic Education. Independent and IEB schools often set their own calendars. So, if your child attends a private school, it’s worth double-checking directly with them, as dates can differ slightly.

With Term 4 starting on 6 October and running through to 9 December, parents and pupils have a clear run to the end of the year. No public holiday breaks means it’s a term for finishing strong, so it’s worth getting back into a routine early.