When coming to the UK to work in education as part of your overseas adventure, it’s a good idea to know how the working pattern might be similar or different to what you are used to back home. That’s why we’ve explained, in simple terms, what you can expect from a typical school year, term and day in the UK.

The school year and terms

The UK school academic year runs from September to July. It is made up of three terms that run September to December, January to April and May to July. Each term is broken up with a week’s holiday part-way through called ‘half-term’ and two weeks holiday at the end of each term, except for at the end of July where you can enjoy a long six-week summer break.

The exact dates can vary from school to school, but a typical academic year could look like this:

Autumn term

1st September – 18th December

Autumn term holidays

Half term: 26th October – 30th October

Christmas holidays: 19th December – 3rd January

Spring term

4th January – 31st March

Spring term holidays

Half term: 15th February – 19th February

Easter holidays: 20th February – 18th April

Summer term

19th April – 23rd July

Summer term holidays

Half term: 31st May – 4th June

Summer holidays: 24th July – 31st August

The school day

On average, a school day in the UK runs from about 8/9am until 3/4pm. Often you’ll find that for younger pupils aged 5-11 in primary schools the school day runs from 8.30am to 3.15pm. In secondary schools for pupils aged 11-16, the day may run a little longer from 8.30am to 4pm. The day is broken up with short morning and afternoon breaks and usually a slightly longer break at lunchtime.

Each school will have their own academic calendar that will include term and holiday dates and any inset days. Inset days are dedicated days for education staff to concentrate on training or planning where the students are not present. Make sure you know the dates and times for the schools where you’ll be working and remember that we are always here to help if you are unsure.

Want to find out more about moving to the UK?

Our friendly Brisbane office will help you throughout your journey so get in touch today.