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Schooling in the UK
Open Days
Schools, colleges and universities usually hold open days/evenings at least once a year,
usually in September/October. If the timing of the open day is not suited to you, or you are
interested in entering your child into the school at a later notice, you can contact the
school and request a tour separately. It is a good idea to visit a school in person before
enrolling to familiarise yourself with what to expect for your child and what the feeling of
the school is on an average day.
The School Year
Local Authorities can set their own term dates, but as a guideline the school year for
Primary and Secondary in the UK begins at the beginning of September and ends mid-
July. There are usually 6 school terms:
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September to October
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October to December
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January to February
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February to March
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April to May
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June to July
The breaks are usually one week long for half-term (October, February, May/June), with
two weeks at Christmas/New Year (December/January), two weeks at Easter
(March/April), then six weeks over summer (July-September). The school day usually
begins around 8:30 and ends around 15:15, but as before, this will vary depending on the
school (and the finishing time is usually later for secondary schools).