School terms in primary and post-primary schools

Information

Schools in Ireland are obliged to open for 183 days per year at primary level and 167 days per year at post-primary level. At one time, schools had a good deal of flexibility about the start and end of school terms. This meant that there was considerable variation about when students returned to school after holidays such as Christmas and mid-term breaks. In 2004 school terms countrywide were standardised under the terms of the national agreement ‘Sustaining Progress’ (pdf). The agreement was made between representatives from schools, teachers unions, parents’ organisations and other relevant bodies and covered 4 school years up until Easter 2008.  In December 2007 a new agreement was reached covering the next 3 years from October 2008 to Easter 2011. This agreement will be reviewed in order to decide future arrangements.

The dates for the start and the end of the school year are not standardised so schools have some discretion about when students finish school in the summer and when they start school in the autumn. All schools are closed in July and August. The dates for the Christmas, Easter and mid-term breaks are standardised.

At the start of the school year, you will be given a list of days that the school will be closed during the year, including holidays and training days for teachers. If there are other unexpected closures the school will let you know in advance.

Rules

Start and end of the school year

The dates for the start and the end of the school year at both primary and post-primary level are not fixed. However, due to the start of certificate exams, post-primary schools are usually not open for tuition after the Friday before the June public holiday (the first Monday in June) in any year. The school year generally starts in the week that 1 September falls every year.

Discretionary days

Every school must be open for tuition for a minimum of 183 days at primary level and 167 days at post-primary level. Schools can use any remaining days at their discretion to extend the summer holiday period or to close on religious or other holidays.

However, schools cannot use these days to extend the Christmas, Easter or mid-term breaks (unless a religious observance day(s) falls at that time for schools of a particular denomination or faith). If a school does not have enough discretionary days left for a religious holiday schools can denote that day a non-tuition day.

School Year 2009/10

October 2009 mid-term break

All schools closed from 26 to 30 October 2009 inclusive.

Christmas 2009

All schools closed on 22 December 2009 which was the final day of the school term. All schools re-opened on 7 January 2010.

February 2010 mid-term break

Post-primary schools closed from 15 to 19 February 2010 inclusive. Primary schools closed from 15 to 16 February 2010 or 18 to 19 February 2010 inclusive. (Primary schools may use 3 discretionary days to extend this break to an alternative option of a 5-day break).

Easter 2010

All schools closed on 26 March 2010 which was the final day of the school term. All schools re-opened on 12 April 2010.

School Year 2010/11

October 2010 mid-term break

All schools will close from 25 to 29 October 2010 inclusive.

Christmas 2010

All schools will close on 23 December 2010 which will be the final day of the school term. All schools will re-open on 10 January 2011.

February 2011 mid-term break

Post-primary schools will close from 21 to 25 February 2011 inclusive. Primary schools will close from 21 to 22 February 2008 inclusive or 24 to 25 February 2011 inclusive. (Primary schools may use 3 discretionary days to extend this break to an alternative option of a 5-day break).

Easter 2011

All schools will close on 15 April 2011 which will be the final day of the school term. All schools will re-open on 3 May 2011.

The Department of Education and Skills has published Circular 0107/2007 about the standardisation of the school year.