Airfares out of Changi start climbing the week before the June break, and by then the good flights to Tokyo are gone. So if you plan family trips around the school breaks, bookmark these dates: the full MOE calendar for 2026 and 2027, primary and secondary, with the holiday weeks and the scheduled single-day holidays. The two breaks that matter most for travel are the mid-year one in June and the year-end stretch from late November.
The 2026 school year runs 2 January to 20 November. The four holiday breaks are mid-March, June, early September, and the long year-end stretch from 21 November to 31 December.
The June and year-end breaks are the ones worth booking early. Airfares out of Singapore spike the moment school lets out.
2026 school terms and holidays
The 2026 school year for primary and secondary schools starts on Friday 2 January and ends on Friday 20 November. Primary 1 and Kindergarten 1 pupils start on 2 January; Primary 2 to 6 and Kindergarten 2 start on Monday 5 January. Parents with an incoming P1 child usually have the school sorted by mid-year, though if you’re still waiting on an outcome, it helps to understand how P1 registration Phase 2C balloting works before you make travel plans for that first week.
|
|---|
| Term |
Dates |
| Term 1 |
2 January to 13 March |
| Term 2 |
23 March to 29 May |
| Term 3 |
29 June to 4 September |
| Term 4 |
14 September to 20 November |
The holiday breaks between them:
|
|---|
| Break |
Dates |
| March holidays |
14 to 22 March |
| Mid-year (June) holidays |
30 May to 28 June |
| September holidays |
5 to 13 September |
| Year-end holidays |
21 November to 31 December |
Schools used as O-Level exam venues end Term 4 earlier, on Friday 23 October.
2027 school terms and holidays
The 2027 school year starts on Monday 4 January and ends on Friday 19 November.
|
|---|
| Term |
Dates |
| Term 1 |
4 January to 12 March |
| Term 2 |
22 March to 28 May |
| Term 3 |
28 June to 3 September |
| Term 4 |
13 September to 19 November |
|
|---|
| Break |
Dates |
| March holidays |
13 to 21 March |
| Mid-year (June) holidays |
29 May to 27 June |
| September holidays |
4 to 12 September |
| Year-end holidays |
from 20 November |
2027 is the first year of the new Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate exam, which replaces the O and N levels. Schools hosting the written papers end Term 4 on Friday 29 October.
Scheduled single-day holidays
On top of the term breaks, schools close on a few extra days each year. For 2026:
- Youth Day: Sunday 5 July, with Monday 6 July off in lieu
- Teachers’ Day: Friday 4 September
- Children’s Day: Friday 2 October, for primary schools only
- Off in lieu for Hari Raya Puasa: Monday 23 March, since the holiday falls on Saturday 21 March
These shift year to year, so check the MOE calendar each time. Teachers’ Day and Children’s Day are celebrated in school the day before, since the day itself is a holiday. That celebration day is when the cards and thank-yous get handed over, so it’s worth reading up on Teachers’ Day messages and gift rules a week or two ahead.
Planning around the breaks
- June and year-end are the long breaks. Four weeks in June, six at year-end. These are when families travel, and when flights and hotels are dearest.
- Book the popular escapes early. School-holiday flights to Japan, Korea and Europe sell out and climb in price from the day the term ends.
- The March and September breaks are one week each. Better for a short regional trip or a staycation than a long-haul holiday.
- Line up leave with the single-day holidays. A day of leave either side of Youth Day or a mid-week public holiday turns it into a family long weekend. Cross-check the term dates against Singapore public holidays and long weekends before you file your leave.
- Watch the exam-year calendar. If your child is in a graduating cohort, their term can end earlier for exams, which changes your window.
Common questions
When do the June school holidays start in 2026?
The mid-year break runs from 30 May to 28 June 2026 for primary and secondary schools, the longest holiday apart from the year-end break.
When does school reopen after the year-end holidays?
The 2026 school year ends on 20 November, and 2027 begins on Monday 4 January for most students.
When are the 2026 school holidays in Singapore?
March (14 to 22 March), mid-year (30 May to 28 June), September (5 to 13 September) and year-end (21 November to 31 December).
When is Children’s Day 2026?
Friday 2 October 2026, a holiday for primary schools. Secondary schools stay open.
When does the 2027 school year start?
Monday 4 January 2027, ending on Friday 19 November 2027.
Do JC and Millennia Institute follow the same dates?
The term structure is the same, but graduating cohorts finish earlier for the A-Level exams. Check the MOE calendar for the exact JC and MI dates.
Before you book anything
Get the June and December dates into your calendar and your leave application in early, because every other parent in Singapore is working off the same four breaks: two short ones in March and September, two long ones mid-year and at year-end. Then check MOE again closer to the date, since the off-in-lieu days move with the calendar and a graduating cohort’s term can finish weeks before you expected. Nothing sours a holiday faster than realising the flights doubled in price while you were meaning to get around to it.
More for the school year
Dates are from the Ministry of Education’s school terms and holidays press releases for 2026 and 2027. Confirm on MOE’s calendar before booking.
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