In all 4 nations of the UK from N Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England school children require to attend school for a certain amount of days & weeks, hours each academic year. The UK education system results in all local authority council education departments decide the actual school year start, end and holidays which results in different school weeks timing.
Scotland, England, Wales UK school year has 3 terms split into 6 half terms over 39 weeks (195 days) including 5 days teacher inset training, with N Ireland 40 weeks 200 days schooling days year.
How long is a term in school UK? 3 terms, each term is 13 weeks long, academic year is split into 6 half terms six weeks long with school holidays in between.
How many months in a school year UK? There are 9 academic months in each school year from September to July with 3 months school holidays spread throughout the year.
How many school days & weeks in a year UK
- Scotland school year has for 38 weeks over 190 days for pupils (plus 5 days inset teacher training days) split over 3 terms and divided into 6 half terms with school holidays for pupils and teachers in between.
The school year in Scotland starts second Monday of August until last week of June. Scottish councils set different Bank holidays/national holiday dates to other UK schools.
- England school year has 39 weeks or 195 days (5 days inset days) over 3 terms split into 6 half terms with school holidays between terms. Academic school English year starts first Monday of September to end of second week in July.
- Northern Ireland school year has 200 school days & 40 weeks an academic year over 3 terms with holidays in between.1st term starts from early September to 3rd term to end of June. 200 school days includes inset staff training days when pupils are off on these days.
- Wales’s school year is 190 days over 39 weeks and 5 additional teacher and school staff INSET days training in the academic year. The Wales school year is split in 3 terms and half terms 6 weeks apart with school holidays in between.
“The standard terms and conditions for teachers provide for 195 working days, of which 190 are teaching days” in Wales, UK.
UK school term dates 2022/2023
Scotland (Edinburgh) school terms & holiday dates 2022/23
| School Holidays & Term | Term Holiday | Dates |
| School starts, term 1 | Autumn term 1 starts | Wednesday 17 August 2022 |
| Autumn mid-term holiday | Mid-term holiday | Monday 19th September 2022 |
| Autumn mid-term holiday | Mid term break holiday | Monday 17th to Monday 24th October 2022, |
| End of term 1 | Christmas/New year break | Term ends Tuesday 20th December 2022 |
| Festive Christmas holidays | Christmas/New year break | Wednesday 21st December 2022 to Wednesday 4th January 2023 |
| Spring starts | Term 2 starts | Thursday 5th January 2023 |
| Mid term holidays | Spring mid term break | Monday 13th to Friday 17th February 2023 |
| Term 2 ends | Term ends | Friday 31 March 2023 |
| Easter holidays | Easter break | Monday 3 to Friday 14 April 2023 |
| Summer term 3 starts | Term 3 | Monday 17th April 2023 |
| May day holiday | Mid term break | Monday 1st May 2023 |
| School closed | Staff training day | Tuesday 2nd May 2023 |
| Victoria Day | One day break | Monday 22 May 2023 |
| Term 3 ends | Summer holidays | 28th June 2023 |
England (Manchester) school terms & holiday dates 2022/2023
| School Holidays & Term | Term Holiday | Date |
| Term 1 first school day | Term 1 starts | Thursday 1st September 2022 |
| Autumn Half Term Holiday | Halloween half term break | Monday 24th October 2022 to Friday 28th October 2022 |
| Festive Christmas holidays | End of term 1 | Monday 19th December 2022 to Monday 2nd January 2023 |
| Term 2 Spring Holidays | Half Term Holiday | Monday 20th February 2023 to 24th February 2023 |
| Easter holiday | Easter break | 3rd April 2023 to Friday 14th April 2023 |
| Term 3 half term holiday | Term 3 half term break | Monday 29th May 2023 to Friday 2 June 2023 |
| End of term 3 (Summer holidays) | End of school year | Friday 21st July 2023 |
Wales (Cardiff) terms & school holidays 2022/2033
| School Holidays & Term | Date |
| Autumn term 1 starts new school year | Monday 5th September 2022 |
| Autumn half term | Monday 31st October 2022 to Friday 4th November 2022 |
| End of term 1 (Christmas/New Year break) | Friday 23rd December 2022 |
| Spring term 2 starts | Monday 9th January 2023 |
| Spring half term | Monday 20th February 2023 to Friday 24th February 2023 |
| End term 2 (Easter break) | Friday 31st March 2023 |
| Summer term 3 starts | Monday 17th April 2023 |
| Half term break | Monday 29th May 2023 to Friday 2nd June 2023 |
| End term 3 (Summer holidays) | Monday 24th July 2023 |
Northern Ireland terms school holidays 2022/23
| School Holidays & Term | Date |
| Schools starts after summer holiday | 1st September 2022 |
| Halloween | 31st October & 1st November 2022 |
| Christmas & New Year | 22nd December 2022 to 3rd January 2023 |
| Mid-term | 16th & 17th February 2023 |
| St Patrick’s Day | 17th March 2023 |
| Easter | 6th to 14th April 2023 |
| May Day | 1st May 2023 |
| Spring Bank Holiday | 29th May 2023 |
| Summer holiday begins (End of school year) | 1st July 2023 |
What is school inset days?
Primary and secondary schools in UK have 5 inset days (In service training) each year for teacher that is mandatory for local government maintained school to hold and teacher & staff to attend. School is closed on inset days and pupils get the day off.
Inset teacher training days are for teacher, teaching assistants and all support staff who receive guidance & training in safeguarding, child protection & other educational issues. The school normally chooses to hold one day inset training throughout the year to provide important educational updates to all staff.