dave77

Hi all,

We will hopefully be heading down to Dunedin in a few months time and we were wondering if anyone can shed any light on the school terms ie. how they work and when they run from & to.

My wife seems to think that the terms are 12 weeks long in NZ, rather than UK's 6 weeks and that they have a 2 week break every 12 weeks rather than 1 week break every 6???

How long is the summer holiday too, i heard 8 weeks quoted which seems a long time (but could be good for planning our first visitors to come and see us!)

Many thanks in advance

dorrick

Ministry of education site has dates for terms. Note secondary and primary dates vary. Private schools also vary

simonsi

There are 4 terms rather than the UK 3, our pattern was never 1 week hol every 6 weeks in the UK so I´m not sure what pattern that is you are referring to however all the relevant term dates for NZ are on the minedu website for reference several years in advance to help with planning....

dave77

Ok, well general rule of thumb in the UK is (except for when terms end ie. xmas, easter and summer) that we do 6 weeks which is half a term. We then get one week off (half term holiday) and finish the remaining 6 weeks of the term.

I've just looked at the minedu website and it seems wifey was right, they seem to do a whole term in one go and then have 2 week breaks rather than splitting terms up with a week half term holiday.

Thanks for the link guys

SLH

Hi school terms for 2010 are as follows. Each term is roughly 9 weeks

2010 term dates

Primary and intermediate schools

Term Start date End date

3 Monday 19 July Friday 24 September
4 Monday 11 October No later than Monday 20 December

Secondary and composite schools

Term Start date End date

3 Monday 19 July Friday 24 September

4 Monday 11 October Tuesday 14 December

2010 holidays
Schools must be closed in 2010 on Saturdays and Sundays, and on the following days:

•Labour Day - 25 October (Monday)
•Christmas Day - 25 December
•Boxing Day - 26 December

2011

Term Start date End date

Primary and intermediate schools
1 Between Monday 31 January (at the earliest) and Monday 7 February (at the latest) Friday 15 April

2 Monday 2 May Friday 15 July

3 Monday 1 August Friday 7 October

4 Tuesday 25 October No later than Tuesday 20 December


Secondary and composite schools

Term Start date End date

1 Between Monday 31 January (at the earliest) and Monday 7 February (at the latest) Friday 15 April

2 Monday 2 May Friday 15 July

3 Monday 1 August Friday 7 October

4 Tuesday 25 October No later than Tuesday 13 December

•New Years Day - 1 January
•Day after New Years Day - 2 January
•Waitangi Day - 6 February (Sunday)
•Good Friday - 22 April
•Easter Monday - 25 April
•Day after Easter Monday - 26 April (Tuesday)
•Anzac Day - 25 April
•Queen's Birthday - 6 June (Monday)
•Labour Day - 24 October (Monday)
•Christmas Day - 25 December
•Boxing Day - 26 December

simonsi

I´m sure its not changed that much in the 12 days we´ve been here

Our girls had quite an irregular pattern in Leicestershire, this past academic year they had both an 8-week and a 5-week half term! NZ terms seem more regularly laid out.

Glad you´ve got the info.

Woodpigeon

2011 tem dates are all over the place due to some little sports event that is happening near the end of the year

But these dates should also be on Minedu site.

Oopps, should have read all of SLH's post, sorry

dave77

Lol! Yes I noticed that the Rugby world cup was mentioned as a reason for terms being different on the Minedu site! Found that one quite amusing

dave77

What can I say? It was the same for me throughout my school days and my children follow the same pattern, as does my wife's school....maybe things are just better organised in this neck of the woods!!

simonsi

Maybe, Leicestershire was always a bit different, you used to be able to get decent holiday prices as they broke up earlier by two weeks for the summer holiday but now resistance is futile and they are supposedly conforming to the national dates.