When Does School Go Back in 2027? First Day by State

Government school students go back between Wednesday 27 January 2027 (Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory) and Thursday 4 February 2027 (Tasmania). Victoria returns on Thursday 28 January, Western Australia on Monday 1 February, the ACT on Tuesday 2 February and New South Wales on Wednesday 3 February. Every date below is the first day students attend, read on each education department's own calendar on 14 Oct 2026 — several states list an earlier term start that is for staff only.

Key takeaways

• First back: Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory, on Wednesday 27 January 2027. Last back: Tasmania, on Thursday 4 February — eight days later.
• New South Wales students start on Wednesday 3 February, not 28 January. The NSW term officially opens on Thursday 28 January, but the first four weekdays are school development days with no students. Schools in the far west of the state start a week later, on Wednesday 10 February.
• The summer break is not the same length everywhere. Victorian students get 40 days off; students in New South Wales, Tasmania and the Northern Territory get 47.
• Term 1 runs from 8.1 weeks in Victoria to 10.4 weeks in South Australia, because Victoria and Queensland break before Easter and the other states carry on until 9 April.
• School finishes for 2026 between Thursday 10 December (NT) and Friday 18 December (Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT).

First day of school 2027, state by state

Summer break is the number of days between the last day of school in 2026 and the first student day in 2027, counted from each department's dates. These are government school dates. Independent and Catholic schools set their own calendars — most sit within a few days, but check with the school before you book anything.

The details that catch families out

• New South Wales. The department lists school development days from Thursday 28 January to Tuesday 2 February 2027, with students starting on Wednesday 3 February. Individual schools can stagger the first days for Kindergarten and Year 7, and the department tells families to check with the school — so read the school's letter rather than relying on the state calendar alone.
• ACT. New students start on Monday 1 February: that means every Kindergarten, Year 7 and Year 11 student, and anyone new to the school. Continuing students start on Tuesday 2 February.
• Queensland. Staff return on 21 January and students on Wednesday 27 January, the day after the Australia Day public holiday. For the end of 2026, Year 12s finish on 20 November and Years 10 and 11 on 27 November. The 69 state schools the department lists in the far north and west close a week early for summer, on 4 December 2026.
• Victoria. The term is listed from Wednesday 27 January, and the department says students in government schools start on Thursday 28 January.
• Northern Territory. Teachers return on Monday 25 January and students on Wednesday 27 January. Gunbalanya School runs its own calendar.
• Tasmania. Teachers start on Monday 1 February and students on Thursday 4 February. Colleges for Years 11 and 12 set their own finishing dates.

Every 2027 term, every state

Two notes on that table. Anzac Day 2027 falls on a Sunday. Western Australia's calendar says Monday 26 April is expected to be a public holiday in its place, so the first day WA students are actually in class in Term 2 is likely to be Tuesday 27 April. South Australia and Tasmania list the same Monday as their Term 2 start — confirm the first day with your school. In Tasmania, Monday 19 July is a professional learning day for Kindergarten to Year 10, so those students start Term 3 on Tuesday 20 July.

Why Term 1 is so uneven in 2027

Easter is early in 2027: Good Friday is 26 March and Easter Monday is 29 March. Victoria and Queensland end Term 1 on Thursday 25 March and start their autumn holidays at Easter. New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT treat Easter as a long weekend inside the term and keep going until Friday 9 April; the Northern Territory finishes on Friday 2 April.

The result is that a South Australian child has 10.4 weeks of Term 1 and a Victorian child has 8.1. That shows up in three places a parent will notice:

• NAPLAN. The national test window is Wednesday 10 to Monday 22 March 2027. In Victoria and Queensland it closes three days before the end of term.
• Term 1 activities. A swimming or sport program sold as a ten-week term in South Australia cannot run ten weeks in Victoria. Check how many sessions a term fee covers before you compare prices across states.
• Holiday travel. The two groups of states are on holiday at different times all year. Our 2027 holiday overlap guide shows which weeks every state is off at once.

The next school holidays in every state

Next two school holidays, state by state

Government school dates — individual schools can vary by a few days.

Each state's own page has the dates for every break, plus the free and council-run holiday programs we have listed for it: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, ACT and the Northern Territory.

Before the first day: what to line up in January

• Costs. Several states pay towards school costs at the start of the year, and the rules differ by postcode. Help with school costs, state by state lists what each state offers, and what's open now is kept current with the closing dates.
• Before and after school care. Ask your service now about a Term 1 place. Our before school care guide covers start times, fees and what the Child Care Subsidy pays.
• Getting there. Free school travel by state sets out what each state provides and whether you need to apply.
• A child starting school for the first time. The cut-off birthdays differ in every state; school starting age in 2027 has each one.
• Term 1 activities. If you are lining up clubs and classes for the new year, there are 1,461 kids' activity providers in New South Wales, 1,415 kids' activity providers in Victoria and 986 kids' activity providers in Queensland in our directory — browse by suburb from the activities hub.

And 2028?

Six of the eight have published 2028 already.

Frequently asked questions

When does school go back in 2027?

Between Wednesday 27 January and Thursday 4 February 2027 for government schools, depending on the state. Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory go back first; Tasmania goes back last.

When does school start in NSW in 2027?

Students start on Wednesday 3 February 2027 in most of the state, and on Wednesday 10 February in the far-west schools. The term opens on Thursday 28 January with four school development days for staff.

When does school start in Victoria in 2027?

Students in government schools start on Thursday 28 January 2027.

When does school start in Queensland in 2027?

Wednesday 27 January 2027, the day after the Australia Day public holiday.

When does school finish in 2026?

Thursday 10 December in the Northern Territory; Friday 11 December in Queensland and South Australia; Thursday 17 December in New South Wales and Western Australia; Friday 18 December in Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT.

How we checked

Every date was read on the state or territory education department's own term-dates page or calendar on 14 Oct 2026, using the first and last days students attend rather than the dates staff return. The summer-break and Term 1 lengths are our own counts from those dates. Independent and Catholic schools publish their own calendars, and individual government schools can vary a date, so your school's letter is the final word.

Related reading

• The two weeks in 2027 when every state is on school holidays
• Starting school in 2027: your 12-month countdown
• Help with school costs, state by state

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