Barely a few weeks into the new school year, and there’s already a change to circle on the calendar. Several private schools across Dubai have just told parents that October half-term is moving a week earlier than originally planned. Which means if you’ve been eyeing flights or hotel deals based on the old dates, it’s time for a quick double-check. Keep reading for the full set of calendar changes you need to know.
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When Is The New October Break?
For schools following the unified calendar, half-term now runs from Monday, October 12, to Friday, October 16, 2026. Which means five school days off. Add in the weekends on either side, and kids are actually out of school from October 10 all the way through October 18, heading back to class on Monday, October 19.
That’s the bit that’s tripping parents up. October 19 was the original first day of the break for a lot of families, not the return date. Schools including Dubai British School, Safa British School and Arab Unity School have already sent notices confirming the new dates, so if your child attends one of these (or a similar MoE-aligned school), it’s worth checking your inbox.
Why The Sudden Switch Up?
The Ministry of Education has rolled out a new three-year academic calendar, and it fixes October 12 to 16 as the official first-semester mid-term break for the 2026–27 school year. Dubai’s education regulator, KHDA, has adopted this MoE calendar for the schools it oversees, which is what’s prompting affected schools to update their previously published dates. The practical takeaway for parents? Be sure to pull up the most recent version issued by your child’s school before you lock in flights, hotels or childcare bookings.
But Does This Apply To Every School In Dubai?
Nope, not automatically. The new October dates apply specifically to schools operating under the relevant unified calendar arrangements.Basically, private schools following the MoE curriculum. If your child’s school follows a different curriculum or falls under separate emirate-level rules, their holiday schedule could look completely different.
A few things worth knowing:
- Some private schools may, with approval, split their mid-term break between October and February. As long as it doesn’t add up to more than five school days total.
- Schools in Sharjah follow their own emirate-specific regulations.
- Schools following Asian curricula may also run on a totally separate academic calendar.
Is There A public Holiday Coming Up In September?
Not this time. There’s currently no UAE-wide public holiday scheduled for September 2026. The last one was for Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (PBUH), which was observed on Friday, August 28, right before school gates reopened for the new year.
So What’s The Next Public Holiday, Then?
Parents and students can mark their calendar for National Day, December 2 and 3, 2026. This will be a two-day public holiday for both the public and private sectors. Handy timing too, since it lands just before the winter school break kicks off.
When Does Winter Break Start?
Under the MoE’s 2026–27 calendar, winter holidays begin on Monday, December 14, 2026, and run through to Sunday, January 3, 2027, with school resuming on Monday, January 4. That means for a lot of students, Friday, December 11 is the last school day before the festive season. Worth knowing early if you’re already dreaming up Christmas or New Year travel plans. As always, international and alternative-curriculum schools may run to a different schedule, so double-check with your own school.
A little extra checking now could save you a headache. But either way, families across Dubai now have a full 9-day October break to look forward to, just a week earlier than they’d planned.
