Hey Raha blog · Dubai school life

Sharjah School Term Dates 2026-27: SPEA Private Schools and MoE Public Schools

By Marie Adly · 7 October 2026

Sharjah private schools regulated by SPEA start on Monday 31 August 2026 and finish on Thursday 1 July 2027, with winter break from 14 to 31 December 2026 and spring break from 5 to 8 April 2027. Sharjah's MoE public schools follow the national calendar and finish on Friday 2 July 2027. SPEA's calendar doesn't list an October mid-term, so check your school.

Last updated: 7 October 2026

Sharjah families have their own rhythm: a four-day school week, a longer weekend, and a school regulator, the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), that publishes its own calendar. For 2026-27, SPEA's dates sit very close to the national calendar, but not exactly on it. Those small differences are what catch people out, especially if you have one child in Sharjah and another in Dubai.

Here's what SPEA and the Ministry of Education (MoE) have published, what's still to be confirmed, and where to check. As always, your school's approved calendar is the final word.

The 2026-27 Sharjah school calendar at a glance

SPEA's calendar applies to all private schools in Sharjah except those following the Indian and Pakistani curricula (more on those below).

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SPEA approved the calendar on 3 August 2026, and Gulf News reported the same dates that day. SPEA has also published its calendars for 2027-28 (starting 30 August 2027) and 2028-29 (starting 28 August 2028), if you like to plan far ahead.

Why Sharjah's dates look slightly different

It's mostly the weekend. Since January 2022, Sharjah has run a four-day school week, Monday to Thursday, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. Private schools were allowed to lengthen the school day to make up the time.

That's why SPEA's breaks end on a Thursday (31 December, 8 April) and why the last day is Thursday 1 July 2027 rather than Friday 2 July. In practice, Sharjah pupils get the same weeks off as children elsewhere in the UAE. The difference is on paper, not in your diary.

The one thing to plan for is pick-up. A four-day week usually means longer days, so if your helper does the school run, check the finish time for each child, especially if siblings are at different schools. A simple weekly school-run plan for your nanny or helper saves a lot of Thursday-night messages.

What about an October half-term?

This is the date I'd double-check. SPEA's published calendar doesn't list an October mid-term break for private schools. The MoE's national calendar does (12–16 October 2026), but the Ministry has said its rule letting private schools split that break between October and February doesn't apply in Sharjah, where SPEA's own framework applies.

So for October 2026, Sharjah private schools are unconfirmed on our side. Some may have a break in their approved calendar, others may not. Check your school's calendar, app or latest email before you book anything for that week.

Public (MoE) schools in Sharjah

Public schools in Sharjah follow the national MoE calendar for public schools and private schools on the Ministry curriculum. The key dates:

• Term 1: 31 August – 11 December 2026, with the mid-term break on 12–16 October and the National Day holiday on 2–4 December
• Term 2: 4 January – 2 April 2027, with an Eid Al Fitr holiday on 8–12 March (expected)
• Term 3: 12 April – 2 July 2027, with an Eid Al Adha holiday on 15–18 May (expected)
• 185 school days in total

The MoE calendar also sets exam and assessment windows, including end-of-term exams on 25–27 November and 7–11 December, and Term 3 exams on 16–25 June 2027. For the full term-by-term list, see our Abu Dhabi term dates guide, which covers the same MoE calendar in detail.

Indian and Pakistani curriculum schools

SPEA publishes a separate calendar for Indian and Pakistani curriculum schools, which run an April-start year. For 2026-27, SPEA's table lists:

• classes from 31 August to 10 December 2026, after the summer break
• the same winter break, 14–31 December 2026, with classes back on 4 January 2027
• classes until 1 April 2027, then a spring break from 5 to 8 April 2027
• the new 2027-28 year starting on 12 April 2027

These schools often set their own exam weeks and festival days, such as Diwali, so ask your school for its approved calendar.

Public holidays and expected Eid dates

Public holidays are set by Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024. Islamic holidays depend on the moon sighting, so the 2027 dates are expected.

• Flag Day – Tuesday 3 November 2026. A school day, with flag-raising at 11am.
• Commemoration Day – Monday 30 November 2026. A day of remembrance, not a school holiday.
• National Day (Eid Al Etihad) – Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026. With Sharjah's Friday-to-Sunday weekend, that's a five-day break from Wednesday to Sunday for most pupils.
• New Year's Day – Friday 1 January 2027. In the winter break.
• Eid Al Fitr – expected 9 March 2027, possibly running to 12 March if Ramadan lasts 30 days.
• Arafah Day and Eid Al Adha – expected 15–18 May 2027, partly over a weekend.
• Hijri New Year – expected Sunday 6 June 2027, on a weekend.

For school celebrations this term, see our Flag Day and National Day school guide.

Ramadan 2027 and the school day

Ramadan 2027 is expected to start on Monday 8 February and last 29 or 30 days, all in Term 2. Ramadan school hours are usually announced shortly before the month begins, and your school will share its own timetable. Our guide to Ramadan school timings has a simple plan for the month, including your helper's routine.

Living in Sharjah, working in Dubai

Many of us live in Sharjah and drive to Dubai, or have children at schools on both sides of Al Nahda. This year the big breaks line up: winter from 14 December, spring from 5 April, back on the same Mondays. The differences to watch:

• Fridays. Sharjah pupils are home on Fridays, and most Dubai pupils are not.
• October. Dubai schools mostly take 12–16 October. Your Sharjah school may not.
• The last day. Thursday 1 July in Sharjah, Friday 2 July in Dubai.

Our Dubai term dates for 2026-27 and the printable UAE school calendar put both side by side.

Sources

• SPEA: School calendars 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29
• SPEA: SPEA approves the school calendar for 2026-2027 (Arabic) (3 Aug 2026)
• UAE Ministry of Education: Academic Calendar 2026-2027 (PDF)
• UAE Ministry of Education: Academic calendar for the 2026-2027 academic year
• WAM: Ministry of Education sets three-year academic calendar (23 Feb 2026)
• UAE Government portal: Public holidays
• Gulf News: Sharjah announces private school calendar for 2026-2027 academic year (3 Aug 2026)
• The National: Sharjah private-school pupils to have four-day school week (12 Dec 2021)
• Gulf News: Sharjah allows longer day for private schools after weekend change
• The National: When is Ramadan 2027? Potential dates announced for the UAE (updated 6 Oct 2026)

Frequently asked questions

When does school start in Sharjah for 2026-27?
Monday 31 August 2026, for both SPEA private schools and MoE public schools.

When is winter break in Sharjah?
For SPEA private schools, Monday 14 to Thursday 31 December 2026, with classes back on Monday 4 January 2027.

When is spring break in Sharjah in 2027?
Monday 5 to Thursday 8 April 2027 for SPEA private schools, back on Monday 12 April.

When is the last day of school in Sharjah?
Thursday 1 July 2027 for SPEA private schools, and Friday 2 July 2027 for MoE public schools.

Do Sharjah private schools have an October half-term?
SPEA's calendar doesn't list one, and the MoE's split-break option doesn't apply in Sharjah. Check your own school's approved calendar.

Do Sharjah schools still have a four-day week?
Yes. Sharjah schools have run Monday to Thursday since January 2022, usually with longer school days.

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