Hey Raha blog · Dubai school life
UAE school winter break 2026: Dubai, Abu Dhabi and MoE dates
Last updated: 19 October 2026
Dubai private schools finish for winter on Monday 14 December 2026 and return on Monday 4 January 2027, per the KHDA academic calendar. Ministry of Education schools break from 14 December to 3 January, back on 4 January, with a National Day school holiday on 2 to 4 December. Each emirate and school group varies a little, so the table below links the detail.
The 2026 winter break at a glance
| Schools | Last day | Back at school |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai private (KHDA) | Friday 11 December, break from 14 December | Monday 4 January 2027 |
| MoE public schools | Break 14 December to 3 January, National Day holiday 2 to 4 December | Monday 4 January 2027 |
| Abu Dhabi (ADEK) | 14 December to 1 January, to be confirmed by ADEK | Monday 4 January 2027 |
| GEMS | Break 14 December to 1 January | Monday 4 January 2027 |
| Taaleem | Break 14 December to 1 January | Monday 4 January 2027 |
| Aldar Academies | Break 14 December to 1 January | Monday 4 January 2027 |
The honest caveats. Individual schools adjust by a day or two either side, INSET days move, and the school's own calendar email always wins. The Abu Dhabi dates follow the common 2026-27 pattern and are marked to be confirmed until ADEK publishes its own page.
Dates move. Raha keeps up.
Schools change dates more often than you'd think. Hey Raha reads your school emails, adds every date to your plan and tells you on WhatsApp when one changes.
Try Raha free for 14 daysTerm 2, after the break
Term 2 starts Monday 4 January 2027 across Dubai private, MoE and the big school groups, and runs to the spring break in early April. The per-group pages above carry the half-terms and the spring dates.
Plan the break itself
- The printable UAE school calendar for the fridge.
- The nanny briefing template if a helper runs part of the break.
- The UAE kids' activities guide for the long middle week.
Want these dates kept up to date for you? Raha does it from your school's own emails, and tells you on WhatsApp when anything moves. Try her free.
Sources
- KHDA academic calendar 2026-27 (Dubai private school term dates), as carried on the Dubai term dates page with its sources.
- UAE Ministry of Education: Academic Calendar 2026-2027 (PDF).
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