Some private schools in Dubai, particularly those following the British curriculum, have informed parents that the October mid-term break for the 2026–2027 academic year will take place one week earlier than previously announced.

Under the revised schedule, the mid-term break will run from Monday, October 12, to Friday, October 16, 2026, with students returning to classes on Monday, October 19. Some schools had previously told families that the break would fall between October 19 and 23.

However, Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has stressed that these dates do not constitute a new announcement. The UAE Ministry of Education approved a unified three-year academic calendar for 2026 to 2029 earlier this year, setting the October 2026 mid-term break for October 12 to 16.

The KHDA said all Dubai private schools covered by the Ministry of Education’s unified calendar must align their academic-year schedules with the official dates and clearly communicate their school calendars to families.

However, the change does not apply to all private schools in Dubai. Schools following alternative academic calendars, including Indian, Bangladeshi or Pakistani curricula, may begin and end their academic years at different times and have different mid-term break dates.

Parents are therefore advised to check their child’s official school calendar before planning travel or family holidays, as break dates may vary depending on the curriculum.