How Many School Days in a Year (UK)?

In England, the school year is legally required to have 190 pupil days. These are days when children are expected to be in school for lessons. In addition, teachers have 5 Inset (training) days, bringing the total number of school working days to 195 per academic year.

This number applies to state schools in England, but it’s broadly similar in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — though dates and holidays may vary slightly between countries and local authorities.

How the School Year Is Structured

The academic year runs from early September to mid-to-late July, and is typically broken up into three terms:

1. Autumn Term (September – December)

2. Spring Term (January – March/April)

3. Summer Term (April – July)

Each term is split into half-terms, with a one-week break in the middle and longer holidays at Christmas, Easter and summer.

Key Holiday Periods

• October Half Term – 1 week

• Christmas Holidays – 2 weeks

• February Half Term – 1 week

• Easter Holidays – 2 weeks

• May Half Term – 1 week

• Summer Holidays – 5 to 6 weeks

Bank holidays are also observed during term time and will result in the school being closed on those days.

What Can Affect the Number of School Days?

While the scheduled number of pupil days is 190, the actual number of days a child attends may vary due to:

• Illness or medical appointments

• Authorised absences (e.g. family emergencies, religious observance)

• Unauthorised absences or term-time holidays

• Extreme weather or school closures (e.g. snow days or strike action)

Schools are expected to monitor attendance closely, and parents can face fines for unauthorised absences without valid reasons.

How Does This Compare to Other Countries?

Here's a quick look at how the UK compares internationally:

The UK sits around the middle of the global average — not the most, but certainly not the least.

Final Thought

In the UK, there are 190 school days per year for pupils, spread across three terms and several holiday breaks. While that might sound like a lot to students counting down to summer, it's a carefully balanced calendar designed to give enough time for learning — while still leaving room for rest, development, and the odd snow day.