School calendar 2026-2027 (Flanders)
Based on the calendar published by the Flemish Government (Vlaanderen — Onderwijs en Vorming).
Download your 2026-2027 school calendar in PDF format
Key dates of the school year
Event | Date |
|---|---|
Start of the school year | Tuesday, September 1, 2026 |
End of the school year | Wednesday, June 30, 2027 |
Official school holidays – Flanders (primary & secondary education)
Holidays | From | To | Back to school |
|---|---|---|---|
Herfstvakantie (Autumn / All Saints holidays) | Mon 11/02/2026 | Sun 11/08/2026 | Mon 11/09/2026 |
Kerstvakantie (Christmas holidays) | Mon 12/21/2026 | Sun 01/03/2027 | Mon 01/04/2027 |
Krokusvakantie (Carnival / mid-term break) | Mon 02/08/2027 | Sun 02/14/2027 | Mon 02/15/2027 |
Paasvakantie (Easter / spring holidays) | Mon 03/29/2027 | Sun 04/11/2027 | Mon 04/12/2027 |
Zomervakantie (Summer holidays) | Thu 07/01/2027 | Tue 08/31/2027 | Wed 09/01/2027 |
Sources: official Flemish Government calendar (vlaanderen.be) + schools publishing these dates
Public holidays and days off during the school year
Holiday | Date | Impact |
|---|---|---|
Wapenstilstand (Armistice Day) | Wed 11/11/2026 | Schools closed |
Paasmaandag (Easter Monday) | Mon 03/29/2027 | Falls during the Easter holidays |
Dag van de Arbeid (Labour Day) | Sat 05/01/2027 | Falls on a Saturday |
Hemelvaart (Ascension Day) | Thu 05/06/2027 | Schools closed |
Brugdag Hemelvaart (Ascension bridging day) | Fri 05/07/2027 | Schools closed |
Pinkstermaandag (Whit Monday) | Mon 05/17/2027 | Schools closed |
Source: official Flemish calendar + local school publications
Differences – Part-time arts education (DKO) and adult education
Part-time arts education (deeltijds kunstonderwijs) and adult education (volwassenenonderwijs) follow the same holiday periods, with a few specific differences:
Specificity | Detail |
|---|---|
Hemelvaart (Ascension) in DKO | Only Thursday, May 6, 2027 is a public holiday — the Friday bridging day does not apply |
Weekend after Hemelvaart | Classes may take place in DKO and adult education |
In accordance with the official directives of the Flemish Government
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are the dates of the 2026-2027 school calendar in Flanders final?
Yes.
The dates of the 2026-2027 school calendar of Flanders have been approved by the Flemish Government and officially published.
They apply to all primary and secondary schools, whether community, free or officially subsidised.
2. When does the 2026-2027 school year start and end in Flanders?
Start of the school year: Tuesday, September 1, 2026
End of the school year: Wednesday, June 30, 2027
Summer holidays start on Thursday, July 1, 2027 and end on Tuesday, August 31, 2027.
3. Why does my child have days off outside the official holidays?
In addition to official school holidays and public holidays, schools may schedule:
pedagogical training days (pedagogische studiedagen),
internal staff meetings,
sometimes bridging days (facultatieve verlofdagen) after a public holiday.
👉 These days are decided by each school and must be communicated to parents at the beginning of the school year.
4. How many school holiday periods are there in 2026-2027 in Flanders?
There are 4 holiday periods during the school year:
autumn holidays (Herfstvakantie) — 1 week,
Christmas holidays (Kerstvakantie) — 2 weeks,
Carnival holidays (Krokusvakantie) — 1 week,
Easter holidays (Paasvakantie) — 2 weeks,
plus the summer holidays (Zomervakantie) of about 2 months.
5. Why are school holidays in Flanders different from those in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation?
Since the school rhythm reform in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, the two Communities apply different calendars.
In Flanders, the rhythm remains more traditional:
autumn and Carnival holidays of only one week,
spring holidays centred around Easter,
start of the school year on September 1st (and not late August).
👉 Families with children enrolled on both sides of the language border should therefore compare calendars separately.
6. Is the Flemish calendar different from the French calendar?
Yes.
France applies a school calendar split into three zones (A, B and C) with holiday dates staggered between regions.
Flanders, on the other hand, applies a single calendar for the entire Flemish Community.
7. Is the calendar the same for part-time arts education (DKO)?
The holiday periods are the same, with one important difference:
for Hemelvaart (Ascension), only Thursday, May 6, 2027 is a public holiday in DKO and adult education — the Friday bridging day on May 7 does not apply,
classes may take place the weekend following Ascension.
8. Are there public holidays during school holidays?
Yes, some public holidays fall during school holidays, for example:
Christmas and New Year's Day,
Paasmaandag (Easter Monday, which opens the Easter holidays),
Dag van de Arbeid (Labour Day, which falls on a Saturday in 2027).
In such cases, they do not add extra days off.
9. Can the dates change during the school year?
No.
Once approved by the Flemish Government, the school calendar is fixed for the entire year.
Only local pedagogical days may vary by school.
10. Where can I download the official 2026-2027 school calendar?
The official school calendar of Flanders is available:
on vlaanderen.be,
on the official website of Onderwijs Vlaanderen,
and as a downloadable PDF version on this page.
A printable version of the Flemish school calendar is recommended for daily use.
12. Is the school calendar the same for all schools in Flanders?
Yes, for:
primary education (basisonderwijs),
secondary education (secundair onderwijs),
special education (buitengewoon onderwijs).
⚠️ Possible differences concern only:
pedagogical days,
certain locally decided holidays,
specificities of DKO and adult education.
13. Why is this calendar important for parents?
The 2026-2027 school calendar of Flanders makes it possible to:
plan family holidays,
organise camps and extracurricular activities (speelpleinwerking, kampen),
anticipate childcare needs,
avoid date confusion between Belgian regions or with France.
14. Is this calendar compliant with legal requirements?
Yes.
It complies with:
the minimum number of school days required by Flemish decree,
European regulations regarding compulsory education,
official decisions of the Flemish Government.
👉 For parents
During the school holidays, rediscover your city in a different way with Coddy urban escape games.
A fun activity adapted for children under 16, allowing them to learn while having fun, with family or friends.
Discover city games adapted to each holiday period in Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges and Leuven.
👉 For teachers / school administrators
Organise an original school outing:
Coddy educational urban escape games — a way to explore the history, culture and environment of your city while developing teamwork and critical thinking.
