canary islands school calendar 2026 2027

Canary Islands school calendar 2026-2027: Key dates

School calendar for 2026-2027 confirmed

Summer may not yet be over, but the Canary Islands school calendar for the 2026-2027 academic year is already setting the pace for thousands of families, students, and education professionals. The regional government has set the start and end dates for classes, as well as the non-teaching periods and public holidays for the coming academic year.

Nationally, the Spanish education system follows a decentralised model, distributing educational responsibilities between the central government (Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sport) and the 17 autonomous communities, each with their own regional departments of education. The basic structure of the academic year is similar across the country: the school year is organised around three main terms, separated by the Christmas and Easter holidays. It generally begins in early September and finishes in June.

Regarding the daily timetable, lessons take place from Monday to Friday. Depending on the educational stage or the individual school, the day may be split (with a break for the main meal) or follow a continuous schedule. Across Spain, a minimum of 175 teaching days is required each academic year.

Start dates by educational stage

The 2026-2027 academic year will begin for Infant and Primary Education on Wednesday 9 September. On Gran Canaria, this date falls after the traditional pilgrimage of the Subida a la Virgen del Pino in Teror. On 10 September, classes will start for compulsory secondary education (ESO) and Adult Basic Education, Aula Mentor, and Basic Computing courses. On 11 September, Year 1 and Year 2 of Bachillerato will begin, both in ordinary age provision and for adults.

Direct access courses for Intermediate and Higher Level Vocational Training Cycles will start on 14 September, followed on 16 September by Vocational Training Programmes (Grade C); Adaptive Vocational Training Programme Pathways (IFE+16 and IFC+21); Grade D Vocational Training (Basic, Intermediate and Higher Level Cycles); Elementary and Professional Music Studies; Intermediate and Higher Level Cycles in Plastic Arts and Design; and Sports Studies.

The staggered start to the academic year will conclude on 21 September with the That’s English! programme, preparation courses for access to Vocational Training Cycles, preparation for the free GESO exam, and Special Regime Language Studies.

End of term and finishing dates

Year 2 of Bachillerato, alongside Special Regime Language Studies, will finish on 14 May 2027. Also finishing in May will be the second year of Higher Level Vocational Training Cycles in Plastic Arts and Design, and the second year of Grade D Vocational Training (Basic, Intermediate and Higher Level).

The end of the academic year for Infant Education, Primary Education, ESO, Year 1 of Bachillerato (including adult provision), Vocational Training Programmes (Grade C and D), Adaptive Vocational Training Programme Pathways (IFE+16 and IFC+21), Adult Basic Education, Aula Mentor, Intermediate and Higher Level Cycles in Plastic Arts and Design (first year), Sports Studies, and Basic Computing (levels II and III) is set for Tuesday 22 June 2027.

Island-specific public holidays

For the 2026-2027 academic year, the island-specific public holidays are as follows:

  • Gran Canaria: 8 September – Our Lady of the Pine (Nuestra Señora del Pino)
  • Lanzarote and La Graciosa: 15 September – Our Lady of the Volcanoes (Nuestra Señora de los Volcanes)
  • Fuerteventura: 18 September – Our Lady of the Rock (Nuestra Señora de la Peña)
  • El Hierro: 24 September – Our Lady of the Kings (Nuestra Señora de los Reyes)
  • La Gomera: 5 October – Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe)
  • Tenerife: 2 February – Our Lady of Candelaria (Virgen de la Candelaria)

National public holidays

The following national public holidays will also apply alongside the island-specific dates:

  • 12 October: Spanish National Day (Fiesta Nacional de España)
  • 2 November: Public holiday (All Saints’ Day moved from 1 November, which falls on a Sunday)
  • 7 December: Day of the Teacher and the Student (Día del Enseñante y del Estudiante)
  • 8 December: Day of the Immaculate Conception (Día de la Inmaculada Concepción)

Christmas and Easter holiday periods

Non-teaching periods in the Canary Islands have been set as follows: the Christmas holidays will run from Wednesday 23 December to Friday 8 January, and the Easter (Semana Santa) break will run from Monday 22 March to Friday 26 March.

In summary, the Canary Islands school calendar for the 2026-2027 academic year sets the start of classes between 9 and 21 September, depending on the educational stage, with the academic year ending in June 2027. In addition to these dates, national and island-specific public holidays, as well as discretionary days set by each school, should be taken into account.

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