School Holidays in Belgium 2024-2025

Planning your family's schedule around school holidays in Belgium? With a blend of term breaks, public holidays, and unique local festivities, Belgium’s school calendar offers plenty of opportunities for family time. This guide will walk you through the key dates for the 2024-2025 academic year, helping you make the most of each break. From quick getaways to fun activities at home, discover how to turn every holiday into a memorable experience.

Overview of School Holidays in Belgium in 2024-2025

In Belgium, school holidays are decided by the governments of the three language communities: the Flemish Community (Dutch-speaking), the French Community (French-speaking), and the German-speaking Community.

Each of these communities has its own education system, and thus, the school calendars, including holidays, are determined by the respective community governments.

• Flemish Community : The Flemish Ministry of Education and Training oversees education in Flanders and sets the school holiday dates for Dutch-speaking schools in areas like Antwerp and the East and West Flanders.
• French Community - The Ministry of the French Community is responsible for the school calendar in the French-speaking region, including Wallonia and Brussels.
• German-speaking Community - The Ministry of the German-speaking Community governs the school holidays for the small German-speaking region in the east of the country, such as Eupen and Sankt Vith.

While each community sets its own term breaks, there is some level of coordination through inter-community consultations to avoid significant discrepancies, especially in regions where communities are geographically close. However, minor variations can still occur, reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of the country. Unlike School Holidays in France, which uses a staggered regional system to spread out holiday dates, Belgium adopts a unified schedule like most of the world. Schools may also schedule additional individual days off for events such as professional training for teachers or public holidays, highlighting the variability in holiday schedules between French-speaking and Dutch-speaking school systems.

Important Dates to Remember:

• Start of the School Year: September 2, 2024
• End of the School Year: June 27, 2025

Belgian schools typically have five holidays across the year, including two weeks for Christmas and Easter breaks. The start and end dates of the school year is uniform across all language communities.

Public Holidays in Belgium 2024-2025

In Belgium, public holidays are officially established by Royal Decree and then followed by a federal government proposal. Setting the public holiday schedule at the federal level means they are recognised and followed nationwide. Schools are typically closed on these days.

Here is a list of the public holidays during the 2024-2025 academic year:

• All Saints' Day: November 1, 2024 (Friday)
• Armistice Day: November 11, 2024 (Monday)
• Christmas Day: December 25, 2024 (Wednesday)
• New Year's Day: January 1, 2025 (Wednesday)
• Easter Monday: April 21, 2025
• Labor Day: May 1, 2025 (Thursday)
• Ascension Day: May 29, 2025 (Thursday)
• Whit Monday: June 9, 2025 (Monday)
• National Day: July 21, 2025 (Monday)

These public holidays offer ideal opportunities for short getaways, family activities or picking up on studies.

According to an IB tutor in Antwerp,

"Public holidays are an excellent opportunity for IB students to consolidate their learning. I always recommend setting aside a few hours for focused study or revision, particularly on challenging subjects. Balancing this with some relaxation ensures you return to school refreshed and better prepared for upcoming assessments."

For the official release of the public holiday dates in 2024-2025, please visit the official website.

Public and Private School Term Breaks in Belgium 2024-2025

Similar to the school calendar, term breaks are also decided by the respective government agencies within each of the three language communities. However, these breaks can vary slightly between Belgium’s different language communities. Belgian schools have a variety of holiday periods, including two weeks for Christmas and Easter breaks, a week off in spring and autumn, and international schools may align or differ by one to two weeks from the general school holiday dates. Below are the major term breaks for the 2024-2025 school year, with some regional differences noted:

Autumn Break: October 28, 2024 – November 3, 2024

• The dates above are for the Flemish Community. For the French and German communities, the dates are typically the same but there may be slight adjustments, such as starting or ending a day later.

Christmas Break: December 23, 2024 – January 5, 2025

• This break is usually consistent across all communities.

Carnival Break (Spring Break): March 3, 2025 – March 9, 2025  

• The dates above are for the Flemish Community. For the French and German communities, this break may vary slightly, such as being scheduled from February 24, 2025 – March 2, 2025, to align with regional Carnival celebrations.

Easter Break: April 7, 2025 – April 20, 2025

• Generally aligned across all communities, although minor regional differences might occur.

These breaks provide excellent opportunities for family vacations, especially since many of them align with public holidays, allowing for extended time off. However, parents should be aware of the slight regional variations and school-specific variations when planning. IB Tutors in Belgium say that in contrast to public schools, international school term breaks can vary significantly, often following a different calendar that aligns with international curricula (like the IB program) and holidays observed by the school’s home country, which may not always coincide with local public school holidays. Therefore, it is advised to always check with your child's school.

Other School Holidays in Belgium 2024-2025

In addition to the official public holidays and term breaks, schools in Belgium may have additional holidays that vary by region or school. These include:

• Pedagogical Days: These are often teacher training days when students have an extra day off. The specific dates for these days are determined by individual schools and can vary significantly within each community. For example, a school in Flanders might have a pedagogical day in mid-October, while a school in Wallonia could schedule one in November.
• Local Holidays: Depending on the region, there may be local holidays observed only in certain areas. For instance, some schools in Wallonia might close for Saint Nicholas Day on December 6, which is celebrated more prominently in certain parts of the region. In contrast, this day might not be observed in Flemish schools. In the German-speaking Community, there might be unique local holidays tied to specific regional festivals or events, which wouldn’t be observed elsewhere in the country.

These regional differences reflect the cultural diversity within Belgium and highlight the importance of checking with your child’s school for any additional days off that might not be included in the national or regional calendar.

School Holiday Activity Ideas

Looking for the perfect mix of fun and education for your child's school holidays in Belgium? Here are some ideas to keep your children entertained and inspired during their time off:

• Visit the Royal Museum of Fine Arts or the Magritte Museum in Brussels. If your child is studying IB humanities or arts, pair these visits with sessions from an IB tutor in Brussels to deepen understanding of art and history.
• Enjoy the Ardennes Nature Hikes and learn about ecology. This is a great time to enjoy some family fun in nature, as well as a golden opportunity for environmental education!
• Strengthen math skills with a revision courses and private tutoring sessions with an IB tutor in Belgium. Personalised tutoring from professional and qualified IB tutors is a fast-track to making headway when school starts.

Conclusion

The 2024-2025 academic year in Belgium is packed with opportunities for family time, travel, and relaxation. By understanding the school holiday schedule and planning ahead, you can ensure that you and your children make the most of these breaks. Whether it's a cultural excursion, a day trip, or simply some quality time at home, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the school holidays in Belgium.