Pupil-Free Days WA 2027: School Development Days

WA public schools schedule six school development days: three in the Christmas/New Year break and three during the school year. Your school selects the dates, so the statewide 2027 term calendar is not a complete pupil-free-day list.

Which WA dates need a school calendar?

The Department of Education says the three in-year dates vary between schools and are chosen in consultation with the school council or board and the school community.

Term dates do not identify every day off

The department publishes 2027 term dates and separately tells families to check their school schedule for planned development days. Do not assume every first or last day of term is pupil-free.

Look for “school development day”, “student-free day” or “pupil-free day” in the school newsletter or parent app. If a term planner does not identify the three in-year dates, ask the office whether they have been finalised.

Use each child's school dates

A sibling at another public school may have a different development day. Keep each school's dates labelled in your family calendar, then check whether your care service operates on the days you need.

Add confirmed dates to the WA term planner. Its term dates provide the framework; locally selected development days still need to come from your school. Catholic and independent schools may use different arrangements.

Official sources

Checked 20 September 2026 against the Department of Education's School hours guidance and future term dates. The six-day framework is published, but there is no single set of school-specific dates to list here.

Compare this with the published dates and local policies in the national pupil-free-day guide.

Frequently asked questions

Are there six extra days off during WA school terms?

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No. Three development days occur during the Christmas/New Year break. The other three are scheduled during the school year.

Are WA development dates the same at neighbouring schools?

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Not necessarily. Schools choose dates locally in consultation with their council or board and community. Check each school's schedule.

Can I use the statewide term calendar to find pupil-free days?

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Use it for term boundaries, then add your school's development days. The department explicitly directs families to individual school schedules for those dates.