Why Do Some UAE Schools Get An October Half-Term While CBSE Schools Don't?

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) [Editor's Note: This article is part of Khaleej Times' Schools and Parents , a dedicated section designed to support families in the UAE as they explore educational choices. The section offers explainers, guidance from education leaders, expert advice and insights from parents to help readers make informed decisions about schools, curricula and communities.]

For some UAE families, October means a welcome five-day school break. For others, it is a period of exams, new lessons and a return to the full pace of the academic year. So why do students at some international curriculum schools get a mid-term break while many Indian and Asian curriculum schools, including CBSE schools, do not?

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The answer lies largely in how different curricula structure their academic years, the number of instructional days schools are required to provide, and the calendars approved by education authorities. For schools following the UAE's unified academic calendar, the first-semester mid-term break will run from October 12 to 16, 2026, with students returning on October 19. Schools following different curricula or operating under different regulatory arrangements may have different calendars.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. Why do international schools have an October break?

For international curriculum schools, the October half-term is generally built into the rhythm of the academic year, giving students and teachers a pause after several weeks of sustained learning.

Sarah O'Regan, Principal and CEO, GEMS Wellington Academy, Silicon Oasis, said the school had aligned its calendar with the UAE Ministry of Education's direction.

“Our half-term break is October 12–16. The UAE Ministry of Education asked schools to align their academic calendars, as some schools had initially planned their half-term for October 12 and others for October 19. We have therefore aligned with the October 12 start date.”

But the break is not simply about having a few days away from school. O'Regan said students are dealing with academic, social and digital pressures that make recovery time important.

“We find that the break provides an important opportunity for children to rest and reset. For children today, rest is not simply about stepping away from schoolwork. They are navigating cognitive demands, social complexity, performance pressures and an almost constant stream of digital stimulation.”

She added that the pause can support learning rather than take away from it.“A school break gives them that space. Rest is not the absence of learning; it is part of what allows learning to consolidate.”

Thomas Kinnersley, Principal, Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi, similarly sees the October break as part of the academic rhythm rather than a disruption.

“I see a well-timed mid-term break as an important part of the rhythm of a successful school year, rather than an interruption to it. Learning asks a great deal of children. They're concentrating, solving problems, managing relationships, trying new things, and responding to challenge every day.”

For Kinnersley, the benefit extends to teachers as well.

“The same applies to teachers. Teaching is intellectually and emotionally demanding, and staff wellbeing has a direct bearing on the experience children have in school. A break gives teachers space to step away from the pace of the term, spend time with their families, and return with the energy and headspace they need to give their best to their students.”

So why don't many CBSE schools have a mid-term break?

The difference becomes clearer when looking at how their academic year is structured. Roughly a quarter of UAE private-school students, study in Indian-curriculum schools, including CBSE, ICSE and Kerala-board schools. Their academic year follows a very different rhythm, running from April to March to align with the board examination cycle in India.

In many CBSE schools, October coincides with the first-term examination period or comes immediately after it. Rather than pausing for a separate half-term holiday, schools continue into the next part of the syllabus.

Abhilasha Singh, Principal, Shining Star International School in Abu Dhabi, said this is the reality for her CBSE school.

“CBSE schools don't have a midterm break. In October, we have our first-term examinations, and after that, we move straight into the syllabus for the coming months.”

She said the number of required working days also leaves less flexibility for an additional break.

There is also a difference between the UAE school calendar and the number of working days followed by schools in India. Singh said the“content-heavy nature of the curriculum” further limits the scope for inserting another break.

“We would certainly love to have a midterm break, but our curriculum is quite content-heavy. We already lose almost 20 to 30 days compared with the 207+ working days in the Indian academic calendar (referring to India). So, our next break will be the National Day holidays, with few days of Diwali break, falling in between.”

Pakistani and Bangladeshi curriculum schools are similarly exempt from the unified calendar, following academic years aligned with their respective education boards.

What does this mean for parents?

The key point is that there is no single October holiday pattern across all UAE private schools.

International curriculum schools may have a half-term break built into their approved academic calendar. CBSE and other Asian curriculum schools may instead structure October around examinations and continued teaching, with longer breaks coming at other points in the academic year.

Noufal Ahmed, Founder and MD, Woodlem Education, reiterated that CBSE schools generally follow the working-day requirements set by the relevant education authority.

“CBSE schools generally do not have a term break in October, even though it marks the end of a term. The number of working days is prescribed by the respective statutory education authority and may vary across Emirates, and our school fully complies with these requirements.”

For schools without an October break, wellbeing initiatives can instead be built into the school routine.

“Well-being, however, is not merely a term-specific programme; it is an integral and valued part of our school culture, embedded consistently in our approach to supporting teachers and students.”

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