There is no single “European school year”: each country has its own calendar and duration of the school year, even if in principle in European countries we return to school after a summer break of 2-3 months (the longest is the Italian one). The beginning of the year, however, changes from case to case: from August to the end of September. In the same way, the number of actual days of lessons is very varied, even if the European average stands at 180 days a year. The highest number of days of lessons, however, is the Italian one because, although the summer holidays are longer, in our country there are only two rest periods of rest during the year, at Easter and Christmas, while in other states there are also other suspension of the activities.
Outside Europe the situation is even more heterogeneous, because the calendar is determined, as is logical, with environmental, cultural and socio-economic conditions. For example, in the countries of the southern hemisphere the longest holidays are planned when it is winter.
The school calendar in the EU: when school and duration begins
In Italy, as we know, we go to school from September to June, with two further holiday periods during the year for Easter and for Christmas. Our school calendar, if compared to that of other European countries, presents a double record: the longest summer holidays (about 13 weeks, on par only with Latvia) and the greatest number of actual days of school per year (200, on par with Denmark). The two Italian primates may appear in contrast to each other, but they explain why in other countries, although the summer holidays are shorter, some rest periods are expected during the school year, so that the number of actual school days is lower.
The duration of the summer holidays changes from case to case. In some countries they do not exceed 8 weeks: among them France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, a part of the German Länder (Regions), some non -members of the European Union, such as Norway. Latest, up to 12 weeks, are the summer suspensions in Spain, Ireland, Greece, Malta, Portugal, as well as, outside the EU, Albania and Iceland.
The holiday period also changes from case to case. In northern European countries in general, the school year begins in August and provides for longer suspension in the winter months; In the Mediterranean countries it takes place in September and there are fewer rest periods during the year. Extreme cases are represented by Finland, where we already return to the first half of August, and Malta, where the year generally begins at the end of September.
The number of days of lessons also changes. In about half of European countries it is between 170 and 180; In other cases, it oscillates between 180 and 190. Italy and Denmark, as we said, hold the primacy, with 200 days, while Albania is placed at the opposite extreme, with only 156 days of school per year.
It should also be noted that in many European countries, as in Italy, the school calendar and the duration of the activities are not determined at national level, but are established by local institutions and therefore vary according to the geographical areas. In some cases, moreover, calendars and the duration of the holidays change according to the education cycle: elementary pupils rest for longer than those of the superiors.
The school year in France, Germany, Spain, Russia
In France, the school year begins on September 1st and ends in early July. There are some periods of suspension of activities during the year: the holidays of all saints between the last weeks of October and the beginning of November; The Christmas and Easter holidays, roughly in the same periods of Italy: the winter holidays and the spring holidays, which change according to the region, but are placed in the periods between February and early March and between early April and early May. More or less long bridges are also planned and various national and local holidays
In Germany the school calendar changes according to the Länder. In principle, the year begins in the last decade of August and ends in early July; Together with the Christmas holidays, Easter and summer, autumn holidays are scheduled in the last weeks of October and winter holidays in February, so that, overall, German students attend school for less days of their Italian colleagues.
More similar to that of Italy is the school calendar of South Europe countries. For example, in Spain the year begins in September and ends in June, with Christmas and Easter holidays during the year, as well as national and local parties. The exact dates, however, change according to the autonomous communities.
In Russia, the school year begins on September 1, known as the day of knowledge, and ends on May 30th. During the year several lessons of the lessons are planned.
A look out of Europe
The school systems of the different countries of the world, of course, are very heterogeneous. However, in most of the northern hemisphere, the principle of granting long summer holidays focused in the months of July and August is observed. In the United States, for example, the calendar is established by individual states, but in principle two and a half months holidays are expected between June and August.
In China, the school year begins in September and ends in July, with a period of winter holidays in the Chinese New Year period, which varies from year to year.
The case of India is different, where the school year generally begins in April and ends in the following month of March. There are therefore no summer holidays like ours, but various periods of suspension of activities are expected during the year, both in summer (generally between May and June), and in winter. The dates, however, vary significantly according to the locations.
In the countries of the southern hemisphere, in which the seasons are “reversed” compared to ours, the school year works differently and the longer periods of vacation are expected when it is winter. In Australia, for example, the year begins around the end of January and ends in December; The summer holidays are therefore from December to the following January. In most of South America, the school year begins in March and ends in December, with a long summer break in the months of January and February.
