When can I travel based on a UK School year?
Teaching in the UK is a great way to see all the places on your bucket list throughout Europe and beyond. You will have 13 weeks of non-teaching time as a teacher to explore, as well as many long-weekends to take mini-breaks locally and abroad. Teaching in the UK is also fantastic way to advance your career because you are gaining access and understanding of the British National Curriculum, which is taught in international school world-wide and informs a lot of the curriculum in Canada, NZ and Australia.
Here are some of our teachers talking about their travel plans while they are teaching and living in the UK.
The British School Year
The English school year is structured around three main terms: Autumn, Spring, and Summer, which include a one-week holiday within each term (a half term break) and two weeks break between each term. There is also a long six-week summer break at the end of the school year.
Below is an outline of the school year with holiday periods, followed by some travel options in Europe that align with these breaks.
English School Year Structure
1. Autumn Term (September to December)
o Start: Early September
o Half-term break: Mid-October (typically a week, around the third or fourth week of October)
o End: Mid-December
o Christmas Holidays: Late December to early January (usually two weeks)
2. Spring Term (January to March/April)
o Start: Early January
o Half-term break: Mid-February (a one-week break around the second or third week of February)
o End: Late March or early April
o Easter Holidays: Around two weeks (often spanning late March to mid-April, depending on Easter’s date)
3. Summer Term (April to July)
o Start: Mid-April
o Half-term break: Late May or early June (usually a week, around the last week of May)
o End: Mid to late July
o Summer Holidays: From mid-July to early September (around six to seven weeks)
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Seasonal Travel Options in Europe
1. Autumn (September to November)
o Holiday periods: October half-term, Christmas holidays in December.
o Travel options:
City Breaks: European cities like Rome, Paris, Barcelona, and Prague are pleasant in autumn with fewer tourists and mild weather.
Cultural trips: Autumn is ideal for visiting museums and galleries or enjoying festivals in places like Munich for Oktoberfest (late September to early October) or the Netherlands for the autumn colours.
Countryside escapes: Enjoy scenic trips to destinations like Tuscany in Italy or the Provence region in France for autumn harvest festivals and vineyard tours.
Christmas markets: Christmas markets start appearing from late November across Europe in cities like Vienna, Berlin, and Bruges, offering a magical winter experience.
2. Winter (December to February)
o Holiday periods: Christmas holidays, February half-term.
o Travel options:
Ski holidays: Popular ski resorts in France (e.g., Chamonix, Courchevel), Switzerland (e.g., Zermatt, St. Moritz), Austria (e.g., Innsbruck, Kitzbühel), and Italy (e.g., Cortina d’Ampezzo) attract families for skiing and winter sports.
Northern Lights trips: For an unforgettable experience, you can travel to Iceland, Norway (Tromsø), or Sweden (Kiruna) to see the aurora borealis.
Winter city escapes: Cities like Budapest, Stockholm, and Edinburgh offer beautiful winter scenes, cozy cafes, and hot thermal baths (Budapest).
3. Spring (March to May)
o Holiday periods: Easter holidays, May half-term.
o Travel options:
Southern Europe escapes: Head to warmer destinations such as the Algarve in Portugal, Andalusia in Spain, or Sicily in Italy for early spring sun and pleasant temperatures.
Cultural city breaks: Florence, Seville, and Lisbon are ideal for spring travel, with blooming flowers and fewer crowds compared to summer.
Countryside & nature trips: The tulip fields in the Netherlands are in full bloom in April and May, while the Amalfi Coast in Italy or Santorini in Greece offer stunning scenic views and pleasant temperatures in May.
Festivals: Spring is the season for festivals such as Seville’s Feria de Abril, Venice Carnival (February/March), and Budapest Spring Festival.
4. Summer (June to August)
o Holiday periods: Summer holidays.
o Travel options:
Beach holidays: Popular summer destinations include the Greek Islands (Mykonos, Crete, Santorini), Spain’s Costa del Sol, Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, and the French Riviera.
Road trips & camping: Take a road trip across the Alps (France, Switzerland, Italy) or explore Norway’s fjords. European camping trips in the Dordogne (France) or Tuscany (Italy) are great options for families.
Festivals and cultural events: Summer music festivals are widespread across Europe, with highlights like Tomorrowland in Belgium, Glastonbury in the UK, and Sónar in Barcelona.
Mediterranean cruises: Summer is ideal for cruising around the Mediterranean, visiting islands and coastal cities in Italy, Spain, France, and Greece.
So why not teach and travel when you have the chance and combine your love of exploring new parts of the world with enhancing your career!
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