Moscow’s schools do not have one unified school calendar. Every school can independently set the exact dates. Private schools in particular may vary significantly from the accepted standards, even violating the single holy standard of the school calendar – September 1st as the first day of school (which in public schools is usually observed, even if it falls on a Saturday).
The Ministry of Education releases guidelines, but schools are not required to adhere to them.
The standard guidelines are:
- First day of School – September 1st (most private schools begin studies in late August)
- Autumn break – 7 to 10 days starting from the first Monday in November
- Winter break – 14 to 20 days starting from the last Monday in December
- Spring break – 7 to 10 days starting from the last Monday in March
- Summer break – from May 24th or 25th until September 1st
Check with each specific school for the official school calendar.
