What is an academic year?
Also known as: school year
The academic year is the school year used for teaching, year groups and official reporting. In England and Wales it runs from 1 September to 31 August, with pupils placed in year groups by their age on 31 August. Most schools teach across three terms: autumn, spring and summer.
For most purposes, the academic year in England and Wales starts on 1 September and ends on 31 August. Children born between 1 September and the following 31 August are usually in the same year group. Terms and holiday dates are set by the local authority for some schools and by the school itself for others, such as academies and independent schools, so they vary between areas.
Official attendance statistics, suspension limits and many funding and reporting cycles are measured across the academic year. For example, in England a pupil can be suspended for a maximum of 45 school days in a single academic year, and Welsh attendance statistics are published for September to August.
England and Wales
Both nations use the same September to August year and the same autumn, spring and summer terms. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different arrangements, and this glossary covers England and Wales.
Why it matters for your setting
- Reporting by academic year makes it easy to compare with the figures schools and local authorities use.
- Pupils who join partway through the year need their attendance measured from their start date.
- Staff checks, training and policy reviews are often planned around the academic year.
How PupilDB helps
PupilDB’s attendance report shows attendance percentages by month across the academic year, from September to August.
Related terms
Last reviewed 24 September 2026. General information, not legal advice. Always check the current official guidance. Back to the glossary
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