November 2026 at school in Poland: 11 November on a Wednesday, headteacher's days off and childcare

What November 2026 looks like

This year the calendar is less generous to parents than last year. All Saints' Day (Wszystkich Świętych), 1 November, falls on a Sunday, so it does not shorten the school week. Monday 2 November, All Souls' Day (Dzień Zaduszny), is not a public holiday: it is an ordinary school day and an ordinary working day.

National Independence Day (Narodowe Święto Niepodległości), 11 November, falls on a Wednesday. No school holds lessons that day, because it is a statutory public holiday. The questions are about the days around it: Tuesday 10 November and Thursday and Friday, 12 and 13 November. These are not days off nationwide. Whether a particular school holds lessons is decided by its headteacher (dyrektor).

Headteacher's days off: who decides and how many

The rules are in § 5 of the regulation on the organisation of the school year (rozporządzenie w sprawie organizacji roku szkolnego). After consulting the school council, or if there is none, the teachers' council, the parents' council and the student council, the headteacher may set additional days without lessons, commonly called dni dyrektorskie (headteacher's days). A primary school (szkoła podstawowa) may have up to 8 per school year; a general secondary school (liceum), technical school (technikum), vocational school (szkoła branżowa) or post-secondary school up to 10.

Such days are set for exam days (the eighth-grade exam, the matura and the vocational exam), for religious holidays that are not public holidays, or for other days when the school's organisation or local needs justify it. Days between a holiday and a weekend are a typical case. For example, the 2026/2027 calendar of Zespół Szkół Ekonomicznych nr 2 in Poznań lists 12 and 13 November as headteacher's days, so its pupils are off from Wednesday to Sunday. Another school in the same city may hold lessons — each decides independently.

• Schools had to tell teachers, pupils and parents about all additional days off for the year by 30 September, so the November list is already known.
• Exception: days off for the vocational exam may be announced later, by 31 December.
• Any other extra days off need the consent of the school's governing authority (organ prowadzący, usually the local council) and must be made up on designated Saturdays.

No lessons does not mean the school is closed

The key point for working parents is in § 6 of the same regulation: on headteacher's days the school must organise supervised care activities (zajęcia wychowawczo-opiekuńcze) and tell parents that their child can attend. In practice this is usually the after-school club (świetlica) or teachers on duty. No new material is taught, but the child is not left without care.

This obligation does not apply to 11 November itself — on a public holiday the school is closed. Many schools ask parents in advance whether their child will come to the care activities, so they can plan staffing. It is worth answering such a message on time.

If you work: no day off for 1 November

Under Article 130 § 2 of the Labour Code (Kodeks pracy), every public holiday that falls on a day other than Sunday reduces working time by 8 hours. A holiday on a Saturday therefore gives employees an extra day off; a holiday on a Sunday does not. In 2026, 1 November falls on a Sunday, so employers do not have to give another day off for it. The exception is someone who actually worked on that holiday.

If your child's school has headteacher's days on 12–13 November and you cannot take leave, the options are the school's care activities, sharing care between parents, or help from family. Request leave early, because more colleagues may want the same week.

How to check your school in five minutes

The most reliable source is the school-year calendar or the headteacher's order (zarządzenie dyrektora). Schools publish it on their website or send it through the electronic gradebook (e-dziennik, such as Librus or Vulcan).

• Look in the e-dziennik for a September message listing the days off for 2026/2027.
• Check 2, 10, 12 and 13 November and whether they are marked “zajęcia opiekuńcze” or “świetlica” (care available).
• If your children attend different schools or preschools, check each one separately.
• If there is no calendar, ask the class teacher (wychowawca) or the school office, preferably in writing through the e-dziennik.

After the long weekend

If your child has several days off, there is no need to fill them with catching up. A short plan is enough: a walk, reading together, tidying the school bag. Before going back, check the e-dziennik for announced tests — after a few free days they are easy to forget.