EASTER may have only just come and gone but many people will already be thinking about when it will take place next year.

Here’s when Easter will fall in 2022 and when the school holidays are.

When is Easter in 2022?

In 2022, Easter Sunday will fall on April 17.

Good Friday will be on April 15, with Easter Monday on April 18. Both of these dates are bank holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland only marks Good Friday as a bank holiday.  

Next year, Ash Wednesday will take place on March 2.

Easter will fall later in 2022 compared to 2021. This year Good Friday was April 2, Easter Sunday was April 4 with Easter Monday on April 5.

When will schools be off?

In the BCP Council area, the Easter holidays will take place between April 11 and 22.

Pupils will return to school on April 25 for the start of the summer term which runs until July 22.

In the Dorset Council area, schools will also be off between April 11 and 22 with summer term starting on April 25.

When will Easter be in 2023?

In 2023, Easter Sunday will fall on April 9.

Why does the date of Easter change each year?

The date of Easter Sunday changes each year because, despite the fact that it is a Christian holiday, the date of Easter is actually determined by the Jewish calendar.

The Jewish calendar is based on lunar cycles, and a lunar year has about 354 days, unlike a solar year which has just over 365 days.

Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon that occurs after the spring equinox.

The date of Easter can change because the Paschal full moon can fall on various days in different time zones.