UK School Holidays for 2026–2027
Find school holiday dates for the 2026–2027 academic year for every council and local authority across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Select a holiday period below to view its start date, end date, break-up date, and return date for councils and local authorities across the UK.
UK School Holidays for 2026–2027
The 2026–2027 UK school year includes six main school holiday periods: autumn half term, Christmas holiday, spring half term, Easter holiday, summer half term, and summer holiday. Select a holiday period below to view its 2026–2027 dates for councils and local authorities across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Autumn Half Term
Autumn half term is a one-week school holiday in late October, roughly halfway through the autumn term. Most councils in England schedule autumn half term during the last week of October 2026, although some councils including Surrey, the Isle of Wight, Bromley, and Nottinghamshire take a two-week break starting a week earlier.
View 2026–2027 dates ›Christmas Holiday
The Christmas school holiday is a two-week break covering Christmas and New Year. It marks the end of the autumn term. For most UK councils in 2026–2027, schools close in the third week of December and reopen in early January.
View 2026–2027 dates ›Spring Half Term
Spring half term, also called February half term, is a one-week school holiday in mid-February, roughly halfway through the spring term. Dates can vary by up to a week between different councils, so it is important to check your specific local authority.
View 2026–2027 dates ›Easter Holiday
The Easter school holiday is a two-week break around Easter, marking the end of the spring term. Because the date of Easter changes each year, Easter holiday dates also change. In 2026–2027, Easter falls in late March and early April.
View 2026–2027 dates ›Summer Half Term
Summer half term, also known as May half term or Whitsun half term, is a one-week school holiday in late May or early June, roughly halfway through the summer term. In England, the break often coincides with the Spring Bank Holiday.
View 2026–2027 dates ›Summer Holiday
The summer holiday is the longest school holiday of the year. In England and Wales, schools typically close in late July and return in early September — around six weeks. Scotland finishes earlier, in late June, and returns in mid-August.
View 2026–2027 dates ›UK School Holidays Explained
The UK school year is divided into three main school terms: autumn, spring, and summer. Each term includes a half-term break. In addition to the three half-term breaks, the school year includes three longer school holiday periods: Christmas, Easter, and summer. Together, these six school holiday periods account for approximately 13 weeks of school holidays per year.
Autumn Term
The autumn term runs from September to December. The term includes the autumn half-term holiday, which usually takes place in late October, and ends with the Christmas holiday.
Spring Term
The spring term runs from January to March or April. The term includes the spring half-term holiday, which usually takes place in mid-February, and ends with the Easter holiday.
Summer Term
The summer term runs from April to July. The term includes the summer half-term holiday, which usually takes place in late May or early June, and ends with the summer holiday, the longest school holiday period of the year.
School Holiday Differences Across the UK
School term dates and school holidays vary between England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Each UK nation has its own approach to setting school term dates. In England, term dates are set at the local-authority level, so dates can vary between councils. The sections below explain the main differences in the school calendars used across the four UK nations.
England
In England, school term dates vary between local authorities. The autumn term generally starts in September, while the summer holiday generally runs from late July to early September and lasts approximately six weeks.
Wales
In Wales, the Welsh Government sets standard term dates across the 22 local authorities. Welsh school holiday dates are broadly similar to those in England, although some dates can differ by around a week, particularly for the spring half-term holiday.
Scotland
Scotland has a different school calendar from England and Wales. Schools generally return in August, have an October holiday and a February holiday, and finish the school year in late June. The Scottish summer holiday therefore starts earlier than the summer holiday in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has centrally set school holiday dates for schools. Key differences include a two-day Halloween break rather than a full week and a two-day February mid-term break rather than a full week.