UK School Holidays 2026

Term-time, half-term, Easter, summer and Christmas dates for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with INSET notes and a parent's planning checklist.

Mustafa Bilgic · UK Calculator Editor (sole trader) · Reviewed August 2026

Important: Each Local Authority sets its own term dates. Dates below are indicative typical windows for state schools; academies and independents may differ. Always confirm with your school or council before booking. Use the gov.uk school term holiday dates finder to look up your council.

England: typical 2025/26 holiday windows

The 2025/26 academic year in England runs from early September 2025 to late July 2026 across three terms, each split by a half-term break.

Holiday	Typical window 2026	Length
February half-term	Mon 16 Feb - Fri 20 Feb 2026	1 week
Easter holidays	Fri 27 Mar - Fri 10 Apr 2026	~2 weeks
May Day bank holiday	Mon 4 May 2026	1 day
May half-term	Mon 25 May - Fri 29 May 2026	1 week (inc. spring bank holiday)
Summer holidays	Mon 20 Jul - Fri 4 Sep 2026 (varies)	~6 weeks
October half-term	Mon 26 Oct - Fri 30 Oct 2026	1 week
Christmas holidays	Mon 21 Dec 2026 - Fri 1 Jan 2027	~2 weeks

Actual start and end dates differ by up to a week between Local Authorities.

Wales: typical 2025/26 holiday windows

Welsh local authorities follow a calendar broadly aligned with England: February half-term is 16-20 Feb 2026, Easter runs 30 Mar-10 Apr 2026, May half-term is 25-29 May 2026, summer runs from approximately 20 Jul to early Sep 2026, October half-term is 26-30 Oct 2026, and Christmas is 21 Dec 2026-1 Jan 2027. Welsh-medium and English-medium schools within the same authority share the same calendar. Confirm exact dates at your council's website or via the gov.wales school term dates page.

Scotland: different rhythm, earlier summer

Scottish term dates are set by each of the 32 local councils and follow a noticeably different calendar from England and Wales. Summer starts earlier and is shorter, most councils break up in the final week of June 2026 and return in mid-August (around 13-18 Aug 2026), and the October half-term is typically just one week (commonly 13-17 Oct 2026) rather than two, though a few councils extend to a fortnight ("tattie holidays"). Easter and February break patterns also vary by council, with no single national pattern, so check the canonical list at gov.scot, school term dates.

Northern Ireland: longer summer, different Easter

Schools in Northern Ireland are managed by the Education Authority. Term dates broadly resemble England but typically include a slightly longer summer holiday (often the first week of July to the third week of August 2026), a shorter Easter break of about 10 days centred on Easter Sunday, and a two-day October half-term plus staff training days rather than a full week; some schools also close for St Patrick's Day (17 March). Refer to the Education Authority NI, term dates page for confirmed dates by school type.

School holidays 2026 council by council: confirmed dates for the biggest councils

The table below gives officially published 2026 dates for eight of the UK's largest local authorities (checked 10 June 2026). English councils return Tuesday 1 September 2026; Glasgow and Edinburgh pupils return Wednesday 12 August 2026.

Council	Breaks up for summer 2026	Back to school 2026/27	October half-term 2026
Birmingham	Mon 20 July 2026	Tue 1 September 2026	Mon 26 - Fri 30 October
Kent	Tue 21 July 2026	Tue 1 September 2026	Mon 26 - Fri 30 October
Essex	Mon 20 July 2026	Tue 1 September 2026	Mon 26 - Fri 30 October
Hampshire	Wed 22 July 2026	Tue 1 September 2026	Mon 26 - Fri 30 October
Leeds	Tue 21 July 2026	Tue 1 September 2026	Mon 26 - Fri 30 October
Manchester	Tue 21 July 2026	Tue 1 September 2026	Mon 26 - Fri 30 October
Glasgow (Scotland)	Thu 25 June 2026 (1pm close)	Wed 12 August 2026	Mon 12 - Fri 16 October
Edinburgh (Scotland)	Fri 26 June 2026	Wed 12 August 2026	Mon 12 - Mon 19 October

All eight councils end the autumn term on Friday 18 December 2026. Dates apply to maintained community schools, academies and independents can set their own calendars.

INSET days and staff in-service training

Each maintained school in England and Wales must take five INSET days per academic year when teachers attend training and pupils are off; Scottish schools have an equivalent number of "in-service days", and Northern Irish schools commonly take three to five "school development days". INSET and in-service dates are not standardised across schools, even neighbouring schools in the same Local Authority frequently differ, so always check the term calendar your school publishes annually.

Planning ahead

Holiday clubs open booking in March-May, typically £25-£55 per day; eligible families can use Tax-Free Childcare.
Term-time leave in England requires headteacher authorisation; an unauthorised holiday can attract a fixed-penalty notice of £80 per parent per child (rising to £160 if unpaid in 21 days).

Looking ahead: the 2026/27 academic year

The 2026/27 school year begins in early September 2026 (England, Wales, NI) or mid-August 2026 (Scotland). Many councils have already published confirmed 2026/27 term dates, check your Local Authority's calendar.

How to confirm your school's exact dates

England: open gov.uk/school-term-holiday-dates and enter your postcode, the tool routes you to the correct Local Authority page.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: use gov.wales/school-term-dates gov.scot, school term datesor eani.org.uk/parents/term-dates to find your council or school type.
Cross-check with your school's own annual calendar (usually a PDF on the school website) for INSET days and any locally exceptional closures.

Frequently asked questions

When do UK schools break up for summer 2026?

England and Wales: most state schools break up in the week ending Friday 17 or Friday 24 July 2026 and return between Wednesday 2 and Tuesday 8 September 2026 (each Local Authority sets the exact date). Scotland: schools generally break up in the last week of June 2026 and return in mid-August. Northern Ireland: term ends late June or early July and resumes around the third week of August.

When is the May half-term in 2026?

In England, most state schools take May half-term from Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May 2026 (the week of the late May bank holiday on 25 May). Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish schools follow broadly the same week but the exact pattern varies by Local Authority.

When are the 2026 Easter holidays?

Easter Sunday 2026 is 5 April. Most English schools close from Friday 27 March to Friday 10 April 2026 and return Monday 13 April 2026. Scottish schools follow a slightly different pattern set per Local Authority, some break before Easter, others after.

How long is the October half-term 2026 in Scotland?

Scottish schools typically close for one week around mid-October (often 13-17 October 2026), whereas English and Welsh schools have a one-week break the week of 26-30 October 2026. Some Scottish Local Authorities extend to a fortnight; always check your council site.

What are INSET days and how many are there in 2026?

INSET (in-service training) days, also called training days or staff development days, are when teachers attend training and pupils stay home. Each English and Welsh state school has 5 INSET days per academic year. Scottish schools have an equivalent number of 'in-service days'. Dates vary by school, check the school website or annual calendar.

When does the 2025/26 school year end?

The 2025/26 academic year in England and Wales ends with the summer break in July 2026. The 2026/27 academic year begins in early September 2026 (England, Wales, NI) or mid-August 2026 (Scotland).

Are 2026 school holiday dates the same across the UK?

No. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland set term dates independently and Local Authorities within each country also differ. Scotland has an earlier summer break and a shorter (often one-week) October break. Northern Ireland tends to have a longer summer and a slightly different Easter pattern. Always confirm with your school's published calendar.

Can I take my child out of school during term-time in 2026?

In England, headteachers may only authorise term-time leave in exceptional circumstances (gov.uk guidance). Unauthorised absence can trigger a fixed-penalty notice (typically £80 per parent per child, rising to £160 if not paid within 21 days). Rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, check your council.

When does the 2026/27 school year start?

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, most state schools begin the 2026/27 academic year in the first week of September 2026 (typically Tuesday 1 or Wednesday 2 September, since Monday 31 August is the summer bank holiday). Scottish pupils return earlier, usually in mid-August 2026. Exact dates are set by each Local Authority, check your council's published calendar or use the gov.uk postcode lookup.

When is Easter 2027 for UK schools?

Easter Sunday 2027 falls on 28 March. Most English schools break up around Friday 26 March and return around Monday 12 April 2027, giving roughly two weeks off. The exact dates depend on your Local Authority and school type, academies and independent schools may differ.

Related UK Calculators

Official UK Sources

Holiday dates and legal guidance reviewed against gov.uk, gov.wales, gov.scot and EANI sources: May 2026. Dates remain indicative; always verify with your council and your school's published calendar.