UK School Holidays 2026 & 2027: Dates by Nation and How to Plan Ahead

Planning around school holidays is one of those things that sounds simple until you realise there’s no single UK-wide calendar. Dates vary by nation, local authority, and sometimes by individual school. Get it wrong and you’re either booking during term time or paying peak prices for a week that isn’t even your child’s holiday.

This guide gives you the most likely school holiday windows for 2026 and 2027, broken down by nation, with official sources where they exist. Use it to plan ahead, then always double-check with your local council or school before you book anything expensive.

Quick reminder: All dates shown are typical or indicative windows based on published local authority calendars and official guidance. Your school’s actual dates may differ. Use GOV.UK’s postcode tool to find your specific council’s calendar.

What’s in this guide

• TL;DR date summary for 2026 and 2027
• Fast-reference tables by nation
• Country-by-country breakdowns with caveats
• Why dates vary and what to watch out for
• Planning tips to get more for your budget

If you just need the headlines fast, here they are.

2026 key windows (England and Wales):

• February half term: 16-20 February
• Easter: 30 March-10 April
• May half term: 25-29 May
• Summer: from around late July
• Autumn half term: 26-30 October
• Christmas: from around 21 December

2027 key windows (England and Wales):

• February half term: 15-19 February
• Easter: 26 March-9 April
• May half term: 31 May-4 June
• Summer: from around 22 July
• Autumn half term: late October
• Christmas: from late December

Scotland runs a different calendar. Summer typically starts in late June, and term dates are set locally by each council. Northern Ireland has its own official closure dates published by the Department of Education.

Always check your school or local council before booking. These are planning guides, not guarantees.

In England, term dates are set by local authorities for maintained schools, and by the academy trust or governing body for academies and free schools. That means there’s no single England-wide calendar, but most councils follow a broadly similar pattern.

The table below shows the typical holiday windows seen across published English local authority calendars.

England 2026

Holiday	Typical dates
February half term	16-20 February 2026
Easter holidays	30 March-10 April 2026
May half term	25-29 May 2026
Summer holidays	From around 22-24 July 2026
Autumn half term	26-30 October 2026
Christmas holidays	From around 21 December 2026

England 2027

Holiday	Typical dates
February half term	15-19 February 2027
Easter holidays	26 March-9 April 2027
May half term	31 May-4 June 2027
Summer holidays	From around 22 July 2027
Autumn half term	Late October 2027 (often the last full week)
Christmas holidays	From late December 2027

Bear with us here! Summer break start dates vary more than any other holiday. Some schools break up a week earlier or later than their neighbouring authority. If you’re booking a summer holiday abroad, it’s worth checking your specific school’s calendar as soon as it’s published rather than relying on any national guide, including this one.

Use the GOV.UK school term dates tool to search by postcode and find your local council’s confirmed calendar.

Wales largely follows the same broad pattern as England, though local authorities still set their own dates and minor variations do occur. The Welsh Government publishes guidance for maintained schools, but academies and individual schools can differ.

Wales 2026

Holiday	Typical dates
February half term	16-20 February 2026
Easter holidays	30 March-10 April 2026
May half term	25-29 May 2026
Summer holidays	From around 20-21 July 2026
Autumn half term	26-30 October 2026
Christmas holidays	From around 21 December 2026

Wales 2027

Holiday	Typical dates
February half term	15-19 February 2027
Easter holidays	Late March to early April 2027
May half term	31 May-4 June 2027
Summer holidays	From late July 2027
Autumn half term	Late October 2027
Christmas holidays	From late December 2027

One notable difference: Wales can sometimes break up for summer slightly earlier than England. It’s a small gap, but it matters if you’re travelling with children from both nations or coordinating with relatives across the border.

Check your local Welsh council’s website for confirmed dates as soon as they are published.

Scotland is the one to treat completely differently from the start. As Education Scotland confirms, each local authority sets its own term dates and holidays. There is no single national Scotland calendar, and schools can also observe local single-day holidays on top of the main breaks.

The Scottish school year typically runs from mid-August to late June, which is a noticeably different shape from England and Wales.

Typical Scotland pattern for 2026

Holiday	Typical window
School year starts	Mid-August 2025 (for 2025-26 year)
February break	Varies: often a shorter break, mid-February
Easter / spring break	Usually early to mid-April 2026
Summer holidays	Usually from late June 2026
October break	Usually mid-October 2026
Christmas holidays	Usually late December to early January

Typical Scotland pattern for 2027

Holiday	Typical window
School year starts	Mid-August 2026 (for 2026-27 year)
February break	Often mid-February 2027
Easter / spring break	Usually April 2027
Summer holidays	Usually from late June 2027
October break	Usually mid-October 2027
Christmas holidays	Usually late December to early January

The practical takeaway: if you’re in Scotland and planning a family holiday, don’t rely on any UK-wide guide for your dates. Go directly to your local council’s website. The Scottish Government maintains a directory of links to all local authority term date pages.

Northern Ireland is the most straightforward to reference, because the Department of Education publishes official school closure dates for the whole province. Individual schools may add staff training days on top, but the core closure pattern is set centrally.

Northern Ireland 2025-26 school year (official dates)

Holiday	Dates
Mid-term break	12-13 February 2026
Easter	2-10 April 2026
May Day	4 May 2026
Spring Bank Holiday	25 May 2026
Summer holiday begins	1 July 2026

Northern Ireland 2026-27 school year (official dates)

Holiday	Dates
Schools resume	1 September 2026
Halloween	29-30 October 2026
Christmas and New Year	21 December 2026-1 January 2027
Mid-term	11-12 February 2027
St Patrick’s Day	17 March 2027
Easter	25 March-2 April 2027
May Day	3 May 2027
Spring Bank Holiday	31 May 2027
Summer holiday begins	1 July 2027

Source: Department of Education Northern Ireland

One important note: Northern Ireland schools also have discretion to take additional staff training and school development days, which won’t appear in the central guidance. Check with your child’s school for any extra closures.

This is the part that trips most families up when they search for a quick answer.

There’s no single UK-wide school calendar. Each nation runs its own system:

• England: Local authorities set dates for maintained schools. Academies, free schools, and voluntary aided schools can set their own dates independently.
• Wales: Similar to England, with local authority control and some school-level flexibility.
• Scotland: Every local authority sets its own calendar. There is no central Scottish term date.
• Northern Ireland: Core closure dates are set centrally by the Department of Education, but schools can add extra training days.

On top of that, INSET days (staff training days) can shift the effective start or end of any holiday by a day or two, and these are set school by school.

The bottom line: use this guide to get your planning started and block out the likely windows in your diary. Then confirm with your child’s school or your local council’s website before you pay any deposits.

Once you’ve got your dates confirmed, here’s how to make the most of them without blowing the budget.

1. Book summer early, seriously Late July and August are peak weeks for family travel and attractions. Prices for theme parks, holiday parks, and popular days out can jump significantly once the school holidays officially begin. Booking 6-8 weeks ahead makes a real difference.

2. Use half terms for shorter, cheaper breaks February, May, and October half terms are often overlooked compared to the big summer push. They’re perfect for a one-night stay, a day at a local attraction, or a spontaneous road trip, usually without the full summer price tag.

3. Go early in the holiday week The first Monday of any school holiday is almost always the busiest day at popular attractions. Families rush out on day one. If you can go Tuesday to Thursday, queues and crowds are noticeably better.

4. Check attraction opening times before you go Some venues run reduced hours or special holiday programmes during school breaks. Worth a quick check on their website rather than showing up and finding limited access.

5. Plan your Christmas early too The best Christmas markets and festive events book up fast, especially popular light trails and grotto experiences. If you’re planning something special for the Christmas holiday window, don’t leave it until December.

And if you’re planning around Easter specifically, our Easter 2026 guide has everything you need to know about dates, activities, and egg hunt ideas.

Now you’ve got the dates, the fun bit starts! Whether you’re after a big summer adventure, a half-term treat, or a brilliant budget-friendly day trip close to home, we’ve got thousands of family days out to explore across the UK.

Browse family days out and deals for the next school holiday on Day Out With The Kids and start planning something amazing!