UK School Term Dates & Holidays 2026/27
This year's and next year's term dates, half-terms and holidays at a glance — count down to the next break, add your school's INSET days, and export the lot to your calendar. Free, no sign-up.
Add to calendar
Download every holiday and half-term for the selected year as all-day events — plus any INSET days you've added below. Works with Apple Calendar, Google Calendar and Outlook.
Add your school's INSET days
Schools in England usually get five INSET / teacher-training days a year and choose their own dates — so they're not in the typical calendar above. Add yours here; they're saved privately in your browser and included in your calendar export.
📬 Get next year's term dates by email
We'll email you next year's term dates, half-terms and holidays as soon as they're confirmed — so you can book time off and off-peak breaks before everyone else. Free, no spam.
How the UK school year is structured
In England, the school year runs from early September to mid or late July and is split into three terms — autumn, spring and summer — each broken roughly in half by a one-week half-term holiday. Between the terms sit the longer breaks: around two weeks at Christmas, about two weeks at Easter, and the big six-week summer holiday. Knowing these school term dates in advance is the difference between a calm year and a scramble for last-minute childcare and overpriced flights.
The three terms at a glance
The autumn term starts in early September and runs to around the third week of December, with a half-term week in late October and the Christmas holidays beginning shortly before the 25th. The spring term opens in early January and ends in late March or early April, with a half-term in mid-February and the Easter holidays — usually about two weeks — falling either side of Easter Sunday, which is why spring dates shift each year. The summer term begins after Easter, around mid-April, includes a half-term week in late May (often around the spring bank holiday), and finishes in mid-to-late July, when the long summer holidays begin. Our tool shows each term's start and end and the exact length, in days, of every holiday and half-term.
What INSET days are
INSET days — short for In-Service Education and Training, and also called teacher-training or staff-development days — are days when pupils stay at home while teachers train, plan and prepare. Maintained schools in England are typically allocated five per year, often used to bookend a holiday (the Monday after a half-term, say) or tacked onto the start of September. Crucially, each school sets its own INSET dates, so two schools a mile apart can break up on different days. That's exactly why we don't bake INSET days into the typical calendar — instead, add your school's own dates using the planner above and they'll flow straight into your calendar export.
Why exact dates vary by council
There is no single national school calendar in England. For community and voluntary-controlled schools, term dates are set by the local council; academies, free schools and many faith schools set their own. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own systems entirely — Scotland, for example, typically breaks up for summer several weeks earlier (late June or early July) and has its own October week. The dates on this page are a realistic, clearly-labelled typical structure for planning. They are not official and should never be used to book non-refundable travel without first confirming against your own school or council's published calendar.
Booking off-peak — and the term-time absence rules
Holiday prices spike the moment school breaks up, so families who plan ahead save the most. The cheapest weeks are usually the shoulders of a holiday and any time inside term, but taking a child out of school in term time is tightly controlled. Under The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations, headteachers can only authorise term-time absence in exceptional circumstances — a cheaper holiday does not count. From August 2024, an unauthorised-absence penalty notice is £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days, rising to £160 if paid within 28 days; a second penalty for the same child within three years is a flat £160, and persistent absence can lead to prosecution. The practical takeaway: book your dates against the confirmed holidays, travel on the first or last weekend of a break to dodge the peak, and if you're tempted by a term-time trip, talk to the school first rather than risk a fine.
Honest caveats
This planner is seeded with typical UK term and holiday dates for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 academic years, drawn from the standard shape of the English school year. They are for illustration and planning only, are not official, and do not account for your school's INSET days or any local variation. Always confirm the exact dates with your own school or local council before booking travel, time off work or childcare.
FAQ
When do schools break up for summer in 2026?
In England, most schools break up for the summer holidays in the third or fourth week of July and return in early September. These are typical dates — your council and school set the exact day, and Scotland in particular breaks up several weeks earlier, usually late June or early July.
What are INSET days?
INSET days (In-Service Education and Training), also called teacher-training or staff-development days, are days when pupils stay at home while staff train. Schools in England typically get five per year, and each school chooses its own dates — which is why they're not in the typical calendar. Add your own using the planner above.
Why are the term dates on this page only typical?
In England, term dates are set by each local council for community schools, while academies, free schools and many faith schools set their own — so there's no single national calendar. We show a realistic typical structure so you can plan, but always confirm the exact dates with your own school or council.
Can I be fined for taking my child on holiday in term time?
Yes. In England, taking a child out of school during term without authorisation can lead to a penalty notice. From August 2024 the fine is £80 per parent per child if paid within 21 days, rising to £160 within 28 days. Repeat unauthorised absences can lead to prosecution. Always ask your school first.
How do I add these dates to my phone or calendar?
Select your academic year and region, then click Add to calendar (.ics). This downloads a file with every holiday and half-term as an all-day event, plus any INSET days you've added. Open it on your phone or computer to import the dates into Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook.
Are my INSET days private?
Yes. The INSET days you add are saved only in your own browser using local storage. Nothing is sent to a server in this free version, and they appear in your calendar export only when you choose to download it.
Term and holiday dates shown are typical, illustrative and not official. They vary by local council, school and nation. Always confirm exact dates and INSET days with your own school before booking travel, time off or childcare.