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School holidays 2026/27 · Christmas holidays

Christmas school holidays 2026

When do schools break up for Christmas 2026?

In most of England, christmas holidays 2026/27 runs from Sat 19 Dec to Sun 3 Jan: 16 days off school including the weekends either side. Flights can be taken from Sat 19 Dec to Sun 3 Jan. 158 of the 201 councils whose own calendars we hold follow these dates exactly.

Councils that differ

43 councils we hold publish different dates. Each is read from the council’s own page and linked to it.

CouncilFirst day offLast day offVersus most of England
Aberdeen CitySat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
AberdeenshireWed 23 DecMon 4 Jan4d later, 3d shorter
AngusThu 24 DecWed 6 Jan5d later, 2d shorter
Argyll and ButeWed 23 DecMon 4 Jan4d later, 3d shorter
Central BedfordshireSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
ClackmannanshireWed 23 DecMon 4 Jan4d later, 3d shorter
Comhairle nan Eilean SiarWed 23 DecMon 4 Jan4d later, 3d shorter
CumberlandSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
Dumfries and GallowaySat 19 DecTue 5 Jan2d longer
Dundee CityThu 24 DecWed 6 Jan5d later, 2d shorter
East AyrshireSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
East DunbartonshireSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
East LothianSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
East RenfrewshireSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
EdinburghSat 19 DecTue 5 Jan2d longer
FalkirkWed 23 DecMon 4 Jan4d later, 3d shorter
FifeWed 23 DecTue 5 Jan4d later, 2d shorter
GlasgowSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
HighlandWed 23 DecTue 5 Jan4d later, 2d shorter
InverclydeWed 23 DecTue 5 Jan4d later, 2d shorter
LincolnshireSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
MidlothianWed 23 DecWed 6 Jan4d later, 1d shorter
MorayWed 23 DecTue 5 Jan4d later, 2d shorter
NorfolkSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
North AyrshireSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
North East LincolnshireSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
North LanarkshireSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
North LincolnshireSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
North NorthamptonshireSat 19 DecThu 31 Dec3d shorter
Orkney IslandsSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
Perth and KinrossThu 24 DecWed 6 Jan5d later, 2d shorter
PlymouthSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
PowysWed 23 DecSun 3 Jan4d later, 4d shorter
RenfrewshireWed 23 DecTue 5 Jan4d later, 2d shorter
Scottish BordersWed 23 DecTue 5 Jan4d later, 2d shorter
Shetland IslandsSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
South AyrshireWed 23 DecMon 4 Jan4d later, 3d shorter
South LanarkshireWed 23 DecTue 5 Jan4d later, 2d shorter
StirlingWed 23 DecMon 4 Jan4d later, 3d shorter
West DunbartonshireSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
West LothianSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
Westmorland and FurnessSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer
WiganSat 19 DecMon 4 Jan1d longer

Academies and independent schools can set their own dates whatever the council says; of the London independents we read, not one follows the state October half term. The finder shows the dates we hold for a particular school.

What it means for flights

Everyone with these dates is flying on the same days, which is when fares peak. The day you leave inside the window is worth hundreds: on a real October board a family of four saved a median of £260 by leaving on the Sunday rather than the Saturday, at the same length. We price every day of the break from your nearest airports and email you when a fare is worth a look.

Find your school and see the prices

Every council we hold