City of Edinburgh school term dates 2026/27
Next term date
Schools break up in 104 days — Fri 18 Dec 2026
Next holiday: Autumn Holiday, Mon 14 Sep 2026 – Mon 14 Sep 2026
Verified from www.edinburgh.gov.uk on Sat 5 Sep 2026. Cross-checked against an independent dataset Where these dates come from
Check your school's calendar.
2026/27
Terms 2026/27
| Term | Starts | Ends | School days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | Wed 12 Aug 2026 | Fri 18 Dec 2026 | 85 |
| Spring term | Wed 6 Jan 2027 | Fri 2 Apr 2027 | 56 |
| Summer term | Tue 20 Apr 2027 | Tue 29 Jun 2027 | 47 |
Holidays 2026/27
| Holiday | First day off | Last day off |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn Holiday | Mon 14 Sep 2026 | Mon 14 Sep 2026 |
| October half term computed | Mon 12 Oct 2026 | Mon 19 Oct 2026 |
| Christmas holiday computed | Mon 21 Dec 2026 | Tue 5 Jan 2027 |
| February mid-term computed | Mon 15 Feb 2027 | Fri 19 Feb 2027 |
| Good Friday and Easter Monday | Fri 26 Mar 2027 | Mon 29 Mar 2027 |
| Easter holiday computed | Mon 5 Apr 2027 | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| May Holiday | Mon 3 May 2027 | Mon 3 May 2027 |
| Victoria Day | Mon 24 May 2027 | Mon 24 May 2027 |
| Summer holiday computed tbc return date not yet published (usually published in September) |
Wed 30 Jun 2027 | — |
INSET and closure days 2026/27
| Day | Date | Until |
|---|---|---|
| INSET day per school | Mon 10 Aug 2026 | Mon 10 Aug 2026 |
| INSET day per school | Tue 11 Aug 2026 | Tue 11 Aug 2026 |
| INSET day per school | Mon 19 Oct 2026 | Mon 19 Oct 2026 |
| INSET day per school | Tue 5 Jan 2027 | Tue 5 Jan 2027 |
| INSET day per school | Tue 4 May 2027 | Tue 4 May 2027 |
What's different about City of Edinburgh
- The autumn term in City of Edinburgh is 85 school days (Wed 12 Aug 2026 – Fri 18 Dec 2026), 12 days longer than the median across the 52 United Kingdom jurisdictions we cover.
- City of Edinburgh schools break up for summer on Tue 29 Jun 2027, 29 days before the latest (Surrey, Wed 28 Jul 2027).
- There are 1 half-term break in 2026/27: October half term.
- The source lists 5 pupil-free days (INSET day): Mon 10 Aug 2026, Tue 11 Aug 2026, Mon 19 Oct 2026, Tue 5 Jan 2027, Tue 4 May 2027.
- Good Friday (Fri 26 Mar 2027) falls inside the good Friday and Easter Monday.
- The 2026/27 dates were first published in September 2026.
Who these dates apply to
The council sets local term dates, but individual schools choose in-service days and may make small changes.
Where these dates come from
Source: City of Edinburgh, official school term dates. www.edinburgh.gov.uk
Verified from www.edinburgh.gov.uk on Sat 5 Sep 2026. Cross-checked against an independent dataset
Source text
School Session Dates 2026/27 Staff resume Monday 10 August * 2026 Staff only Tuesday 11 August * 2026 Pupils resume Wednesday 12 August 2026 Autumn Holiday Schools closed Monday 14 September 2026 All resume Tuesday 15 September 2026 Mid-term All break Friday 9 October 2026 Staff resume Monday 19 October* 2026 Pupils resume Tuesday 20 October 2026 Term ends Friday 18 December 2026 Staff resume Tuesday 5 January* 2027 Pupils resume Wednesday 6 January 2027 Mid-term All break Friday 12 February 2027 All resume Monday 22 February 2027 Good Friday Schools closed Friday 26 March 2027 Easter Monday Schools closed Monday 29 March 2027 All resume Tuesday 30 March 2027 Term ends Friday 2 April 2027 Edinburgh Spring Schools closed Monday 19 April 2027 Holiday All Resume Tuesday 20 April 2027 May Holiday Monday 3 May 2027 Staff only Tuesday 4 May* 2027 Pupils resume Wednesday 5 May 2027 Victoria Day Schools closed Monday 24 May 2027 All resume Tuesday 25 May 2027 Term ends Tuesday 29 June 2027 * Five In-Service days for all schools.
Keep these dates
Get reminders
Email and web-push reminders before every break-up and return day are coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the autumn Holiday 2026 in City of Edinburgh?
- The autumn Holiday in City of Edinburgh runs from Monday 14 September 2026 to Monday 14 September 2026 inclusive.
- When is the October half term 2026 in City of Edinburgh?
- The October half term in City of Edinburgh runs from Monday 12 October 2026 to Monday 19 October 2026 inclusive.
- When does the autumn term end in City of Edinburgh in 2026?
- Pupils break up on Friday 18 December 2026.
- When is the Christmas holiday 2026 in City of Edinburgh?
- The Christmas holiday in City of Edinburgh runs from Monday 21 December 2026 to Tuesday 5 January 2027 inclusive.
- When do City of Edinburgh schools go back for the spring term in January 2027?
- The spring term in City of Edinburgh starts on Wednesday 6 January 2027.