Essex school term dates 2026/27
Showing the 2026/27 calendar only. Current and next year
First day off
Schools break up in 44 days — Fri 23 Oct 2026 (advisory dates — schools may vary them)
Next holiday: October half term, Mon 26 Oct 2026 – Fri 30 Oct 2026 (advisory dates — schools may vary them)
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Verified against www.essex.gov.uk on Tue 8 Sep 2026. Cross-checked against the recorded source Where these dates come from
Academies and some other schools can choose different dates, so check with your school.
2026/27
Terms 2026/27
School holidays, public holidays and recorded training days are excluded. Your school may set more training days, so pupils may attend fewer days. Check your school's calendar.
| Term | Starts | Ends | Weekdays in term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn, term 1 advisory | Tue 1 Sep 2026 | Fri 23 Oct 2026 | 39 |
| Autumn, term 2 advisory | Mon 2 Nov 2026 | Fri 18 Dec 2026 | 35 |
| Spring, term 3 advisory | Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Fri 12 Feb 2027 | 30 |
| Spring, term 4 advisory | Mon 22 Feb 2027 | Thu 25 Mar 2027 | 24 |
| Summer, term 5 advisory | Mon 12 Apr 2027 | Fri 28 May 2027 | 34 |
| Summer, term 6 advisory | Mon 7 Jun 2027 | Wed 21 Jul 2027 | 33 |
Holidays 2026/27
| Holiday | First day off | Last day off |
|---|---|---|
| October half term advisory | Mon 26 Oct 2026 | Fri 30 Oct 2026 |
| Christmas holiday advisory | Mon 21 Dec 2026 | Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| New Year bank holiday (calculated from published boundaries) computed advisory | Fri 1 Jan 2027 | Fri 1 Jan 2027 |
| February half term advisory | Mon 15 Feb 2027 | Fri 19 Feb 2027 |
| Easter bank holiday advisory | Fri 26 Mar 2027 | Mon 29 Mar 2027 |
| Easter holiday advisory | Tue 30 Mar 2027 | Fri 9 Apr 2027 |
| Early May bank holiday advisory | Mon 3 May 2027 | Mon 3 May 2027 |
| May half term advisory | Mon 31 May 2027 | Fri 4 Jun 2027 |
| Summer holiday advisory | Thu 22 Jul 2027 | Tue 31 Aug 2027 |
What's different about Essex
- Autumn, term 1 in Essex has 39 weekdays in term. Dates: Tue 1 Sep 2026 – Fri 23 Oct 2026. School training days may reduce pupil attendance. Across the 59 covered calendars in United Kingdom, the median is 73 weekdays in term (advisory dates — schools may vary them).
- Essex schools break up for summer on Wed 21 Jul 2027, 7 days before the latest (Surrey, Wed 28 Jul 2027) (advisory dates — schools may vary them).
- There are 3 half-term breaks in 2026/27: October half term, February half term, May half term (advisory dates — schools may vary them).
- Good Friday (Fri 26 Mar 2027) falls inside the Easter bank holiday (advisory dates — schools may vary them).
- TermMinder first recorded the 2026/27 dates in September 2026.
- The autumn, term 1 starts on the same calendar date as in 2025/26 (Tue 1 Sep 2026) (advisory dates — schools may vary them).
Who these dates apply to
These council dates normally apply to community and voluntary controlled schools.
Where these dates come from
Source: Essex County Council, community and voluntary controlled school term dates. Foundation and voluntary-aided schools and academies may use different dates. Schools choose five staff-training days within the published pattern; check your school's calendar. www.essex.gov.uk
Verified against www.essex.gov.uk on Tue 8 Sep 2026. Cross-checked against the recorded source
Source text
Academic year 2026 to 2027 | Essex County Council Skip to main content Enter the terms you wish to search for. Breadcrumbs Home Schools and learning Schools Essex school terms and holidays Academic year 2026 to 2027 Academic year 2026 to 2027 School term dates and holidays for academic year 2026 to 2027 for community and voluntary controlled schools in Essex These dates are for community and voluntary controlled schools in Essex. Term dates for foundation and voluntary-aided schools and academies may be different. Check with your child's school for their term dates. | Term | Starts | Ends | Autumn, term 1 | Tuesday 1 September 2026 | Friday 23 October 2026 | Autumn half term | Monday 26 October 2026 | Friday 30 October 2026 | Autumn, term 2 | Monday 2 November 2026 | Friday 18 December 2026 | Winter holiday (Christmas) | Monday 21 December 2026 | Thursday 31 December 2026 | Spring, term 3 | Monday 4 January 2027 | Friday 12 February 2027 | Spring half term | Monday 15 February 2027 | Friday 19 February 2027 | Spring, term 4 | Monday 22 February 2027 | Thursday 25 March 2027 | Easter bank holiday | Friday 26 March 2027 | Monday 29 March 2027 | Spring holiday (Easter) | Tuesday 30 March 2027 | Friday 9 April 2027 | Summer, term 5 | Monday 12 April 2027 | Friday 28 May 2027 | Early May bank holiday | Monday 3 May 2027 | Monday 3 May 2027 | Summer half term | Monday 31 May 2027 | Friday 4 June 2027 | Summer, term 6 | Monday 7 June 2027 | Wednesday 21 July 2027 | Summer holiday | Thursday 22 July 2027 | Tuesday 31 August 2027 There are 195 school days in a year. Schools also have 5 days out of the academic year for staff training. Contact your child’s school to find out when they will be. View the full 2026 to 2027 term date calendar (PDF, 211.25 KB). You can find bank holidays dates on GOV.UK. You must get permission from the headteacher if you want to take your child out of school during term time. Could you be a great fit for fostering? There is no single type of foster carer. Essex County Council is encouraging local people from all walks of life to consider fostering. More local foster carers are needed to help children stay close to their schools, friends and support networks. Find out if someone like you could be a great fit for fostering BETA Help us improve this site by giving feedback Footer Contact us Cookies Accessibility Privacy and data protection Modern slavery and human trafficking statement Terms and conditions Social Media Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Powered by LocalGov Drupal
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Frequently asked questions
- When does the autumn, term 1 end in Essex in 2026?
- Pupils break up on Friday 23 October 2026 (advisory dates — schools may vary them).
- When is the October half term 2026 in Essex?
- The October half term in Essex runs from Monday 26 October 2026 to Friday 30 October 2026 inclusive (advisory dates — schools may vary them).
- When do Essex schools go back for the autumn, term 2 in November 2026?
- The autumn, term 2 in Essex starts on Monday 2 November 2026 (advisory dates — schools may vary them).
- When does the autumn, term 2 end in Essex in 2026?
- Pupils break up on Friday 18 December 2026 (advisory dates — schools may vary them).
- When is the Christmas holiday 2026 in Essex?
- The Christmas holiday in Essex runs from Monday 21 December 2026 to Thursday 31 December 2026 inclusive (advisory dates — schools may vary them).