Highland school term dates 2026/27
Showing the 2026/27 calendar only. Current and next year
First day off
Term 2 starts in 2 days — Mon 26 Oct 2026
Next holiday: Christmas holiday, Wed 23 Dec 2026 – Tue 5 Jan 2027
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Verified against www.highland.gov.uk on Sat 5 Sep 2026. Cross-checked against the recorded source Where these dates come from
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 start moved past an INSET day printed on the first day |
Wed 19 Aug 2026 | Fri 9 Oct 2026 | 37 |
| Term 2 | Mon 26 Oct 2026 | Tue 22 Dec 2026 | 41 |
| Spring term | Wed 6 Jan 2027 | Thu 25 Mar 2027 | 54 |
| Summer term | Mon 12 Apr 2027 | Thu 1 Jul 2027 | 56 |
Holidays 2026/27
| Holiday | First day off | Last day off |
|---|---|---|
| October half term | Mon 12 Oct 2026 | Fri 23 Oct 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | Wed 23 Dec 2026 | Tue 5 Jan 2027 |
| February break | Mon 15 Feb 2027 | Tue 16 Feb 2027 |
| Easter holiday | Fri 26 Mar 2027 | Fri 9 Apr 2027 |
| May Day | Mon 3 May 2027 | Mon 3 May 2027 |
| Summer holiday computed | Fri 2 Jul 2027 | Tue 17 Aug 2027 |
INSET and closure days 2026/27
| Term | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| INSET day per school | Mon 17 Aug 2026 | Mon 17 Aug 2026 |
| INSET day per school | Tue 18 Aug 2026 | Tue 18 Aug 2026 |
| INSET day per school | Mon 14 Sep 2026 | Mon 14 Sep 2026 |
| INSET day per school | Wed 17 Feb 2027 | Wed 17 Feb 2027 |
| INSET day per school | Thu 6 May 2027 | Thu 6 May 2027 |
School admissions in Highland
Last distances offered, Ofsted and results for every school in Highland, on Schools in Reach.
What's different about Highland
- Term 1 in Highland has 37 weekdays in term. Dates: Wed 19 Aug 2026 – Fri 9 Oct 2026. School training days may reduce pupil attendance. Across the 144 covered calendars in United Kingdom, the median is 73 weekdays in term.
- Highland schools break up for summer on Thu 1 Jul 2027, 27 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 17 Aug 2026, Tue 18 Aug 2026, Mon 14 Sep 2026, Wed 17 Feb 2027, Thu 6 May 2027.
- Good Friday (Fri 26 Mar 2027) falls inside the Easter holiday.
- TermMinder first recorded the 2026/27 dates 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: Highland, official school term dates. www.highland.gov.uk
Verified against www.highland.gov.uk on Sat 5 Sep 2026. Cross-checked against the recorded source
Source text
School term dates 2026/2027 Dates for holidays are inclusive. For example, for holidays from 14 to 21 October, pupils return on 22 October. Download a printable copy of the calendar or add these dates to your calendar Term 1 - August to October Starts Monday 17 August and ends Friday 9 October. In-service days: Monday 17 August and Tuesday 18 August In-service day: Monday 14 September October holidays: Monday 12 October to Friday 23 October Term 2 - October to December Starts Monday 26 October and ends Tuesday 22 December. Christmas and New Year holidays: Wednesday 23 December to Tuesday 5 January Term 3 - January to March Starts Wednesday 6 January and ends Thursday 25 March. February break: Monday 15 February and Tuesday 16 February In-service day: Wednesday 17 February Easter holidays: Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April Term 4 - April to July Starts Monday 12 April and ends Thursday 1 July. May Day: Monday 3 May In-service day: Thursday 6 May Summer holidays: starts Friday 2 July
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Frequently asked questions
- When do Highland schools go back for the term 2 in October 2026?
- The term 2 in Highland starts on Monday 26 October 2026.
- When does the term 2 end in Highland in 2026?
- Pupils break up on Tuesday 22 December 2026.
- When is the Christmas holiday 2026 in Highland?
- The Christmas holiday in Highland runs from Wednesday 23 December 2026 to Tuesday 5 January 2027 inclusive.
- When do Highland schools go back for the spring term in January 2027?
- The spring term in Highland starts on Wednesday 6 January 2027.
- When is the February break 2027 in Highland?
- The February break in Highland runs from Monday 15 February 2027 to Tuesday 16 February 2027 inclusive.