Highland school term dates 2027/28
Showing the 2027/28 calendar only. Current and next year
Next term date
Schools break up in 34 days — Fri 9 Oct 2026
Next holiday: October half term, Mon 12 Oct 2026 – Fri 23 Oct 2026
Verified from www.highland.gov.uk on Sat 5 Sep 2026. Cross-checked against an independent dataset Where these dates come from
Check your school's calendar.
2027/28 — next year, already published
Terms 2027/28
| Term | Starts | Ends | School days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Wed 18 Aug 2027 | Fri 8 Oct 2027 | 37 |
| Term 2 | Mon 25 Oct 2027 | Tue 21 Dec 2027 | 41 |
| Spring term | Wed 5 Jan 2028 | Fri 31 Mar 2028 | 60 |
| Summer term | Tue 18 Apr 2028 | Thu 29 Jun 2028 | 50 |
Holidays 2027/28
| Holiday | First day off | Last day off |
|---|---|---|
| October half term | Mon 11 Oct 2027 | Fri 22 Oct 2027 |
| Christmas holiday | Wed 22 Dec 2027 | Tue 4 Jan 2028 |
| February break | Mon 14 Feb 2028 | Tue 15 Feb 2028 |
| Easter holiday | Mon 3 Apr 2028 | Mon 17 Apr 2028 |
| May Day | Mon 1 May 2028 | Mon 1 May 2028 |
| Summer holiday computed tbc return date not yet published (usually published in September) |
Fri 30 Jun 2028 | — |
INSET and closure days 2027/28
| Day | Date | Until |
|---|---|---|
| INSET day per school | Mon 16 Aug 2027 | Mon 16 Aug 2027 |
| INSET day per school | Tue 17 Aug 2027 | Tue 17 Aug 2027 |
| INSET day per school | Mon 13 Sep 2027 | Mon 13 Sep 2027 |
| INSET day per school | Wed 16 Feb 2028 | Wed 16 Feb 2028 |
| INSET day per school | Mon 5 Jun 2028 | Mon 5 Jun 2028 |
What's different about Highland
- The term 1 in Highland is 37 school days (Wed 18 Aug 2027 – Fri 8 Oct 2027), 35 days shorter than the median across the 43 United Kingdom jurisdictions we cover.
- Highland schools break up for summer on Thu 29 Jun 2028, 27 days before the latest (East Riding of Yorkshire, Wed 26 Jul 2028).
- There are 1 half-term break in 2027/28: October half term.
- The source lists 5 pupil-free days (INSET day): Mon 16 Aug 2027, Tue 17 Aug 2027, Mon 13 Sep 2027, Wed 16 Feb 2028, Mon 5 Jun 2028.
- Good Friday (Fri 14 Apr 2028) falls inside the Easter holiday.
- The 2027/28 dates were first published in September 2026.
- The term 1 starts 1 day earlier in the calendar than in 2026/27 (Wed 18 Aug 2027 vs Wed 19 Aug 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 from www.highland.gov.uk on Sat 5 Sep 2026. Cross-checked against an independent dataset
Source text
School term dates 2027/2028 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 Wednesday 18 August and ends Friday 8 October. In-service days: Monday 16 August, Tuesday 17 August and Monday 13 September October holidays: Monday 11 October to Friday 22 October Term 2 - October to December Starts Monday 25 October and ends Tuesday 21 December. Christmas and New Year holidays: Wednesday 22 December to Tuesday 4 January Term 3 - January to March Starts Wednesday 5 January and ends Friday 31 March. February break: Monday 14 February and Tuesday 15 February In-service day: Wednesday 16 February Easter holidays: Monday 3 April to Monday 17 April Term 4 - April to July Starts Tuesday 18 April and ends Thursday 29 June. May Day: Monday 1 May In-service day: Monday 5 June Summer holidays: starts Friday 30 June
Keep these dates
Get reminders
Email and web-push reminders before every break-up and return day are coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
- When does the term 1 end in Highland in 2026?
- Pupils break up on Friday 9 October 2026.
- When is the October half term 2026 in Highland?
- The October half term in Highland runs from Monday 12 October 2026 to Friday 23 October 2026 inclusive.
- 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.