South Ayrshire school term dates 2026/27
Showing the 2026/27 calendar only. Current and next year
Next term date
Schools break up in 108 days — Tue 22 Dec 2026
Next holiday: September holiday, Fri 18 Sep 2026 – Mon 21 Sep 2026
Verified from www.south-ayrshire.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 computed scotland published late week start |
Thu 20 Aug 2026 | Tue 22 Dec 2026 | 80 |
| Spring term computed | Tue 5 Jan 2027 | Thu 25 Mar 2027 | 55 |
| Summer term | Mon 12 Apr 2027 | Wed 30 Jun 2027 | 54 |
Holidays 2026/27
| Holiday | First day off | Last day off |
|---|---|---|
| September holiday | Fri 18 Sep 2026 | Mon 21 Sep 2026 |
| October half term | Mon 12 Oct 2026 | Fri 16 Oct 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | Wed 23 Dec 2026 | Mon 4 Jan 2027 |
| February holiday | Fri 12 Feb 2027 | Mon 15 Feb 2027 |
| Easter holiday | Fri 26 Mar 2027 | Fri 9 Apr 2027 |
| May Day holiday | Mon 3 May 2027 | Mon 3 May 2027 |
| May holiday | Fri 28 May 2027 | Mon 31 May 2027 |
| Summer holiday computed | Thu 1 Jul 2027 | Fri 13 Aug 2027 |
INSET and closure days 2026/27
| Day | Date | Until |
|---|---|---|
| INSET day per school | Tue 18 Aug 2026 | Tue 18 Aug 2026 |
| INSET day per school | Wed 19 Aug 2026 | Wed 19 Aug 2026 |
| INSET day per school | Mon 19 Oct 2026 | Mon 19 Oct 2026 |
| INSET day per school | Tue 16 Feb 2027 | Tue 16 Feb 2027 |
| INSET day per school | Thu 6 May 2027 | Thu 6 May 2027 |
What's different about South Ayrshire
- The summer term in South Ayrshire is 54 school days (Mon 12 Apr 2027 – Wed 30 Jun 2027), 19 days shorter than the median across the 52 United Kingdom jurisdictions we cover.
- South Ayrshire schools break up for summer on Wed 30 Jun 2027, 28 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): Tue 18 Aug 2026, Wed 19 Aug 2026, Mon 19 Oct 2026, Tue 16 Feb 2027, Thu 6 May 2027.
- Good Friday (Fri 26 Mar 2027) falls inside the Easter holiday.
- 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: South Ayrshire, official school term dates. www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk
Verified from www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk on Sat 5 Sep 2026. Cross-checked against an independent dataset
Source text
Term and holiday dates 2026 - 2027 | Date | Holiday | First term | | 18 August 2026 | Inservice day | 19 August 2026 | Inservice day | 20 August 2026 | Pupils return | 18 September 2026 - 21 September 2026 | Schools closed | 12 October 2026 - 16 October 2026 | Schools closed | 19 October 2026 | Inservice day | 20 October 2026 | Pupils return | 23 December 2026 - 4 January 2027 | Schools closed | Second Term | | 05 January 2027 | Pupils return | 12 February 2027 - 15 February 2027 | Schools closed | 16 February 2027 | Inservice day | 17 February 2027 | Pupils return | Third Term | | 26 March 2027 - 9 April 2027 | Schools closed | 12 April 2027 | Pupils return | 03 May 2027 | Schools closed | 04 May 2027 | Pupils return | 06 May 2027 | Inservice day | 07 May 2027 | Pupils return | 28 May 2027 - 31 May 2027 | Schools closed | 30 June 2027 | last day of term for pupils and staff
Keep these dates
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Frequently asked questions
- When is the September holiday 2026 in South Ayrshire?
- The September holiday in South Ayrshire runs from Friday 18 September 2026 to Monday 21 September 2026 inclusive.
- When is the October half term 2026 in South Ayrshire?
- The October half term in South Ayrshire runs from Monday 12 October 2026 to Friday 16 October 2026 inclusive.
- When does the autumn term end in South Ayrshire in 2026?
- Pupils break up on Tuesday 22 December 2026.
- When is the Christmas holiday 2026 in South Ayrshire?
- The Christmas holiday in South Ayrshire runs from Wednesday 23 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027 inclusive.
- When do South Ayrshire schools go back for the spring term in January 2027?
- The spring term in South Ayrshire starts on Tuesday 5 January 2027.