Summer holidays

Summer holidays 2026: start dates range from Monday 3 August to Thursday, 29 July 2027, depending on the area.

The dates of Summer holidays by region, for this school year and the years ahead.

School year 2026-2027

Summer holidays in the 2026-2027 school year: dates and number of days by region
Region	Period	Days
North ayrshire arran	3 – 18 Aug 2026	16
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar	26 Jun – 18 Aug 2027(provisional)	54
North Lanarkshire	26 Jun – 11 Aug 2027	47
South Lanarkshire	26 Jun – 12 Aug 2027	48
Stirling	26 Jun – 10 Aug 2027	46
Clackmannanshire	28 Jun – 6 Aug 2027	40
Falkirk	28 Jun – 6 Aug 2027	40
West Lothian	28 Jun – 17 Aug 2027	51
East Ayrshire	30 Jun – 13 Aug 2027	45
Edinburgh	30 Jun – 17 Aug 2027	49
Midlothian	30 Jun – 15 Aug 2027	47
East Dunbartonshire	1 Jul – 15 Aug 2027	46
Renfrewshire	1 Jul – 15 Aug 2027	46
West Dunbartonshire	1 Jul – 12 Aug 2027	43
Aberdeenshire	2 Jul – 20 Aug 2027	50
Angus	2 Jul – 16 Aug 2027	46
Highland	2 Jul – 15 Aug 2027	45
North ayrshire arran	2 Jul – 11 Aug 2027	41
Scottish Borders	2 Jul – 15 Aug 2027	45
Aberdeen	3 Jul – 22 Aug 2027	51
Argyll and Bute	3 Jul – 11 Aug 2027	40
Dundee	3 Jul – 15 Aug 2027	44
Dumfries and Galloway	5 Jul – 20 Aug 2027	47
Fife	5 Jul – 13 Aug 2027	40
Moray	5 Jul – 17 Aug 2027	44
Shetland	5 Jul – 17 Aug 2027	44
Cumberland	17 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	51
Westmorland and furness	17 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	51
Newcastle	19 Jul – 3 Sept 2027	47
Powys	19 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	44
Anglesey	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Blaenau Gwent	21 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	43
Bridgend	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Caerphilly	21 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	43
Cardiff	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Carmarthenshire	21 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	43
Ceredigion	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Conwy	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Denbighshire	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Flintshire	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Gwynedd	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Merthyr Tydfil	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Monmouthshire	21 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	43
Neath Port Talbot	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Newport	21 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	43
Pembrokeshire	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Rhondda Cynon Taf	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Swansea	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Torfaen	21 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	43
Vale of Glamorgan	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Wrexham	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	42
Barnsley	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Bedford	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Birmingham	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Bournemouth christchurch and poole	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Bracknell Forest	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Brighton and Hove	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Buckinghamshire	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Bury	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Calderdale	22 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	46
Cambridgeshire	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Central Bedfordshire	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Cheshire East	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Cheshire West and Chester	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Coventry	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Darlington	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Dorset	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Dudley	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Essex	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Gloucestershire	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Halton	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Hampshire	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Herefordshire	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Kent	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Knowsley	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Lancashire	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Lincolnshire	22 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	46
Luton	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Medway	22 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	46
Milton Keynes	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Norfolk	22 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	46
North East Lincolnshire	22 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	46
North Lincolnshire	22 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	46
North northamptonshire	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
North Tyneside	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Northumberland	22 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	46
Oldham	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Oxfordshire	22 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	46
Peterborough	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Portsmouth	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Reading	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Rochdale	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Rotherham	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Rutland	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Sandwell	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Sefton	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Sheffield	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Shropshire	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Slough	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Solihull	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
South Gloucestershire	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Southampton	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Southend-on-Sea	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
St Helens	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Staffordshire	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Stockport secondary	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Suffolk	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Telford and Wrekin	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Thurrock	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Wakefield	22 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	46
Walsall	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Warrington	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Warwickshire	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
West northamptonshire	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
West Sussex	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Wigan	22 Jul – 2 Sept 2027	43
Wirral	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Wokingham	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	41
Wolverhampton	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Worcestershire	22 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	42
Bath and North East Somerset	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Bexley	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
East Sussex	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Enfield	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Greenwich	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Hammersmith and Fulham	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Havering	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Hertfordshire	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Hillingdon	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Hounslow	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Islington	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Lambeth	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Leeds	23 Jul – 3 Sept 2027	43
Lewisham	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Merton	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Redbridge	23 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	41
Salford	23 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	45
Sutton	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Waltham Forest	23 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	40
Bolton	24 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	44
Bromley	24 Jul – 25 Aug 2027	33
Kingston upon Thames	24 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	40
North Somerset	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	39
Richmond upon Thames	24 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	40
Somerset	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	39
Swindon	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	39
Bradford	26 Jul – 3 Sept 2027	40
Bristol	26 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	37
Cornwall	26 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	38
Torbay	26 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	38
Tower Hamlets	26 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	37
Brent	27 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	36
Derby	27 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	41
Derbyshire	27 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	41
East Riding of Yorkshire	27 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	41
North Yorkshire	27 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	41
Plymouth	27 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	36
York	27 Jul – 5 Sept 2027	41
Ealing London	28 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	35
Isle of Wight	29 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	34
Nottingham	29 Jul – 1 Sept 2027	35
Nottinghamshire	29 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	34
Stockport primary	29 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	34
Surrey	29 Jul – 31 Aug 2027	34

School year 2027-2028

Summer holidays in the 2027-2028 school year: dates and number of days by region
Region	Period	Days
Stirling	24 Jun – 15 Aug 2028	53
Clackmannanshire	26 Jun – 11 Aug 2028	47
Falkirk	26 Jun – 11 Aug 2028	47
Fife	30 Jun – 11 Aug 2028	43
Moray	30 Jun – 22 Aug 2028	54
Scottish Borders	30 Jun – 13 Aug 2028	45
Edinburgh	1 Jul – 15 Aug 2028	46
Midlothian	1 Jul – 13 Aug 2028	44
Angus	3 Jul – 14 Aug 2028	43
Dumfries and Galloway	3 Jul – 17 Aug 2028	46
East Ayrshire	3 Jul – 11 Aug 2028	40
Aberdeenshire	7 Jul – 18 Aug 2028	43
Cumberland	21 Jul – 5 Sept 2028	47
Halton	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	42
North Tyneside	21 Jul – 3 Sept 2028(provisional)	45
Sefton	21 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	42
Westmorland and furness	21 Jul – 5 Sept 2028	47
Bolton	22 Jul – 3 Sept 2028	44
East Sussex	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	41
Greenwich	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	41
Herefordshire	22 Jul – 3 Sept 2028	44
Hillingdon	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	41
Hounslow	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	41
Islington	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	41
Lewisham	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	41
Northumberland	22 Jul – 3 Sept 2028	44
Sutton	22 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	41
Barnsley	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	39
Cheshire East	24 Jul – 1 Sept 2028	40
Cheshire West and Chester	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	39
Dorset	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	39
Essex	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	39
Hampshire	24 Jul – 3 Sept 2028	42
North northamptonshire	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	39
Rochdale	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	39
Somerset	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	39
Southampton	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	39
Staffordshire	24 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	39
Derby	25 Jul – 4 Sept 2028	42
Derbyshire	25 Jul – 4 Sept 2028	42
Hertfordshire	25 Jul – 1 Sept 2028	39
Plymouth	25 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	38
Wakefield	26 Jul – 3 Sept 2028(provisional)	40
Brent	27 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	36
Leeds	27 Jul – 1 Sept 2028	37
Medway	27 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	36
Nottingham	27 Jul – 3 Sept 2028	39
Nottinghamshire	27 Jul – 31 Aug 2028	36
Salford	27 Jul – 3 Sept 2028	39

School year 2028-2029

Summer holidays in the 2028-2029 school year: dates and number of days by region
Region	Period	Days
Clackmannanshire	2 Jul – 10 Aug 2029(provisional)	40
Falkirk	2 Jul – 10 Aug 2029	40
Aberdeenshire	9 Jul – 17 Aug 2029	40
Bolton	21 Jul – 2 Sept 2029	44
Cheshire West and Chester	25 Jul – 31 Aug 2029	38
Greenwich	25 Jul – 31 Aug 2029	38
Hampshire	25 Jul – 31 Aug 2029	38
Hillingdon	25 Jul – 2 Sept 2029	40
Hounslow	25 Jul – 2 Sept 2029	40
Lewisham	25 Jul – 2 Sept 2029	40
Sutton	25 Jul – 2 Sept 2029	40
Derby	26 Jul – 5 Sept 2029	42
Derbyshire	26 Jul – 5 Sept 2029	42
Staffordshire	26 Jul – 31 Aug 2029	37
Nottingham	28 Jul – 3 Sept 2029	38
Nottinghamshire	28 Jul – 2 Sept 2029	37

School year 2029-2030

Summer holidays in the 2029-2030 school year: dates and number of days by region
Region	Period	Days
Hampshire	24 Jul – 30 Aug 2030	38

Dates are taken from official publications. Schools may have additional days off, so check with your school if in doubt.

Sources: Official source (north-ayrshire.gov.uk), Official source (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar), Official source (North Lanarkshire), Official source (South Lanarkshire) and 140 more. Last checked: 4 October 2026. More about our sources

When are the summer holidays?

The summer holidays are the longest break of the school year. When they start depends on where you live. In England and Wales, schools usually break up in the second half of July and go back in the first week of September, giving around six weeks off. The exact dates are set by the council, or by the school for academies and other schools that set their own dates.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scottish schools break up much earlier, in late June or early July, and go back in mid-August, after about seven weeks. In Northern Ireland, the summer holidays usually cover the whole of July and August, around eight to nine weeks.

Term-time holidays and fines

Because holiday prices peak in the summer, some families are tempted to leave a few days before the end of term. In England, schools can only authorise absence in exceptional circumstances, and councils can fine parents for unauthorised absence. Rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but permission from the school is always needed.

Tips for the summer holidays

The first weekend after English schools break up is one of the busiest of the year at airports and on the roads. The early part of the Scottish holidays, and the last week of August, can be quieter. Many councils, libraries and leisure centres run holiday clubs and activities for children.

Frequently asked questions

How long are the summer holidays?

Around six weeks in England and Wales, about seven weeks in Scotland and about eight to nine weeks in Northern Ireland.

Why do Scottish schools break up earlier?

The Scottish school year follows a different pattern: it starts in mid-August and ends in late June or early July.