School term and holiday dates
Dates
School term dates 2024-25
Autumn term
-
Monday 2 September to Friday 25 October (40 days)
-
Half term: Monday 28 October to Friday1 November
-
Monday 4 November to Friday 20 December (35 days)
Spring term
-
Monday 6 January to Friday 14 February (30 days)
-
Half term: Monday 17 February to Friday 21 February
-
Monday 24 February to Friday 4 April (30 days)
Summer term
-
Tuesday 22 April to Friday 23 May (23 days) (the early May bank holiday will be taken on 5 May)
-
Half term: Monday 26 May to Friday 30 May
-
Monday 2 June to Tuesday 22 July (37 days) (the spring bank holiday will be taken on 26 May)
Total: 195
In 2024–25 children should attend school for 190 days (or 380 half sessions). Teachers must be available to work for 195 days during the academic year.
Schools which close for local elections must extend a term or coincide the closure with an INSET day.
Public holidays
-
Christmas Day: Wednesday 25 December 2024
-
Boxing Day: Thursday 26 December 2024
-
New Year’s Day: Wednesday 1 January 2025
-
Good Friday: Friday 18 April 2025
-
Easter Monday: Monday 21 April 2025
-
Early May bank holiday: Monday 5 May 2025
-
Spring bank holiday: Monday 26 May 2025
-
Summer bank holiday: Monday 25 August 2025
School term dates 2025-26
Autumn term
-
Monday 1 September to Friday 24 October (40 days)
-
Half term: Monday 27 October to Friday 31 October
-
Monday 3 November to Friday 19 December (35 days)
Spring term
-
Monday 5 January to Friday 13 February (30 days)
-
Half term: Monday 16 February to Friday 20 February
-
Monday 23 February to Friday 27 March (25 days)
Summer term
-
Monday 13 April to Friday 22 May (29 days) (the early May bank holiday will be taken on 4 May)
-
Half term: Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May
-
Monday 1 June to Monday 20 July (36 days) (the spring bank holiday will be taken on 25 May)
Total: 195
In 2025–26 children should attend school for 190 days (or 380 half sessions). Teachers must be available to work for 195 days during the academic year.
Schools which close for local elections must extend a term or coincide the closure with an INSET day.
Public holidays
-
Christmas Day: Thursday 25 December 2025
-
Boxing Day: Friday 26 December 2025
-
New Year’s Day: Thursday 1 January 2026
-
Good Friday: Friday 3 April 2026
-
Easter Monday: Monday 6 April 2026
-
Early May bank holiday: Monday 4 May 2026
-
Spring bank holiday: Monday 25 May 2026
-
Summer bank holiday: Monday 31 August 2026
School term dates 2026-27
Autumn term
-
Wednesday 2 September to Friday 23 October (38 days)
-
Half term: Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October
-
Monday 2 November to Friday 18 December (35 days)
Spring term
-
Monday 4 January to Friday 12 February (30 days)
-
Half term: Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February
-
Monday 22 February to Thursday 25 March (24 days)
Summer term
-
Monday 12 April to Friday 28 May (34 days) (the early May bank holiday will be taken on 3 May)
-
Half term: Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June
-
Monday 7 June to Thursday 22 July (34 days)
Total: 195
In 2026–27 children should attend school for 190 days (or 380 half sessions). Teachers must be available to work for 195 days during the academic year.
Schools which close for local elections must extend a term or coincide the closure with an INSET day.
Public holidays
-
Christmas Day: Friday 25 December 2026
-
Boxing Day: Saturday 26 December 2026 (public holiday taken Monday 29 December)
-
New Year’s Day: Friday 1 January 2027
-
Good Friday: Friday 26 March 2027
-
Easter Monday: Monday 29 March 2027
-
Early May bank holiday: Monday 3 May 2027
-
Spring bank holiday: Monday 31 May 2027
-
Summer bank holiday: Monday 30 August 2027
-
Christmas Day: Monday 27 December (substitute day)
-
Boxing Day: Tuesday 28 December (substitute day)
School term dates 2027-28
Term 1
- Wednesday 1 September to Friday 22 October 2027
- half-term holiday is Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027
Term 2
- Monday 1 November to Friday 17 December 2027
- Christmas and new year holiday is Monday 20 December 2027 to 31st December 2027
Term 3
- Tuesday 4 January to Friday 11 February 2028
- half-term holiday is Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028
Term 4
- Monday 21 February to Friday 31 March 2028
- Easter holiday is Monday 3 April to Monday 17 April 2028
Term 5
- Tuesday 18 April to Friday 26 May 2028 (except bank holiday on 1 May)
- half-term holiday is Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028
Term 6
- Monday 5 June to Friday 21 July 2028
Public holidays 2027 to 2028
- Christmas Day: Saturday 25 December 2027
- Boxing Day: Sunday 26 December 2027 (public holiday taken Monday and Tuesday 27 & 28 December 2027)
- New Year’s Day: Saturday 1 January 2028 (public holiday is 3 January 2028)
- Good Friday: Friday 14 April 2028
- Easter Monday: Monday 17 April 2028
- early May bank holiday: Monday 1 May 2028
- spring bank holiday: Monday 29 May 2028
- summer bank holiday: Monday 28 August 2028
School term dates 2028-29
Term 1
- Friday 1 September to Friday 20 October 2028
- Half-term holiday is Monday 23 October to Friday 27 October 2028
Term 2
- Monday 30 October to Friday 15 December 2028
- Christmas and new year holiday is Monday 18 December 2028 to Monday 1 January 2029
Term 3
- Tuesday 2 January to Friday 9 February 2029
- half-term holiday is Monday 12 February to Friday 16 February 2029
Term 4
- Monday 19 February to Thursday 29 March 2029
- Easter holiday is Friday 30 March to Friday 13 April 2029
Term 5
- Monday 16 April to Friday 25 May 2029 (except bank holiday on 7 May)
- half-term holiday is Monday 28 May to Friday 1 June 2029
Term 6
- Monday 4 June to Tuesday 24 July 2029
Public holidays 2028 to 2029
- Christmas Day: Monday 25 December 2028
- Boxing Day: Tuesday 26 December 2028
- New Year’s Day: Monday 1 January 2029
- Good Friday: Friday 30 March 2029
- Easter Monday: Monday 2nd April 2029
- early May bank holiday: Monday 7 May 2029
- spring bank holiday: Monday 28 May 2029
- summer bank holiday: Monday 27 August 2029
School term dates 2029-30
Term 1
- Monday 3 September to Friday 19 October 2029
- half-term holiday is Monday 22 October to Friday 26 October 2029
Term 2
- Monday 29 October to Thursday 20 December 2029
- Christmas and new year holiday is Friday 21 December 2029 to Tuesday 1 January 2030
Term 3
- Wednesday 2 January to Friday 15 February 2030
- half-term holiday is Monday 18 February to Friday 22 February 2030
Term 4
- Monday 25 February to Friday 5 April 2030
- Easter holiday is Monday 8 to Monday 22 April 2030
Term 5
- Tuesday 23 April to Friday 24 May 2030 (except bank holiday on 6 May)
- half-term holiday is Monday 27 May to Friday 31 May 2030
Term 6
- Monday 3 June to Thursday 25 July 2030
Public holidays 2029 to 2030
- Christmas Day: Tuesday 25 December 2029
- Boxing Day: Wednesday 26 December 2029
- New Year’s Day: Tuesday 1 January 2030
- Good Friday: Friday 19 April 2030
- Easter Monday: Monday 22 April 2030
- early May bank holiday: Monday 6 May 2030
- spring bank holiday: Monday 27 May 2030
- summer bank holiday: Monday 26 August 2030
The number of days in a school year
Children should attend school for 190 days (or 380 sessions) each academic year. Teachers should be available to work for 195 days each academic year.
These term dates apply to all local community primary, secondary and special schools. The governing body of each school will set five days for INSET or teacher training days.
Voluntary aided schools, foundation schools and academies set their own holiday dates. These might be different from the dates for community schools.
Schools used as polling stations
Some schools are used as polling stations during term time.
In many cases, normal schooling and polling will be able to take place at the same time - although the part of the school used as a polling station should have its own entrance and be isolated from the rest of the school.
If this is not the case, the school will usually close for the day.
If a school has to close
If this happens the governing body must take reasonable steps to make up the lost day. This is to fulfil its duty for the school to meet for 380 half-day sessions in a school year.
For example, they might be able to extend the end of the school term by one day or move affected pupils to alternative premises, although this could be impractical.
Governors must find a balance based on their knowledge of the school premises and what physical arrangements could reasonably be made to accommodate both schooling and elections at the same time.