Aberdeenshire school term dates & holidays 2026/27 and 2027/28

Compiled from Aberdeenshire Council's published calendar · last checked 7 September 2026

These are the official school term dates and holidays set by Aberdeenshire Council for the 2026/27 and 2027/28 academic years: term start and finish dates, half terms, and the Christmas, Easter and summer breaks. We take the dates straight from the council's own published calendar (linked below), convert them into one consistent format, and recheck them each academic year. School-day counts exclude weekends and half term but not inset days, which individual schools choose themselves.

Aberdeenshire term dates 2026/27

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2026 termWednesday, 19 August 2026Tuesday, 22 December 202680 school days
October half term holidayMonday, 12 October 2026Friday, 23 October 2026
Christmas holiday holidayWednesday, 23 December 2026Monday, 4 January 2027
Spring term 2027 termTuesday, 5 January 2027Thursday, 25 March 202757 school days
February half term holidayMonday, 8 February 2027—
Easter holiday holidayFriday, 26 March 2027Sunday, 11 April 2027
Summer term 2027 termMonday, 12 April 2027Thursday, 1 July 202759 school days
Council notes for 2026/27:
  • Council publishes four terms: Term 1 (19 August to 9 October 2026), Term 2 (26 October to 22 December 2026), Term 3 (5 January to 25 March 2027), Term 4 (12 April to 1 July 2027)
  • In-service days: Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 August 2026
  • October holiday: Monday 12 October to Friday 23 October 2026
  • In-service day: Friday 13 November 2026
  • Christmas holiday: Wednesday 23 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027
  • Mid-term holiday: Monday 8 February 2027; in-service days Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 February 2027
  • Good Friday holiday: Friday 26 March 2027; Spring holiday Monday 29 March to Friday 9 April 2027
  • May Day holiday: Monday 3 May 2027
  • Summer holiday: Friday 2 July to Friday 20 August 2027

Aberdeenshire term dates 2027/28

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2027 termWednesday, 25 August 2027Tuesday, 21 December 202775 school days
October half term holidayMonday, 11 October 2027Friday, 22 October 2027
Christmas holiday holidayWednesday, 22 December 2027Tuesday, 4 January 2028
Spring term 2028 termWednesday, 5 January 2028Friday, 31 March 202862 school days
February half term holidayMonday, 14 February 2028—
Easter holiday holidaySaturday, 1 April 2028Sunday, 16 April 2028
Summer term 2028 termMonday, 17 April 2028Thursday, 6 July 202859 school days
Council notes for 2027/28:
  • Council publishes four terms: Term 1 (25 August to 8 October 2027), Term 2 (25 October to 21 December 2027), Term 3 (5 January to 31 March 2028), Term 4 (17 April to 6 July 2028)
  • In-service days: Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 August 2027
  • October holiday: Monday 11 October to Friday 22 October 2027
  • In-service day: Friday 12 November 2027
  • Christmas holiday: Wednesday 22 December 2027 to Tuesday 4 January 2028
  • Mid-term holiday: Monday 14 February 2028; in-service days Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 February 2028
  • Spring holiday: Monday 3 April to Thursday 13 April 2028; Good Friday holiday Friday 14 April 2028
  • May Day holiday: Monday 1 May 2028
  • Summer holiday: Friday 7 July to Friday 18 August 2028
Source: these dates come from Aberdeenshire Council's official term dates page, last checked by us on 7 September 2026. If the council amends its calendar mid-year, its page is the authority; tell us and we'll correct ours. Read how we compile term dates.

Common questions

When is October half term in Aberdeenshire?

October half term in Aberdeenshire runs from Monday, 12 October 2026 to Friday, 23 October 2026. Pupils return the following school day.

When do Aberdeenshire schools break up for Christmas?

The autumn term in Aberdeenshire ends on Tuesday, 22 December 2026, so that is the last day of school before the Christmas holiday.

When do Aberdeenshire schools break up for summer?

The summer term ends on Thursday, 1 July 2027. The summer holiday starts the next day.

Is Aberdeenshire's October half term the same as neighbouring councils?

Partly. Of the 31 other Scotland councils we cover, 10 share Aberdeenshire's October half term week in 2026/27, while Angus, Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Midlothian, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, Shetland, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian, Western Isles differ. If your children attend schools under different councils, check both pages before booking.

Do all schools in Aberdeenshire follow these dates?

No. These are Aberdeenshire Council's published dates for community and voluntary-controlled schools. Academies, free schools, foundation schools and private schools set their own calendars, and every school adds its own inset days. Check with your school before booking anything you can't refund.

Tempted by term-time prices? Taking children out of school during term can mean a penalty notice, and the rules differ across the UK. How school fines work, nation by nation.

Nearby councils