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

Compiled from Cumberland Council's published calendar · last checked 12 September 2026

These are the official school term dates and holidays set by Cumberland 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.

Cumberland term dates 2026/27

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2026 termWednesday, 2 September 2026Friday, 18 December 202673 school days
October half term holidayMonday, 26 October 2026Friday, 30 October 2026
Christmas holiday holidaySaturday, 19 December 2026Monday, 4 January 2027
Spring term 2027 termTuesday, 5 January 2027Thursday, 25 March 202753 school days
February half term holidayMonday, 15 February 2027Friday, 19 February 2027
Easter holiday holidayFriday, 26 March 2027Sunday, 11 April 2027
Summer term 2027 termMonday, 12 April 2027Friday, 16 July 202765 school days
May half term holidayMonday, 31 May 2027Friday, 4 June 2027
Council notes for 2026/27:
  • The council's downloadable 2026-27 calendar PDF states 190 pupil days and that the dates were agreed jointly by Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Councils, so both councils publish the same calendar.
  • The PDF states that INSET days should be arranged outside the published term dates or outside pupil hours, and suggests Tuesday 1 September 2026 and Monday 4 January 2027 as possible INSET dates, plus three others to be locally determined.
  • May Day bank holiday Monday 3 May 2027 falls within the summer term.
  • The summer term ends on Friday 16 July 2027, earlier than most North West councils.
  • The page advises checking with individual schools as there can be a slight variation in start and finish dates.

Cumberland term dates 2027/28

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2027 termMonday, 6 September 2027Friday, 17 December 202770 school days
October half term holidayMonday, 25 October 2027Friday, 29 October 2027
Christmas holiday holidaySaturday, 18 December 2027Tuesday, 4 January 2028
Spring term 2028 termWednesday, 5 January 2028Friday, 31 March 202858 school days
February half term holidayMonday, 14 February 2028Friday, 18 February 2028
Easter holiday holidaySaturday, 1 April 2028Monday, 17 April 2028
Summer term 2028 termTuesday, 18 April 2028Thursday, 20 July 202863 school days
May half term holidayMonday, 29 May 2028Friday, 2 June 2028
Council notes for 2027/28:
  • Published on the same page as 2026-27. The 2026-27 calendar PDF states that dates are agreed jointly by Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Councils.
  • Spring term ends Friday 31 March 2028 and summer term starts Tuesday 18 April 2028; the Easter holiday spans 3 to 17 April 2028, after Easter itself in this year falls on 16 April.
  • The page advises checking with individual schools as there can be a slight variation in start and finish dates.
Source: these dates come from Cumberland Council's official term dates page, last checked by us on 12 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 Cumberland?

October half term in Cumberland runs from Monday, 26 October 2026 to Friday, 30 October 2026. Pupils return the following school day.

When do Cumberland schools break up for Christmas?

The autumn term in Cumberland ends on Friday, 18 December 2026, so that is the last day of school before the Christmas holiday.

When do Cumberland schools break up for summer?

The summer term ends on Friday, 16 July 2027. The summer holiday starts the next day.

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

Yes. All 22 of the other North West councils we cover share the same October half term week as Cumberland in 2026/27, so crossing a council border won't change your dates.

Do all schools in Cumberland follow these dates?

No. These are Cumberland 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.

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