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

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

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

Dorset term dates 2026/27

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2026 termTuesday 1 September 2026Friday 18 December 202674 school days
October half term holidayMonday 26 October 2026Friday 30 October 2026
Christmas holiday holidaySaturday 19 December 2026Sunday 3 January 2027
Spring term 2027 termMonday 4 January 2027Thursday 25 March 202754 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 2027Wednesday 21 July 202768 school days
May half term holidayMonday 31 May 2027Friday 4 June 2027
Council notes for 2026/27:
  • Programme of school term and holiday dates for county and controlled schools.
  • The calendar marks six terms: t1 1 Sep to 23 Oct 2026, 39 days. t2 2 Nov to 18 Dec 2026, 35 days. t3 4 Jan to 12 Feb 2027, 30 days. t4 22 Feb to 25 Mar 2027, 24 days. t5 12 Apr to 28 May 2027, 34 days. t6 7 Jun to 21 Jul 2027, 33 days. Total 195.
  • The pattern of school terms and holidays will vary slightly from school to school since 5 of the 195 days are to be used for staff development. It is therefore advisable to contact schools direct for confirmation of their term dates.

Dorset term dates 2027/28

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2027 termWednesday 1 September 2027Friday 17 December 202773 school days
October half term holidayMonday 25 October 2027Friday 29 October 2027
Christmas holiday holidaySaturday 18 December 2027Monday 3 January 2028
Spring term 2028 termTuesday 4 January 2028Friday 31 March 202859 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 2028Friday 21 July 202864 school days
May half term holidayMonday 29 May 2028Friday 2 June 2028
Council notes for 2027/28:
  • Published at https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/documents/d/guest/dorset-school-term-dates-academic-year-2027-to-2028-1
  • The calendar marks six terms: t1 1 Sep to 22 Oct 2027, 38 days. t2 1 Nov to 17 Dec 2027, 35 days. t3 4 Jan to 11 Feb 2028, 29 days. t4 21 Feb to 31 Mar 2028, 30 days. t5 18 Apr to 26 May 2028, 28 days. t6 5 Jun to 21 Jul 2028, 35 days. Total 195.
  • The pattern of school terms and holidays will vary slightly from school to school since 5 of the 195 days are to be used for staff development.
Source: these dates come from Dorset 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 Dorset?

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

When do Dorset schools break up for Christmas?

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

When do Dorset schools break up for summer?

The summer term ends on Wednesday 21 July 2027. The summer holiday starts the next day.

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

Partly. Of the 13 other South West councils we cover, 11 share Dorset's October half term week in 2026/27, while Swindon, Wiltshire differ. If your children attend schools under different councils, check both pages before booking.

Do all schools in Dorset follow these dates?

No. These are Dorset 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

All South West councils' school holidays compared