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

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

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

Gloucestershire 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:
  • Council term blocks (6-term year): Term 1 (1 Sep to 23 Oct, 39 days), Term 2 (2 Nov to 18 Dec, 35), Term 3 (4 Jan to 12 Feb, 30), Term 4 (22 Feb to 25 Mar, 24), Term 5 (12 Apr to 28 May, 34), Term 6 (7 Jun to 21 Jul, 33).
  • Pupils attend 190 days; schools choose their 5 INSET days, which may fall within term time, so start and end dates can vary by school.
  • Easter holiday: Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April 2027; May Day Monday 3 May 2027.

Gloucestershire term dates 2027/28

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2027 termThursday, 2 September 2027Friday, 17 December 202772 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, 7 April 202864 school days
February half term holidayMonday, 14 February 2028Friday, 18 February 2028
Easter holiday holidaySaturday, 8 April 2028Sunday, 23 April 2028
Summer term 2028 termMonday, 24 April 2028Friday, 21 July 202860 school days
May half term holidayMonday, 29 May 2028Friday, 2 June 2028
Council notes for 2027/28:
  • Council term blocks (6-term year): Term 1 (2 Sep to 22 Oct, 37 days), Term 2 (1 Nov to 17 Dec, 35), Term 3 (4 Jan to 11 Feb, 29), Term 4 (21 Feb to 7 Apr, 35), Term 5 (24 Apr to 26 May, 24), Term 6 (5 Jun to 21 Jul, 35).
  • Pupils attend 190 days; schools choose their 5 INSET days, which may fall within term time, so start and end dates can vary by school.
  • Easter falls inside term 4's break: Good Friday 14 April and Easter Monday 17 April 2028; May Day Monday 1 May 2028.
Source: these dates come from Gloucestershire County 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 Gloucestershire?

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

When do Gloucestershire schools break up for Christmas?

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

When do Gloucestershire schools break up for summer?

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

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

Partly. Of the 13 other South West councils we cover, 11 share Gloucestershire'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 Gloucestershire follow these dates?

No. These are Gloucestershire County 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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