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

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

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

Moray 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 2026Tuesday, 5 January 2027
Spring term 2027 termWednesday, 6 January 2027Thursday, 25 March 202754 school days
February half term holidayThursday, 11 February 2027Monday, 15 February 2027
Easter holiday holidayFriday, 26 March 2027Sunday, 11 April 2027
Summer term 2027 termMonday, 12 April 2027Friday, 2 July 202760 school days
Council notes for 2026/27:
  • Moray publishes the year as four blocks: autumn, winter, spring and summer. Autumn term above spans the council's autumn and winter blocks.
  • In-service closures: Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 August 2026, Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 November 2026, and Thursday 11 February 2027.
  • Autumn holiday: Monday 12 October to Friday 23 October 2026, with the winter block starting Monday 26 October 2026.
  • Christmas holiday: Wednesday 23 December 2026 to Tuesday 5 January 2027.
  • Mid term holiday: Friday 12 February and Monday 15 February 2027, preceded by an in-service closure on Thursday 11 February 2027.
  • Spring holiday: Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April 2027.
  • May Day holiday: Monday 3 May 2027.

Moray term dates 2027/28

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2027 termWednesday, 18 August 2027Tuesday, 21 December 202780 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 202860 school days
February half term holidayThursday, 10 February 2028Monday, 14 February 2028
Easter holiday holidaySaturday, 1 April 2028Sunday, 16 April 2028
Summer term 2028 termMonday, 17 April 2028Thursday, 29 June 202854 school days
Council notes for 2027/28:
  • Moray publishes the year as four blocks: autumn, winter, spring and summer. Autumn term above spans the council's autumn and winter blocks.
  • In-service closures: Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 August 2027, Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 November 2027, and Thursday 10 February 2028.
  • Autumn holiday: Monday 11 October to Friday 22 October 2027, with the winter block starting Monday 25 October 2027.
  • Christmas holiday: Wednesday 22 December 2027 to Tuesday 4 January 2028.
  • Mid-term holiday: Friday 11 February and Monday 14 February 2028, preceded by an in-service closure on Thursday 10 February 2028.
  • Spring holiday: Monday 3 April to Friday 14 April 2028.
  • May Day holiday: Monday 1 May 2028.
Source: these dates come from Moray 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 Moray?

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

When do Moray schools break up for Christmas?

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

When do Moray schools break up for summer?

The summer term ends on Friday, 2 July 2027. The summer holiday starts the next day.

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

Partly. Of the 31 other Scotland councils we cover, 10 share Moray'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 Moray follow these dates?

No. These are Moray 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