Southwark school term dates & holidays 2026/27

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

These are the official school term dates and holidays set by Southwark Council for the 2026/27 academic year: 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.

Southwark 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 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 2027Thursday 22 July 202769 school days
May half term holidayMonday 31 May 2027Friday 4 June 2027
Council notes for 2026/27:
  • The calendar is based on 195 days. Children should attend for 190 days (380 half sessions) and teachers must be available to work for 195 days.
  • May Day bank holiday is taken on Monday 3 May 2027.
  • Good Friday is 26 March and Easter Monday is 29 March 2027.
  • Schools which close for local elections must extend a term or coincide the closure with an INSET day.
  • Academies, free and voluntary aided schools may have similar dates, but the council recommends checking with individual schools.
  • The council says these dates are the same as for the neighbouring boroughs Lambeth and Lewisham.
Source: these dates come from Southwark 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 Southwark?

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

When do Southwark schools break up for Christmas?

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

When do Southwark schools break up for summer?

The summer term ends on Thursday 22 July 2027. The summer holiday starts the next day.

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

Partly. Of the 31 other London councils we cover, 30 share Southwark's October half term week in 2026/27, while Bromley differs. If your children attend schools under different councils, check both pages before booking.

Do all schools in Southwark follow these dates?

No. These are Southwark 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 London councils' school holidays compared