Wiltshire school term dates & holidays 2026/27 and 2027/28
Compiled from Wiltshire Council's published calendar · last checked 12 September 2026
These are the official school term dates and holidays set by Wiltshire 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.
Wiltshire term dates 2026/27
| Period | Starts | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn term 2026 term | Tuesday 1 September 2026 | Friday 18 December 2026 | 72 school days |
| October half term holiday | Thursday 22 October 2026 | Friday 30 October 2026 | |
| Christmas holiday holiday | Saturday 19 December 2026 | Sunday 3 January 2027 | |
| Spring term 2027 term | Monday 4 January 2027 | Thursday 25 March 2027 | 54 school days |
| February half term holiday | Monday 15 February 2027 | Friday 19 February 2027 | |
| Easter holiday holiday | Friday 26 March 2027 | Sunday 11 April 2027 | |
| Summer term 2027 term | Monday 12 April 2027 | Friday 23 July 2027 | 70 school days |
| May half term holiday | Monday 31 May 2027 | Friday 4 June 2027 |
- Wiltshire runs a 6-term year: Term 1 ends Wednesday 21 October 2026, giving a longer October break (Thursday 22 October to Sunday 1 November).
- Council term blocks: Term 1 (1 Sep to 21 Oct, 37 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 23 Jul, 35).
- All 5 staff development days are set at each school's discretion within the 195 published days; pupils attend 190.
- Schools in the Mere and Tisbury area may follow Dorset dates instead.
- Foundation, voluntary aided, academy and residential special schools set their own dates.
Wiltshire term dates 2027/28
| Period | Starts | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn term 2027 term | Wednesday 1 September 2027 | Friday 17 December 2027 | 71 school days |
| October half term holiday | Thursday 21 October 2027 | Friday 29 October 2027 | |
| Christmas holiday holiday | Saturday 18 December 2027 | Monday 3 January 2028 | |
| Spring term 2028 term | Tuesday 4 January 2028 | Friday 31 March 2028 | 59 school days |
| February half term holiday | Monday 14 February 2028 | Friday 18 February 2028 | |
| Easter holiday holiday | Saturday 1 April 2028 | Monday 17 April 2028 | |
| Summer term 2028 term | Tuesday 18 April 2028 | Tuesday 25 July 2028 | 66 school days |
| May half term holiday | Monday 29 May 2028 | Friday 2 June 2028 |
- Wiltshire runs a 6-term year: Term 1 ends Wednesday 20 October 2027, giving a longer October break (Thursday 21 October to Sunday 31 October).
- Council term blocks: Term 1 (1 Sep to 20 Oct, 36 days), Term 2 (1 Nov to 17 Dec, 35), Term 3 (4 Jan to 11 Feb, 29), Term 4 (21 Feb to 31 Mar, 30), Term 5 (18 Apr to 26 May, 28), Term 6 (5 Jun to 25 Jul, 37).
- All 5 staff development days are set at each school's discretion within the 195 published days; pupils attend 190.
- Schools in the Mere and Tisbury area may follow Dorset dates instead.
- Foundation, voluntary aided, academy and residential special schools set their own dates.
Common questions
When is October half term in Wiltshire?
October half term in Wiltshire runs from Thursday 22 October 2026 to Friday 30 October 2026. Pupils return the following school day.
When do Wiltshire schools break up for Christmas?
The autumn term in Wiltshire ends on Friday 18 December 2026, so that is the last day of school before the Christmas holiday.
When do Wiltshire schools break up for summer?
The summer term ends on Friday 23 July 2027. The summer holiday starts the next day.
Is Wiltshire's October half term the same as neighbouring councils?
Partly. Of the 13 other South West councils we cover, 1 share Wiltshire's October half term week in 2026/27, while Bath and North East Somerset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Torbay differ. If your children attend schools under different councils, check both pages before booking.
Do all schools in Wiltshire follow these dates?
No. These are Wiltshire 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.