Your guide to UK school holiday dates in 2026

What are the school holiday dates in 2026?

February half term

In England, London, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester all break up for the February half term on Friday, 13 February, returning to school on Monday, 23 February.

Belfast schools break up slightly earlier on Wednesday, 11 February and return on Monday, 16 February.

Scotland’s February half term varies in different regions. Edinburgh has a full week off, finishing on 13 February and returning on 19 February, while Glasgow has four days off from 15 to 19 February (Thursday).

Northern Ireland takes two days off this month: 13 and 14 February.

Where to go during the February half term

Get some winter sun over February half term at Egypt’s Red Sea resorts, toasty Tunisia or the Canary Islands, where active teens will love the activities on offer – think quad biking tours in Tenerife and windsurfing in Fuerteventura.

Easter school holidays

Many UK cities follow the same two-week pattern for the Easter holidays in 2026. London, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow all break up from school on Friday, 27 March and start term again on Monday, 13 April.

Where to go during the Easter school holidays

Make the most of the extended Easter break by hopping across the pond to Florida or Mexico – it's a great time of year to enjoy Orlando’s theme parks and Cancun’s all-inclusive resorts before the summer crowds arrive. Closer to home, the Costa del Sol and Malta are already starting to heat up.

May half term

Most schools in the UK take a week’s break for the May half term. The 2026 dates are the same for all the English and Welsh cities, breaking up on Friday, 22 May and returning on Monday, 1 June.

Some schools in Scotland take select days off in May in addition to the bank holidays. Edinburgh has Tuesday 6 and Monday 18 off, while Glasgow’s schools have days off on Thursday 22 and Friday 25.

Northern Ireland has no half term holiday in May, but, of course, still gets the bank holidays off on 4 and 25 May.

Where to go during the May half term

Spend your May half term enjoying early summer sunshine, sandy beaches and pretty coastal towns in family-friendly favourites like Majorca, Crete and Corfu. For a shorter break, take in spring flowers and pleasant temperatures in cities such as Amsterdam and Rome.

Summer school holidays

The summer holidays mark the end of the school year, giving students six weeks off in England, Wales and Scotland. Students in Northern Ireland get eight weeks off.

In England and Wales, end-of-term dates vary by school. Newcastle finishes first on Friday, 17 July; Birmingham and Cardiff break up on Monday, 20 July; and Bristol, London and Manchester break up on Thursday, 23 July. All schools return on Tuesday, 1 September.

Scotland starts their summer holidays a month earlier: Glasgow schools close at 1pm on Thursday, 25 June and Edinburgh breaks up on Friday, 26 June. Glasgow and Edinburgh return on Wednesday, 12 August.

Belfast's extended summer holidays begin on Wednesday, 1 July and students return for the new school year on Tuesday, 1 September.

Where to go during the summer school holidays

You’ll find some of the cheapest all-inclusive deals this summer in Turkey, the Algarve and on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. If peak season prices aren’t an obstacle, go long haul for tropical heat in Bali.

October half term

In 2026, the October half term falls on the last week of the month for all UK cities – ending on Friday, 23 October and restarting on Monday, 2 November.

Scottish schools also have a week off in October. Glasgow and Edinburgh both break up on Friday 9 with Glasgow and Edinburgh beginning term again on Monday, 20 October.

Belfast's half term holiday start on Monday, 26 October and end on Friday 30, October.

Where to go during the October half term

While the October half term is closer to winter than summer, there’s still sunshine to chase if you know where to look. Temperatures in Cyprus hover in the mid-20s while Dubai still sizzles in the 30s – more manageable than the 40C heat of summer. Similarly, cooler autumn temperatures in Marrakech make exploring the city’s souks more enjoyable.

Christmas school holidays

Christmas holiday dates are very similar for all schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland this year, with most off for two weeks over the festive period.

All the cities break up on Friday, 18 December in 2026, returning in 2027 on Monday, 4 January, with the exception of Edinburgh, which returns on Tuesday, 5 January.

Where to go during the Christmas holidays

Fancy spicing things up over the festive period? Swap sprouts and woolly socks for sunnies and sand in Australia or the Caribbean. For a short trip, embrace the festive spirit with a Christmas market break in Prague and Berlin or take off to New York for ice-skating and shopping.

Money-saving tips for travelling in the school holidays

• Look for midweek departures: Weekday departures tend to be cheaper so always compare a range of dates when searching for your holiday.
• Consider alternative airports: Compare flight prices from all your closest airports before you book. You could score some significant savings by departing from an airport in a region with different school holiday dates to you.
• Travel in the last week of summer: Data here at TravelSupermarket HQ reveals that the last week of the school summer holidays is one of the best times to find a cheap deal.
• Make the most of free child places: Look for free kids’ places to save on your package holiday. Jet2holidays, TUI and easyJet currently have thousands on offer.
• Take advantage of pay monthly schemes: Spread the cost of your holiday with the monthly payment schemes offered by our partners. Usually, you can secure your break with just a small upfront deposit.
• Go all-inclusive: Accommodation, flights and all your meals and drinks are paid for upfront when you go all-inclusive and it’s a great way to stick to your holiday budget.