South West · Bristol City Council
Bristol term dates 2026-27 and 2027-28
Bristol City Council calendar for 2026-27 and 2027-28: October half term 26 to 30 October 2026, then Christmas holidays from 21 December 2026.
Bristol schools go back on Thursday 3 September 2026 and the 2026-27 school year ends on Friday 23 July 2027, according to the calendar published by Bristol City Council. October half term is 26 to 30 October 2026. Christmas holidays run from 21 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, with pupils back on Monday 4 January 2027. February half term is 15 to 19 February 2027. The Easter holidays cover 26 March to 9 April 2027, taking in Good Friday and Easter Monday. May half term is 31 May to 4 June 2027. The summer holidays start on Monday 26 July 2027. That leaves 195 weekdays in school after bank holidays, and each school then takes some of them as its own INSET days. The 2027-28 calendar is already published: school starts on Wednesday 1 September 2027 and the October break is 25 to 29 October 2027. Dates read on Bristol City Council's own web page on 13 October 2026.
Dates read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the dates are checked
What is particular about Bristol
Bristol numbers its school year in six terms rather than three terms with half terms.
The school year is 195 days: five are staff training (inset) days, so pupils go to school for 190 days, and each school chooses when its inset days take place.
The council points out that other councils set their own dates, which could be different from Bristol's.
In 2027-28 term 1 starts on Wednesday 1 September 2027 and term 6 ends on Friday 21 July 2028.
The council offers a downloadable term planner for each year and a file to add the school term dates to a calendar.
Unplanned closures are listed on a separate Bristol School Closures page.
These are the dates for most state schools in Bristol, but academies and voluntary aided schools dates may be different so please check with them.
Academies and voluntary aided schools dates may be different so please check with them. Other councils set their own dates, which could be different from ours.
Bristol term dates 2026-27
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Thursday 3 September 2026 to Friday 23 October 2026 | 37 |
| October half term | 26 to 30 October 2026 | 5 |
| Term 2 | Monday 2 November 2026 to Friday 18 December 2026 | 35 |
| Christmas holidays | 21 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 | 10 |
| Term 3 | Monday 4 January 2027 to Friday 12 February 2027 | 30 |
| February half term | 15 to 19 February 2027 | 5 |
| Term 4 | Monday 22 February 2027 to Thursday 25 March 2027 | 24 |
| Easter holidays | 26 March to 9 April 2027 | 11 |
| Term 5 | Monday 12 April 2027 to Friday 28 May 2027 | 35 |
| May half term | 31 May to 4 June 2027 | 5 |
| Term 6 | Monday 7 June 2027 to Friday 23 July 2027 | 35 |
| Summer holidays | 26 July to 31 August 2027 | 27 |
Bank holidays inside term time, with no school: Early May bank holiday (3 May 2027).
Five of the 195 days are used for staff training (inset days); each school chooses when its inset days take place.
Bristol term dates 2027-28
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Wednesday 1 September 2027 to Friday 22 October 2027 | 38 |
| October half term | 25 to 29 October 2027 | 5 |
| Term 2 | Monday 1 November 2027 to Friday 17 December 2027 | 35 |
| Christmas holidays | 20 December 2027 to 3 January 2028 | 11 |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 4 January 2028 to Friday 11 February 2028 | 29 |
| February half term | 14 to 18 February 2028 | 5 |
| Term 4 | Monday 21 February 2028 to Friday 31 March 2028 | 30 |
| Easter holidays | 3 to 17 April 2028 | 11 |
| Term 5 | Tuesday 18 April 2028 to Friday 26 May 2028 | 29 |
| May half term | 29 May to 2 June 2028 | 5 |
| Term 6 | Monday 5 June 2028 to Friday 21 July 2028 | 35 |
How Bristol compares
Bristol keeps the most common English dates for its october half term, february half term, easter holidays and may half term.
It moves away from the usual pattern for its summer holidays (26 July to 31 August 2027, where 32 of the 99 English calendars on this site have 22 July to 31 August 2027). A family with children in two areas should check these weeks first.
In the South West region, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Plymouth, Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire share the same Easter break.