South East · Buckinghamshire Council
Buckinghamshire term dates 2026-27 and 2027-28
Buckinghamshire Council calendar for 2026-27 and 2027-28: October half term 26 to 30 October 2026, then Christmas holidays from 21 December 2026.
Buckinghamshire schools go back on Wednesday 2 September 2026 and the 2026-27 school year ends on Wednesday 21 July 2027, according to the calendar published by Buckinghamshire 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 Thursday 22 July 2027. That leaves 194 weekdays in school after bank holidays. The 2027-28 calendar is already published: school starts on Thursday 2 September 2027 and the October break is 25 to 29 October 2027. Dates read on Buckinghamshire Council's own web page on 12 October 2026.
Dates read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the dates are checked
What is particular about Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire fixes one INSET day on 1 September each year (1 September 2026 and 1 September 2027); schools allocate 4 further training days within the term dates.
The council sets 195 staff days and 190 teaching days under its duty in the Education Act 2002.
The 2027-28 dates were agreed and published on Tuesday 17 February 2026.
Voluntary aided, foundation trust, free schools and academies can set their own dates, but have mostly adopted the same dates as the local authority in the past.
The council's calendars also mark transition days for pupils moving school.
The council strongly recommends that parents check the published dates on their school's website.
Community, Voluntary, Controlled, Community Special and Maintained Nursery Schools (the Local Authority duty to set School Term and Holidays Dates, Education Act 2002).
Academy schools, voluntary aided schools, and foundation schools are responsible for setting their own term dates. This includes inset dates (training days). Most schools aim to keep consistencies across the county as far as possible.
Buckinghamshire term dates 2026-27
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term (first half) | Tuesday 1 September 2026 to Friday 23 October 2026 | 39 |
| October half term | 26 to 30 October 2026 | 5 |
| Autumn term (second half) | Monday 2 November 2026 to Friday 18 December 2026 | 35 |
| Christmas holidays | 21 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 | 10 |
| Spring term (first half) | Monday 4 January 2027 to Friday 12 February 2027 | 30 |
| February half term | 15 to 19 February 2027 | 5 |
| Spring term (second half) | Monday 22 February 2027 to Thursday 25 March 2027 | 24 |
| Easter holidays | 26 March to 9 April 2027 | 11 |
| Summer term (first half) | Monday 12 April 2027 to Friday 28 May 2027 | 35 |
| May half term | 31 May to 4 June 2027 | 5 |
| Summer term (second half) | Monday 7 June 2027 to Wednesday 21 July 2027 | 33 |
| Summer holidays | 22 July to 31 August 2027 | 29 |
Bank holidays inside term time, with no school: Early May bank holiday (3 May 2027).
In-service days fixed by the council, pupils at home: Tuesday 1 September 2026.
There is a proposed inset day on 1 September 2026; pupils start on Wednesday 2 September 2026. The PDF says the autumn total includes one INSET day on 1 September and 4 further INSET days are selected by each school.
Buckinghamshire term dates 2027-28
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term (first half) | Wednesday 1 September 2027 to Friday 22 October 2027 | 38 |
| October half term | 25 to 29 October 2027 | 5 |
| Autumn term (second half) | Monday 1 November 2027 to Friday 17 December 2027 | 35 |
| Christmas holidays | 20 December 2027 to 3 January 2028 | 11 |
| Spring term (first half) | Tuesday 4 January 2028 to Friday 11 February 2028 | 29 |
| February half term | 14 to 18 February 2028 | 5 |
| Spring term (second half) | Monday 21 February 2028 to Friday 31 March 2028 | 30 |
| Easter holidays | 3 to 17 April 2028 | 11 |
| Summer term (first half) | Tuesday 18 April 2028 to Friday 26 May 2028 | 29 |
| May half term | 29 May to 2 June 2028 | 5 |
| Summer term (second half) | Monday 5 June 2028 to Friday 21 July 2028 | 35 |
How Buckinghamshire compares
Buckinghamshire keeps the most common English dates for its october half term, february half term, easter holidays, may half term and summer holidays.
In the South East region, Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, Isle of Wight, Kent, Medway, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Portsmouth, Reading, Southampton, Surrey, West Sussex and Wokingham share the same Easter break.