North West · Cheshire West and Chester Council
Cheshire West and Chester term dates 2026-27 and 2027-28
Cheshire West and Chester Council calendar for 2026-27 and 2027-28: October half term 26 to 30 October 2026, then Christmas holidays from 21 December 2026.
Cheshire West and Chester schools go back on Tuesday 1 September 2026 and the 2026-27 school year ends on Wednesday 21 July 2027, according to the calendar published by Cheshire West and Chester 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 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 Cheshire West and Chester 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 Cheshire West and Chester
The standardised school year principles were amended and approved by the Cheshire West and Chester Cabinet on 5 July 2023.
October half term is the week that falls on the last Monday in October.
Schools with more than fifty percent of pupils from a neighbouring local authority may align their term and holiday dates with that authority.
Voluntary controlled primary schools may align their dates with the aided secondary school for which they are a named feeder school.
The council's community and voluntary controlled schools do not get a two week break at summer half term, unlike some neighbouring authorities such as Cheshire East.
The council was part of the Learn Together Partnership of Cheshire and Merseyside authorities, now disbanded, so its dates can differ from Flintshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire.
We are responsible for setting dates for community and voluntary controlled schools. In the interests of consistency for families across the borough, we would recommend the adoption of these dates by voluntary aided, foundation, academy and free schools.
These term dates are for guidance only. Some schools set their own term dates or agree minor local variations; foundation and voluntary aided schools are set by the governing body and free schools and academies by the academy trust.
Cheshire West and Chester 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).
The governing body of a school is responsible for setting five INSET days out of the school calendar, with no more than two days (in any one term) set consecutively.
Cheshire West and Chester 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 |
| Summer holidays | 24 July to 1 September 2028 | 30 |
How Cheshire West and Chester compares
Cheshire West and Chester keeps the most common English dates for its october half term, february half term, easter holidays, may half term and summer holidays.
In the North West region, Bolton, Cheshire East, Cumberland, Lancashire, Liverpool, Oldham, Rochdale, Sefton, Stockport, Trafford, Westmorland and Furness and Wirral share the same Easter break, while Manchester, Salford and Wigan use different Easter dates.