North West · Cumberland Council
Cumberland term dates 2026-27 and 2027-28
Cumberland Council calendar for 2026-27 and 2027-28: October half term 26 to 30 October 2026, then Christmas holidays from 21 December 2026.
Cumberland schools go back on Wednesday 2 September 2026 and the 2026-27 school year ends on Friday 16 July 2027, according to the calendar published by Cumberland Council. October half term is 26 to 30 October 2026. Christmas holidays run from 21 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, with pupils back on Tuesday 5 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 19 July 2027. That leaves 190 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 Monday 6 September 2027 and the October break is 25 to 29 October 2027. Dates read on Cumberland Council's own PDF calendar on 13 October 2026.
Dates read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the dates are checked
What is particular about Cumberland
Cumberland's term dates are agreed jointly by Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness Councils.
The calendar covers 190 pupil days and makes no provision for the 5 extra non-contact days for teachers, so INSET days should be arranged outside the term dates or outside pupil hours.
For 2026-27 the council suggests Tuesday 1 September 2026 and Monday 4 January 2027 as INSET days, plus three others to be locally determined.
For 2027-28 the suggested INSET days are Thursday 2 and Friday 3 September 2027 and Tuesday 4 January 2028, plus two others to be locally determined.
The 2026-27 year ends early, on Friday 16 July 2027, and the 2027-28 year starts on Monday 6 September 2027.
Cumberland already publishes dates for 2028-29, starting on Wednesday 6 September 2028.
It is advisable to check with individual schools as there can be a slight variation in start and finish dates.
The council page does not mention academies; it advises checking with individual schools as there can be a slight variation in start and finish dates.
Cumberland term dates 2026-27
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term (first half) | Wednesday 2 September 2026 to Friday 23 October 2026 | 38 |
| 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 4 January 2027 | 11 |
| Spring term (first half) | Tuesday 5 January 2027 to Friday 12 February 2027 | 29 |
| 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 Friday 16 July 2027 | 30 |
| Summer holidays | 19 July to 3 September 2027 | 35 |
Bank holidays inside term time, with no school: Early May bank holiday (3 May 2027).
The 190 day school year makes no provision for the additional 5 days non-contact time; INSET days should be arranged outside the term dates or outside pupil hours. Suggested INSET: Tuesday 1 September 2026 and Monday 4 January 2027, plus three others to be locally determined.
Cumberland term dates 2027-28
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term (first half) | Monday 6 September 2027 to Friday 22 October 2027 | 35 |
| 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 4 January 2028 | 12 |
| Spring term (first half) | Wednesday 5 January 2028 to Friday 11 February 2028 | 28 |
| 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 Thursday 20 July 2028 | 34 |
| Summer holidays | 21 July to 5 September 2028 | 33 |
How Cumberland compares
Cumberland 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 (19 July to 3 September 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 North West region, Bolton, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, 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.