Scotland · The City of Edinburgh Council
Edinburgh term dates 2026-27 and 2027-28
The City of Edinburgh Council calendar for 2026-27 and 2027-28: October holiday 12 to 16 October 2026, then Christmas holidays from 21 December 2026.
Edinburgh schools go back on Wednesday 12 August 2026 and the 2026-27 school year ends on Tuesday 29 June 2027, according to the calendar published by The City of Edinburgh Council. October holiday is 12 to 16 October 2026. Christmas holidays run from 21 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, with pupils back on Wednesday 6 January 2027. February mid-term is 15 to 19 February 2027. The Easter holidays cover 5 to 19 April 2027, after the Easter weekend. The summer holidays start on Wednesday 30 June 2027. That leaves 190 weekdays in school once the 5 in-service days fixed by the council are taken out. The 2027-28 calendar is already published: school starts on Wednesday 18 August 2027 and the October break is 18 to 22 October 2027. Dates read on The City of Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh
Edinburgh has its own local holidays: an autumn holiday on a Monday in September, an Edinburgh spring holiday on the Monday after the Easter break, and Victoria Day on a Monday in late May.
The council sets five in-service days for all schools, placed after the October break, after Christmas, after the May Day holiday and on the two days before pupils return in August.
The timetable gives 190 days for pupils and 195 for staff, split as 86, 56 and 48 pupil days across the three terms of 2026-27.
Holiday dates on the council page are inclusive: for a break from 12 to 19 October, pupils return on the 20th.
The summer term ends on a Tuesday in 2027 (29 June) and on a Friday in 2028 (30 June).
The council already publishes dates for 2028-29, with pupils returning on Wednesday 16 August 2028.
Term dates are also offered as an iCal file to add to a phone or computer calendar.
Schools set their own start and finish times. Contact your school to find out what time the school day finishes on the last day of term.
Edinburgh term dates 2026-27
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Monday 10 August 2026 to Friday 11 September 2026 | 25 |
| Autumn holiday | 14 September 2026 | 1 |
| Term 1 | Tuesday 15 September 2026 to Friday 9 October 2026 | 19 |
| October holiday | 12 to 16 October 2026 | 5 |
| Term 1 | Monday 19 October 2026 to Friday 18 December 2026 | 45 |
| Christmas holidays | 21 December 2026 to 4 January 2027 | 11 |
| Term 2 | Tuesday 5 January 2027 to Friday 12 February 2027 | 29 |
| February mid-term | 15 to 19 February 2027 | 5 |
| Term 2 | Monday 22 February 2027 to Thursday 25 March 2027 | 24 |
| Good Friday and Easter Monday | 26 to 29 March 2027 | 2 |
| Term 2 | Tuesday 30 March 2027 to Friday 2 April 2027 | 4 |
| Spring holiday | 5 to 19 April 2027 | 11 |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 20 April 2027 to Friday 30 April 2027 | 9 |
| May Day holiday | 3 May 2027 | 1 |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 4 May 2027 to Friday 21 May 2027 | 14 |
| Victoria Day | 24 May 2027 | 1 |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 25 May 2027 to Tuesday 29 June 2027 | 26 |
| Summer holidays | 30 June to 13 August 2027 | 33 |
In-service days fixed by the council, pupils at home: Monday 10 August 2026, Tuesday 11 August 2026, Monday 19 October 2026, Tuesday 5 January 2027, Tuesday 4 May 2027.
Five In-Service days for all schools: 10 and 11 August 2026, 19 October 2026, 5 January 2027 and 4 May 2027.
Edinburgh term dates 2027-28
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Monday 16 August 2027 to Friday 17 September 2027 | 25 |
| Autumn holiday | 20 September 2027 | 1 |
| Term 1 | Tuesday 21 September 2027 to Friday 15 October 2027 | 19 |
| October holiday | 18 to 22 October 2027 | 5 |
| Term 1 | Monday 25 October 2027 to Monday 20 December 2027 | 41 |
| Christmas holidays | 21 December 2027 to 4 January 2028 | 11 |
| Term 2 | Wednesday 5 January 2028 to Friday 11 February 2028 | 28 |
| February mid-term | 14 to 18 February 2028 | 5 |
| Term 2 | Monday 21 February 2028 to Friday 31 March 2028 | 30 |
| Spring holiday | 3 to 17 April 2028 | 11 |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 18 April 2028 to Friday 28 April 2028 | 9 |
| May Day holiday | 1 May 2028 | 1 |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 2 May 2028 to Friday 19 May 2028 | 14 |
| Victoria Day | 22 May 2028 | 1 |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 23 May 2028 to Friday 30 June 2028 | 29 |
| Summer holidays | 3 July to 11 August 2028 | 30 |
How Edinburgh compares
Edinburgh keeps the most common Scottish dates for its october holiday.
It moves away from the usual pattern for its february mid-term (15 to 19 February 2027, where 4 of the 7 Scottish calendars on this site have 15 to 16 February 2027), spring holiday (5 to 19 April 2027, where 3 of the 7 Scottish calendars on this site have 26 March to 9 April 2027) and summer holidays (30 June to 13 August 2027, where 1 of the 7 Scottish calendars on this site have 2 July to 20 August 2027). A family with children in two areas should check these weeks first.
In the Scotland region, no other council on this site has the same Easter break, while Aberdeenshire, Fife, Glasgow, Highland, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire use different Easter dates.