East Midlands · Leicester City Council
Leicester term dates 2026-27 and 2027-28
Leicester City Council calendar for 2026-27 and 2027-28: October half term 19 to 23 October 2026, then Christmas holidays from 21 December 2026.
Leicester schools go back on Monday 24 August 2026 and the 2026-27 school year ends on Friday 9 July 2027, according to the calendar published by Leicester City Council. October half term is 19 to 23 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 22 March to 2 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 12 July 2027. That leaves 193 weekdays in school after bank holidays. The 2027-28 calendar is already published: school starts on Tuesday 31 August 2027 and the October break is 18 to 22 October 2027. Dates read on Leicester City 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 Leicester
Leicester's school year starts in August: schools open on Monday 24 August 2026 and Tuesday 31 August 2027.
The early start pays for an early summer break: the summer holiday begins on Monday 12 July 2027 and Monday 17 July 2028.
The council's calendar marks two INSET days before term opens: Thursday 20 and Friday 21 August 2026, and Thursday 26 and Friday 27 August 2027; schools allocate further INSET days from the pupil days.
Leicester uses a six-term year with a one-week October half term, Monday 19 to Friday 23 October 2026, and the autumn second half starting on Monday 26 October.
Term dates are reviewed and consulted on every five years; after a public consultation, dates for 2027-28 to 2031-32 have been agreed.
The 2026-27 calendar totals 190 pupil days and the 2027-28 calendar 192 pupil days.
All maintained and voluntary controlled schools in the city follow the dates set by Leicester City Council.
Academies and free schools can set their own term dates.
Leicester term dates 2026-27
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Thursday 20 August 2026 to Friday 16 October 2026 | 42 |
| October half term | 19 to 23 October 2026 | 5 |
| Term 2 | Monday 26 October 2026 to Friday 18 December 2026 | 40 |
| 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 Friday 19 March 2027 | 20 |
| Easter holidays | 22 March to 2 April 2027 | 10 |
| Term 5 | Monday 5 April 2027 to Friday 28 May 2027 | 40 |
| May half term | 31 May to 4 June 2027 | 5 |
| Term 6 | Monday 7 June 2027 to Friday 9 July 2027 | 25 |
| Summer holidays | 12 July to 25 August 2027 | 33 |
Bank holidays inside term time, with no school: Summer bank holiday (31 August 2026), Early May bank holiday (3 May 2027).
In-service days fixed by the council, pupils at home: Thursday 20 August 2026, Friday 21 August 2026.
The council calendar shows INSET days on 20 and 21 August 2026, before schools open on Monday 24 August; 3 further INSET days are allocated by each school from the pupil days.
Leicester term dates 2027-28
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Thursday 26 August 2027 to Friday 15 October 2027 | 37 |
| October half term | 18 to 22 October 2027 | 5 |
| Term 2 | Monday 25 October 2027 to Friday 17 December 2027 | 40 |
| Christmas holidays | 20 December 2027 to 3 January 2028 | 11 |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 4 January 2028 to Friday 18 February 2028 | 34 |
| February half term | 21 to 25 February 2028 | 5 |
| Term 4 | Monday 28 February 2028 to Friday 7 April 2028 | 30 |
| Easter holidays | 10 to 21 April 2028 | 10 |
| Term 5 | Monday 24 April 2028 to Friday 26 May 2028 | 25 |
| May half term | 29 May to 2 June 2028 | 5 |
| Term 6 | Monday 5 June 2028 to Friday 14 July 2028 | 30 |
How Leicester compares
Leicester keeps the most common English dates for its february half term and may half term.
It moves away from the usual pattern for its october half term (19 to 23 October 2026, where 95 of the 105 English calendars on this site have 26 to 30 October 2026), easter holidays (22 March to 2 April 2027, where 93 of the 105 English calendars on this site have 26 March to 9 April 2027) and summer holidays (12 July to 25 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 East Midlands region, Leicestershire shares the same Easter break, while Derby, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, North Northamptonshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire use different Easter dates.