South West · Somerset Council
Somerset term dates 2026-27 and 2027-28
Somerset Council calendar for 2026-27 and 2027-28: October half term 26 to 30 October 2026, then Christmas holidays from 21 December 2026.
Somerset schools go back on Thursday 3 September 2026 and the 2026-27 school year ends on Friday 23 July 2027, according to the calendar published by Somerset 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 Monday 26 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 Somerset 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 Somerset
Somerset numbers its year in six terms and gives the number of days in each: 37, 35, 30, 24, 34 and 35 in 2026-27, a total of 195.
Each year has 195 days in the calendar: pupils attend 190 and the remaining five are INSET days that each school chooses and must tell parents and staff about.
The council says most academies, voluntary aided, foundation and free schools use the same dates as the council.
In 2027-28 the year starts on Wednesday 1 September 2027, and the Christmas holiday starts on Saturday 18 December 2027.
The 2027-28 table lists term 6 as '5 June – 21 July 2027', a typing slip for 2028, as the holiday that follows runs from 24 July to 31 August 2028.
Each year's calendar is also offered as a PDF and Word version with an INSET box for schools to fill in.
These dates are for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools.
Other types of schools – such as Academies, Voluntary Aided, Foundation and Free Schools can set their own term dates and holidays, but most use the same dates as us.
Somerset term dates 2026-27
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Thursday 3 September 2026 to Friday 23 October 2026 | 37 |
| October half term | 26 to 30 October 2026 | 5 |
| Term 2 | Monday 2 November 2026 to Friday 18 December 2026 | 35 |
| 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 Thursday 25 March 2027 | 24 |
| Easter holidays | 26 March to 9 April 2027 | 11 |
| Term 5 | Monday 12 April 2027 to Friday 28 May 2027 | 35 |
| May half term | 31 May to 4 June 2027 | 5 |
| Term 6 | Monday 7 June 2027 to Friday 23 July 2027 | 35 |
| Summer holidays | 26 July to 31 August 2027 | 27 |
Bank holidays inside term time, with no school: Early May bank holiday (3 May 2027).
The remaining 5 days are INSET days, which schools can choose to suit their needs. Each school is responsible for notifying parents and staff which dates they have chosen.
Somerset term dates 2027-28
| Period | Dates | Weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Wednesday 1 September 2027 to Friday 22 October 2027 | 38 |
| October half term | 25 to 29 October 2027 | 5 |
| Term 2 | Monday 1 November 2027 to Friday 17 December 2027 | 35 |
| Christmas holidays | 20 December 2027 to 3 January 2028 | 11 |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 4 January 2028 to Friday 11 February 2028 | 29 |
| February half term | 14 to 18 February 2028 | 5 |
| Term 4 | Monday 21 February 2028 to Friday 31 March 2028 | 30 |
| Easter holidays | 3 to 17 April 2028 | 11 |
| Term 5 | Tuesday 18 April 2028 to Friday 26 May 2028 | 29 |
| May half term | 29 May to 2 June 2028 | 5 |
| Term 6 | Monday 5 June 2028 to Friday 21 July 2028 | 35 |
| Summer holidays | 24 July to 31 August 2028 | 29 |
How Somerset compares
Somerset 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 (26 July to 31 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 South West region, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Plymouth, Swindon and Wiltshire share the same Easter break.