London · London Borough of Waltham Forest
Waltham Forest term dates 2026-27 and 2027-28
London Borough of Waltham Forest calendar for 2026-27 and 2027-28: October half term 26 to 30 October 2026, then Christmas holidays from 21 December 2026.
Waltham Forest schools go back on Wednesday 2 September 2026 and the 2026-27 school year ends on Thursday 22 July 2027, according to the calendar published by London Borough of Waltham Forest. 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 Friday 23 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 London Borough of Waltham Forest's own PDF calendar on 12 October 2026.
Dates read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the dates are checked
What is particular about Waltham Forest
Waltham Forest publishes its term dates as a colour-coded 'holiday pattern' calendar, marking school days, bank holidays and school closures.
The 2026-27 calendar marks Tuesday 1 September 2026 as a school closure, so the autumn term opens on Wednesday 2 September.
Both 2026-27 and 2027-28 total 195 school days, counted per half term (38, 35, 30, 24, 34 and 34 in 2026-27).
In 2027-28 the half terms count 38, 35, 29, 30, 28 and 35 days, with the summer half term starting on the spring bank holiday, Monday 29 May 2028.
The council page was last updated on 4 November 2025, with a next review due on 13 October 2026.
Waltham Forest 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 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 Thursday 22 July 2027 | 34 |
| Summer holidays | 23 July to 31 August 2027 | 28 |
Bank holidays inside term time, with no school: Early May bank holiday (3 May 2027).
The calendar shows 195 school days and does not mark INSET days.
Waltham Forest 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 |
How Waltham Forest compares
Waltham Forest 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 (23 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 London region, Barnet, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Haringey, Hillingdon, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Redbridge, Royal Greenwich, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Wandsworth share the same Easter break.