School term dates · 2026/27 & 2027/28
County Durham school term dates
Every term date, half term and school holiday for County Durham, 2026/27 & 2027/28 — taken from County Durham's published calendar.
From County Durham's published calendar, last verified 7 July 2026 · the source document · How we source and verify these dates
Next school holiday in County Durham: Autumn half term, 26–30 October 2026. All term dates, half terms and holidays for 2026/27 & 2027/28 are below.
School term dates and holidays 2026/27
| Term or holiday | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | 1 September 2026 | 18 December 2026 |
| Autumn half term | 26 October 2026 | 30 October 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | 21 December 2026 | 1 January 2027 |
| Spring term | 4 January 2027 | 25 March 2027 |
| Spring half term | 15 February 2027 | 19 February 2027 |
| Easter holiday | 26 March 2027 | 9 April 2027 |
| Summer term | 12 April 2027 | 21 July 2027 |
| Summer half term | 31 May 2027 | 4 June 2027 |
| Summer holiday | 22 July 2027 | 31 August 2027 |
- Autumn term: first day back for pupils 1 September 2026, last day for pupils 18 December 2026.
- Spring term: first day back for pupils 4 January 2027, last day for pupils 25 March 2027.
- Summer term: first day back for pupils 12 April 2027, last day for pupils 21 July 2027.
Published INSET days: 30 April 2027 — school is closed to pupils on these days.
Know the dates. Agree the rota. ParentGlow keeps who-has-the-children for every school holiday in one calm, shared place.
See the shared calendarPlanning handovers around these dates.
Term dates set the rhythm of co-parenting: half terms, bank-holiday weekends and the long summer stretch are when handover plans need agreeing early. A little structure — who collects, who returns, which weeks are whose — takes the friction out of every break. Our guide to splitting school holidays covers the common patterns (week-about, split-the-break, alternate years) and how to record what you agree, and the free holiday plan template gives you somewhere to write it down.
School term dates and holidays 2027/28
| Term or holiday | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | 1 September 2027 | 17 December 2027 |
| Autumn half term | 25 October 2027 | 29 October 2027 |
| Christmas holiday | 20 December 2027 | 3 January 2028 |
| Spring term | 4 January 2028 | 7 April 2028 |
| Spring half term | 14 February 2028 | 18 February 2028 |
| Easter holiday | 10 April 2028 | 21 April 2028 |
| Summer term | 24 April 2028 | 20 July 2028 |
| Summer half term | 29 May 2028 | 2 June 2028 |
| Summer holiday | 21 July 2028 | 31 August 2028 |
- Autumn term: first day back for pupils 1 September 2027, last day for pupils 17 December 2027.
- Spring term: first day back for pupils 4 January 2028, last day for pupils 7 April 2028.
- Summer term: first day back for pupils 24 April 2028, last day for pupils 20 July 2028.
Published INSET days: 28 April 2028 — school is closed to pupils on these days.
Check with your child's school too.
These dates are set by County Durham for community and voluntary-controlled schools. Academies and free schools can set their own term dates, and INSET days are chosen by each school — they never appear in council calendars. Always check your child's school calendar too.
Common questions.
- When is half term in County Durham?
- The next break is Autumn half term, 26–30 October 2026. All half terms for 2026/27 & 2027/28 are in the tables above.
- What are INSET days?
- INSET days are staff-training days when schools close to pupils. Each school chooses its own — they're not set by County Durham and don't appear in council calendars, so check your school's own calendar.
- Do academies follow these dates?
- Not necessarily. Academies and free schools set their own term dates, though most stay close to County Durham's calendar. If your child's school is an academy, check its website.
- Why is your first day back sometimes later than the council's?
- Because we list the first day pupils go back. Some councils count a staff training day as the first day of term, which makes their published start a day earlier than ours. Children are not in school on those days.
More council term dates.
See every council we cover in England, or all UK council term dates.