School term dates · 2026/27
School term dates in Northern Ireland
Every term date, half term and school holiday for Northern Ireland, 2026/27 — taken from the Department of Education's published calendar.
From the Department of Education's published calendar, last verified 8 July 2026 · the source document · How we source and verify these dates
Next school holiday in Northern Ireland: Halloween break, 29–30 October 2026. All term dates, half terms and holidays for 2026/27 are below.
School term dates and holidays 2026/27
| Term or holiday | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | 1 September 2026 | 18 December 2026 |
| School reform day (TransformED NI) | 25 September 2026 | — |
| Halloween break | 29 October 2026 | 30 October 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | 21 December 2026 | 1 January 2027 |
| Spring term | 4 January 2027 | 24 March 2027 |
| School reform day (TransformED NI) | 25 January 2027 | — |
| Mid-term break | 11 February 2027 | 12 February 2027 |
| St Patrick's Day | 17 March 2027 | — |
| Easter holiday | 25 March 2027 | 2 April 2027 |
| Summer term | 5 April 2027 | 30 June 2027 |
| May Day | 3 May 2027 | — |
| School reform day (TransformED NI) | 4 May 2027 | — |
| Spring Bank Holiday | 31 May 2027 | — |
| Summer holiday | 1 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 24 March 2027.
- Summer term: first day back for pupils 5 April 2027, last day for pupils 30 June 2027.
Half terms and holiday weeks are where co-parenting plans wobble. Map out who has the children for each break in a calendar you both see.
See the shared calendarCheck with your child's school too.
The Department of Education publishes common non-operational dates, but Northern Ireland schools retain discretion over their calendars — always confirm dates with your child's school.
Common questions.
- When is half term in Northern Ireland?
- The next break is Halloween break, 29–30 October 2026. All half terms for 2026/27 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 the Department and don't appear in council calendars, so check your school's own calendar.
- Do all NI schools follow these dates?
- Not exactly — the Department publishes common dates but schools retain discretion, so always confirm with the school.
- 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.