These dates are for community and voluntary controlled schools in Essex.
Term dates for foundation and voluntary-aided schools and academies may be different. Check with these types of schools for their term dates.
Download the 2026 to 2027 term date calendar (Word, 59KB) to update it with your own set of dates.
| Term | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn, term 1 | Tuesday 1 September 2026 | Friday 23 October 2026 |
| Autumn half term | Monday 26 October 2026 | Friday 30 October 2026 |
| Autumn, term 2 | Monday 2 November 2026 | Friday 18 December 2026 |
| Winter holiday (Christmas) | Monday 21 December 2026 | Thursday 31 December 2026 |
| Spring, term 3 | Monday 4 January 2027 | Friday 12 February 2027 |
| Spring half term | Monday 15 February 2027 | Friday 19 February 2027 |
| Spring, term 4 | Monday 22 February 2027 | Thursday 25 March 2027 |
| Easter bank holiday | Friday 26 March 2027 | Monday 29 March 2027 |
| Spring holiday (Easter) | Tuesday 30 March 2027 | Friday 9 April 2027 |
| Summer, term 5 | Monday 12 April 2027 | Friday 28 May 2027 |
| Early May bank holiday | Monday 3 May 2027 | Monday 3 May 2027 |
| Summer half term | Monday 31 May 2027 | Friday 4 June 2027 |
| Summer, term 6 | Monday 7 June 2027 | Wednesday 21 July 2027 |
| Summer holiday | Thursday 22 July 2027 | Wednesday 31 August 2027 |
There are 195 school days in a year.
Schools also have 5 days out of the academic year for staff training.
Visit the GOV.UK website to find bank holiday dates.
Parents and carers must get permission from the headteacher if they want to take children out of school during term time.