Bolton school term dates & holidays 2026/27 and 2027/28

Compiled from Bolton Council's published calendar · last checked 12 September 2026

These are the official school term dates and holidays set by Bolton Council for the 2026/27 and 2027/28 academic years: term start and finish dates, half terms, and the Christmas, Easter and summer breaks. We take the dates straight from the council's own published calendar (linked below), convert them into one consistent format, and recheck them each academic year. School-day counts exclude weekends and half term but not inset days, which individual schools choose themselves.

Bolton term dates 2026/27

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2026 termTuesday, 1 September 2026Friday, 18 December 202674 school days
October half term holidayMonday, 26 October 2026Friday, 30 October 2026
Christmas holiday holidaySaturday, 19 December 2026Sunday, 3 January 2027
Spring term 2027 termMonday, 4 January 2027Thursday, 25 March 202754 school days
February half term holidayMonday, 15 February 2027Friday, 19 February 2027
Easter holiday holidayFriday, 26 March 2027Sunday, 11 April 2027
Summer term 2027 termMonday, 12 April 2027Friday, 23 July 202770 school days
May half term holidayMonday, 31 May 2027Friday, 4 June 2027
Council notes for 2026/27:
  • The council publishes term day counts of 74 days in the autumn term, 54 in the spring term and 69 in the summer term.
  • Bank holidays: Monday 3 May 2027, and Monday 31 May 2027 which is the first day of the summer half term week.
  • The page states children will be in school for 190 days, staff for 195 days, with 5 INSET days to be allocated during non-term time.
  • The page states term dates may vary slightly for each school and asks parents to check with individual schools.
  • The next academic year starts on Monday 6 September 2027.

Bolton term dates 2027/28

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2027 termMonday, 6 September 2027Friday, 17 December 202770 school days
October half term holidayMonday, 25 October 2027Friday, 29 October 2027
Christmas holiday holidaySaturday, 18 December 2027Monday, 3 January 2028
Spring term 2028 termTuesday, 4 January 2028Friday, 31 March 202859 school days
February half term holidayMonday, 21 February 2028Friday, 25 February 2028
Easter holiday holidaySaturday, 1 April 2028Monday, 17 April 2028
Summer term 2028 termTuesday, 18 April 2028Friday, 21 July 202864 school days
May half term holidayMonday, 29 May 2028Friday, 2 June 2028
Council notes for 2027/28:
  • 2027-28 dates come from the council document 'Dates for 2027/28 holiday pattern' linked from the term dates page at https://www.bolton.gov.uk/downloads/file/7254/school-term-dates-2027-2028.
  • Term day counts as published: autumn 70 days, spring 59 days, summer 63 days.
  • Bank holidays listed for this year include Good Friday 14 April 2028, Easter Monday 17 April 2028, May Day Monday 1 May 2028 and Spring Bank Holiday Monday 29 May 2028, which is the first day of the summer half term week.
  • The document states children will be in school for 190 days, staff for 195 days, with 5 INSET days allocated by the school during non-term time.
  • The document states the pattern equates to 192 days and governing boards have the authority to determine 2 occasional days to meet the local needs of the school.
  • Local elections are due on Thursday 4 May 2028; the document says a school used as a polling station should allocate an occasional day to that closure if it must close.
  • The next academic year starts on Monday 4 September 2028.
Source: these dates come from Bolton Council's official term dates page, last checked by us on 12 September 2026. If the council amends its calendar mid-year, its page is the authority; tell us and we'll correct ours. Read how we compile term dates.

Common questions

When is October half term in Bolton?

October half term in Bolton runs from Monday, 26 October 2026 to Friday, 30 October 2026. Pupils return the following school day.

When do Bolton schools break up for Christmas?

The autumn term in Bolton ends on Friday, 18 December 2026, so that is the last day of school before the Christmas holiday.

When do Bolton schools break up for summer?

The summer term ends on Friday, 23 July 2027. The summer holiday starts the next day.

Is Bolton's October half term the same as neighbouring councils?

Yes. All 22 of the other North West councils we cover share the same October half term week as Bolton in 2026/27, so crossing a council border won't change your dates.

Do all schools in Bolton follow these dates?

No. These are Bolton Council's published dates for community and voluntary-controlled schools. Academies, free schools, foundation schools and private schools set their own calendars, and every school adds its own inset days. Check with your school before booking anything you can't refund.

Tempted by term-time prices? Taking children out of school during term can mean a penalty notice, and the rules differ across the UK. How school fines work, nation by nation.

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