Kensington and Chelsea school term dates & holidays 2026/27

Compiled from Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's published calendar · last checked 12 September 2026

These are the official school term dates and holidays set by Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for the 2026/27 academic year: 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.

Kensington and Chelsea term dates 2026/27

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2026 termWednesday, 2 September 2026Friday, 18 December 202673 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 2027Thursday, 22 July 202769 school days
May half term holidayMonday, 31 May 2027Friday, 4 June 2027
Council notes for 2026/27:
  • The School Admissions Team consults on and determines recommended dates, but schools are able to vary these dates as they see fit.
  • The dates show schools being open for 195 days. From these, five staff training dates are to be determined by the school's governing body.
  • Term day counts: autumn 38 plus 35 days, spring 30 plus 24 days, summer 34 plus 34 days.
  • Christmas holiday runs from Monday 21 December 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027.
  • Easter holiday runs from Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April 2027, with the Easter weekend falling on 26 to 29 March.
Source: these dates come from Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea'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 Kensington and Chelsea?

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

When do Kensington and Chelsea schools break up for Christmas?

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

When do Kensington and Chelsea schools break up for summer?

The summer term ends on Thursday, 22 July 2027. The summer holiday starts the next day.

Is Kensington and Chelsea's October half term the same as neighbouring councils?

Partly. Of the 31 other London councils we cover, 30 share Kensington and Chelsea's October half term week in 2026/27, while Bromley differs. If your children attend schools under different councils, check both pages before booking.

Do all schools in Kensington and Chelsea follow these dates?

No. These are Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea'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.
Student in the family? University terms run differently: Imperial College London term dates

Nearby councils