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

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

These are the official school term dates and holidays set by Midlothian 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.

Midlothian term dates 2026/27

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2026 termThursday, 13 August 2026Tuesday, 22 December 202687 school days
October half term holidayFriday, 9 October 2026Monday, 19 October 2026
Christmas holiday holidayWednesday, 23 December 2026Wednesday, 6 January 2027
Spring term 2027 termThursday, 7 January 2027Friday, 2 April 202756 school days
February half term holidayFriday, 12 February 2027Friday, 19 February 2027
Easter holiday holidaySaturday, 3 April 2027Monday, 19 April 2027
Summer term 2027 termTuesday, 20 April 2027Tuesday, 29 June 202751 school days
Council notes for 2026/27:
  • In-service days (no pupils): Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 August 2026, Monday 19 October 2026, Wednesday 6 January 2027 and Monday 24 May 2027.
  • September holiday: Friday 11 September to Monday 14 September 2026 inclusive.
  • October break: schools close Friday 9 October 2026 and pupils resume Tuesday 20 October 2026, with Monday 19 October an in-service day.
  • February break: schools close Friday 12 February 2027 and pupils resume Monday 22 February 2027.
  • Easter break within the spring term: Thursday 25 March to Tuesday 30 March 2027, with term ending Friday 2 April 2027.
  • May Day holiday Monday 3 May 2027. Victoria Day Monday 24 May 2027, which is also an in-service day.

Midlothian term dates 2027/28

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2027 termWednesday, 18 August 2027Tuesday, 21 December 202783 school days
October half term holidayFriday, 15 October 2027Monday, 25 October 2027
Christmas holiday holidayWednesday, 22 December 2027Wednesday, 5 January 2028
Spring term 2028 termThursday, 6 January 2028Thursday, 30 March 202855 school days
February half term holidayFriday, 11 February 2028Friday, 18 February 2028
Easter holiday holidayFriday, 31 March 2028Monday, 17 April 2028
Summer term 2028 termTuesday, 18 April 2028Friday, 30 June 202854 school days
Council notes for 2027/28:
  • In-service days (no pupils): Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 August 2027, Monday 25 October 2027, Wednesday 5 January 2028 and Monday 22 May 2028.
  • September holiday: Friday 17 September to Monday 20 September 2027 inclusive.
  • October break: schools close Friday 15 October 2027 and pupils resume Tuesday 26 October 2027, with Monday 25 October an in-service day.
  • February break: schools close Friday 11 February 2028 and pupils resume Monday 21 February 2028.
  • May Day holiday Monday 1 May 2028. Victoria Day Monday 22 May 2028, which is also an in-service day.
  • 2027/28 dates are published at https://www.midlothian.gov.uk/info/878/schools/2/school_term_dates_and_holidays/2
Source: these dates come from Midlothian 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 Midlothian?

October half term in Midlothian runs from Friday, 9 October 2026 to Monday, 19 October 2026. Pupils return the following school day.

When do Midlothian schools break up for Christmas?

The autumn term in Midlothian ends on Tuesday, 22 December 2026, so that is the last day of school before the Christmas holiday.

When do Midlothian schools break up for summer?

The summer term ends on Tuesday, 29 June 2027. The summer holiday starts the next day.

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

No. None of the 31 other Scotland councils we cover (Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow, Highland, Inverclyde, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, Shetland, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian, Western Isles) use the same October half term dates as Midlothian in 2026/27. Worth checking if your children attend school in different council areas.

Do all schools in Midlothian follow these dates?

No. These are Midlothian 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.

Nearby councils