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

Compiled from Oxfordshire County Council's published calendar · last checked 7 September 2026

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

Oxfordshire 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 2027Wednesday, 21 July 202769 school days
May half term holidayTuesday, 1 June 2027Friday, 4 June 2027
Council notes for 2026/27:
  • 1 September 2026 has been identified as a countywide 'available for work' or INSET day.
  • Council states the late spring half term as 1 June to 4 June 2027 (Monday 31 May 2027 is the Spring Bank Holiday and is not included in the stated range).
  • Christmas holiday stated as 21 December to 31 December. Easter holiday stated as 30 March to 9 April.
  • Schools have different INSET days; the council advises checking the school's website or contacting the school for the return date.
  • Term dates are determined in accordance with the legal requirement of 190 pupil days and 5 teacher 'available for work' (INSET) days.

Oxfordshire term dates 2027/28

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2027 termMonday, 6 September 2027Tuesday, 21 December 202772 school days
October half term holidayMonday, 25 October 2027Friday, 29 October 2027
Christmas holiday holidayWednesday, 22 December 2027Tuesday, 4 January 2028
Spring term 2028 termWednesday, 5 January 2028Friday, 7 April 202863 school days
February half term holidayMonday, 14 February 2028Friday, 18 February 2028
Easter holiday holidaySaturday, 8 April 2028Sunday, 23 April 2028
Summer term 2028 termMonday, 24 April 2028Friday, 21 July 202861 school days
May half term holidayTuesday, 30 May 2028Friday, 2 June 2028
Council notes for 2027/28:
  • 3 September 2027 has been identified as a countywide 'available for work' or INSET day.
  • Council page states the second autumn block as '1 November - 21 December' and the Christmas holiday as '21 December - 31 December'; 21 December 2027 appears in both ranges as published.
  • Council states the late spring half term as 30 May to 2 June 2028 (Monday 29 May 2028 is the Spring Bank Holiday and is not included in the stated range).
  • Easter holiday stated as 10 April to 21 April 2028.
  • Schools have different INSET days; check the school's website or contact the school for the return date.
Source: these dates come from Oxfordshire County Council's official term dates page, last checked by us on 7 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 Oxfordshire?

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

When do Oxfordshire schools break up for Christmas?

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

When do Oxfordshire schools break up for summer?

The summer term ends on Wednesday, 21 July 2027. The summer holiday starts the next day.

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

Partly. Of the 18 other South East councils we cover, 15 share Oxfordshire's October half term week in 2026/27, while Isle of Wight, Surrey, West Berkshire differ. If your children attend schools under different councils, check both pages before booking.

Do all schools in Oxfordshire follow these dates?

No. These are Oxfordshire County 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.
Student in the family? University terms run differently: Oxford term dates · Oxford Brookes term dates

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