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

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

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

Plymouth term dates 2026/27

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2026 termThursday, 3 September 2026Friday, 18 December 202672 school days
October half term holidayMonday, 26 October 2026Friday, 30 October 2026
Christmas holiday holidaySaturday, 19 December 2026Monday, 4 January 2027
Spring term 2027 termTuesday, 5 January 2027Thursday, 25 March 202753 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 2027Monday, 26 July 202771 school days
May half term holidayMonday, 31 May 2027Friday, 4 June 2027
Council notes for 2026/27:
  • The council publishes six terms: Term 1, 3 Sep to 23 Oct 2026, 37 days. Term 2, 2 Nov to 18 Dec 2026, 35 days. Term 3, 5 Jan to 12 Feb 2027, 29 days. Term 4, 22 Feb to 25 Mar 2027, 24 days. Term 5, 12 Apr to 28 May 2027, 34 days. Term 6, 7 Jun to 26 Jul 2027, 36 days. Total 195.
  • Professional Development Days to be allocated by each school from within the specified term dates (5 days).
  • Occasional Days to be allocated by each school from within the specified term dates: an allocation as suggested would support the equal distribution of term lengths (5 days).
  • The school year table lists 190 statutory teaching days.
  • The summer term runs to Monday 26 July 2027, later than most neighbouring councils.

Plymouth term dates 2027/28

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2027 termThursday, 2 September 2027Monday, 20 December 202773 school days
October half term holidayMonday, 25 October 2027Friday, 29 October 2027
Christmas holiday holidayTuesday, 21 December 2027Monday, 3 January 2028
Spring term 2028 termTuesday, 4 January 2028Friday, 31 March 202859 school days
February half term holidayMonday, 14 February 2028Friday, 18 February 2028
Easter holiday holidaySaturday, 1 April 2028Monday, 17 April 2028
Summer term 2028 termTuesday, 18 April 2028Tuesday, 25 July 202866 school days
May half term holidayMonday, 29 May 2028Friday, 2 June 2028
Council notes for 2027/28:
  • Source: approved executive decision ESA04 25/26, calendar at https://democracy.plymouth.gov.uk/documents/s158774/PCC%20Term%20Dates%2027.28%20v2.pdf
  • The council publishes six terms: Term 1, 2 Sep to 22 Oct 2027, 37 days. Term 2, 1 Nov to 20 Dec 2027, 36 days. Term 3, 4 Jan to 11 Feb 2028, 29 days. Term 4, 21 Feb to 31 Mar 2028, 30 days. Term 5, 18 Apr to 26 May 2028, 28 days. Term 6, 5 Jun to 25 Jul 2028, 36 days. The table totals 196.
  • Term 2 ends on Monday 20 December 2027 and Term 6 ends on Tuesday 25 July 2028.
  • Professional Development Days and Occasional Days (5 each) are allocated by each school from within the specified term dates.
  • The school year table lists 191 statutory teaching days.
Source: these dates come from Plymouth City 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 Plymouth?

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

When do Plymouth schools break up for Christmas?

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

When do Plymouth schools break up for summer?

The summer term ends on Monday, 26 July 2027. The summer holiday starts the next day.

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

Partly. Of the 13 other South West councils we cover, 11 share Plymouth's October half term week in 2026/27, while Swindon, Wiltshire differ. If your children attend schools under different councils, check both pages before booking.

Do all schools in Plymouth follow these dates?

No. These are Plymouth City 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