West Berkshire school term dates & holidays 2026/27

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

These are the official school term dates and holidays set by West Berkshire Council 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.

West Berkshire term dates 2026/27

PeriodStartsEndsLength
Autumn term 2026 termThursday, 3 September 2026Friday, 18 December 202671 school days
October half term holidayFriday, 23 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's page states the autumn term starts on Wednesday 2 September 2026, described as 'a fixed inset day', so the first pupil day is Thursday 3 September 2026.
  • West Berkshire's October half term is stated as Friday 23 October to Friday 30 October 2026, which includes the Friday before the half term week. Its 2026-27 consultation shows Term 1 ending Thursday 22 October 2026.
  • Christmas holiday is stated as Monday 21 December 2026 to Thursday 31 December 2026.
  • Spring term ends Thursday 25 March 2027. Easter holiday: Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April 2027.
  • Summer term ends on Friday 23 July 2027, two days later than the other Berkshire councils. The page carries a typo, 'Friday 23nd July 2027'; 23 July 2027 is a Friday.
  • The council's consultation page shows the six term blocks as Term 1: Wednesday 2 September to Thursday 22 October 2026 (37 days); Term 2: Monday 2 November to Friday 18 December 2026 (35 days); Term 3: Monday 4 January to Friday 12 February 2027 (30 days); Term 4: Monday 22 February to Thursday 25 March 2027 (24 days); Term 5: Monday 12 April to Friday 28 May 2027 (34 days); Term 6: Monday 7 June to Friday 23 July 2027 (35 days).
  • The term dates page says the dates allow for one set inset day over and above the 190 pupil days, with four additional inset days decided by schools outside specified pupil days.
  • Academy, voluntary-aided and foundation schools set their own term dates. The council also warns a school may adjust the dates slightly due to specific circumstances.
Source: these dates come from West Berkshire 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 West Berkshire?

October half term in West Berkshire runs from Friday, 23 October 2026 to Friday, 30 October 2026. Pupils return the following school day.

When do West Berkshire schools break up for Christmas?

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

When do West Berkshire schools break up for summer?

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

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

No. None of the 18 other South East councils we cover (Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Medway, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Portsmouth, Reading, Slough, Southampton, Surrey, West Sussex, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham) use the same October half term dates as West Berkshire in 2026/27. Worth checking if your children attend school in different council areas.

Do all schools in West Berkshire follow these dates?

No. These are West Berkshire 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.

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