Term dates in England and Wales are set by individual schools and local authorities rather than centrally, which means there is no single national calendar — and the annual hunt for dates across different council websites is a reliable source of minor frustration for teachers, parents, and anyone else trying to plan around the school year.

This is a practical guide to how term dates work, what the typical pattern looks like, and how to find the exact dates for your area quickly.

How term dates work in England

State schools in England are required by law to be open for 380 sessions (190 days) per year. Within this requirement, the exact dates are set by the school's governing body or by the local authority, depending on the school type.

Academy schools and free schools set their own term dates. Community, voluntary-controlled, and voluntary-aided schools typically follow their local authority's calendar, though they have some flexibility.

This means that schools even within the same local authority area can have slightly different dates — and schools in neighbouring authorities often have noticeably different half-term weeks.

The typical term pattern

Most schools in England follow a three-term year, with each term divided by a half-term break.

Autumn term — typically early September to mid-December, with a week's half-term in late October.

Spring term — typically early January to late March or early April, with a week's half-term in mid-February.

Summer term — typically mid-April to late July, with a week's half-term in late May.

Bank holidays, INSET days (usually five per year), and school-specific closure days sit across all three terms.

2025–26 approximate pattern (England)

  • Autumn term: 4 September 2025 – 19 December 2025
  • Half-term: 27 October – 31 October 2025
  • Spring term: 6 January 2026 – 2 April 2026
  • Half-term: 16 February – 20 February 2026
  • Summer term: 20 April 2026 – 22 July 2026
  • Half-term: 25 May – 29 May 2026

*These are approximate — your school's dates may differ. Always check with your local authority or school directly.*

How to find your exact dates

The fastest way to find term dates for a specific local authority in England is via the gov.uk term dates finder (gov.uk/school-term-holiday-dates), which links to each council's calendar.

Staffroom's term dates pages give you official term and half-term dates for councils across England — no hunting through council websites. Always free. Check your term dates.