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Academic year 2026/27

Argyll and Bute School Holidays

The full 2026/27 school calendar for Argyll and Bute schools. The new term starts 17 August 2026 and the year ends 2 July 2027. The summer holiday runs from 3 July 2027 to 15 August 2027 — 44 days. Argyll and Bute has 3 in-service days when schools are closed to pupils for staff training.

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Argyll and Bute school holidays 2026/27 — at a glance

October break
5 Oct – 16 Oct
Christmas
23 Dec – 4 Jan
February break
8 Feb – 12 Feb
Spring
5 Apr – 16 Apr
Summer
3 Jul – 15 Aug

Argyll and Bute term dates 2026/27: how the school year runs

Argyll and Bute Council sets the school term dates and holiday dates for every council-run primary and secondary school in the area. For 2026/27, term starts on 17 August 2026 — the back-to-school date after the summer break — and the school year ends on 2 July 2027, with 7 school holidays and 3 in-service days in between.

The October week — the autumn mid-term break — runs from 5 October 2026 to 16 October 2026. The February mid-term break falls on 8 February 2027 to 12 February 2027.

Schools break up for Christmas on 23 December 2026 and the Christmas holiday runs to 4 January 2027. The spring holiday runs from 5 April 2027 to 16 April 2027.

The summer holidays begin on 3 July 2027 — 44 days off before the new school year. Pupils go back for 2027/28 on 16 August 2027 — confirmed by Argyll and Bute.

When do schools go back in Argyll and Bute?

Pupil return dates after each 2026/27 break, with weekends and in-service days already accounted for — the day your child is actually back in class.

After the October Holiday
19 October 2026
After the Christmas Holiday
5 January 2027
After the February Holiday
16 February 2027
After the Good Friday Weekend
30 March 2027
After the Spring Holiday
19 April 2027
After the May Holiday
1 June 2027

Academic year at a glance

Term time
Holiday
In-service day

Term dates summary

Autumn term

17 Aug – 4 Oct

35 school days

Winter term

17 Oct – 22 Dec

46 school days

Spring term

5 Jan – 4 Apr

56 school days

Summer term

17 Apr – 2 Jul

53 school days

PeriodStartsEndsDaysTypevs England
October Holiday5 October 202616 October 202612HolidayAligns with English half-term
November In-Service Day23 November 202623 November 20261In-service—
Christmas Holiday23 December 20264 January 202713HolidaySimilar dates to England
February Holiday8 February 202712 February 20275HolidayEngland takes a longer half-term week
February In-Service Day15 February 202715 February 20271In-service—
Good Friday Weekend26 March 202729 March 20274Holiday—
Spring Holiday5 April 202716 April 202712HolidayRoughly aligns with English Easter
May In-Service Day28 May 202728 May 20271In-service—
May Holiday31 May 202731 May 20271HolidaySame across UK
Summer Holiday3 July 202715 August 202744HolidayStarts 3–4 weeks earlier than England

Money & school admin for Argyll and Bute parents

While you have the calendar open, three things worth sorting for the year ahead.

School clothing grant

£120–£150 per child

Argyll and Bute pays a school clothing grant — check if you qualify and how to claim it.

Clothing grant guide
Catchment checker

Which school is yours?

Enter your postcode to find your catchment school and confirm your council.

Open the checker
Scottish Child Payment

£28.20/week per child

A weekly payment for every child under 16 in families on qualifying benefits.

Check eligibility

Looking ahead: Argyll and Bute school holidays 2027/28

Confirmed. These 2027/28 dates are taken from Argyll and Bute’s own published calendar. Where the council has not yet published the following August’s return date, the end of the summer holiday is estimated from the usual pattern.

Term starts 16 August 2027 and ends 29 June 2028.

PeriodStartsEndsType
August In-Service Days12 August 202713 August 2027In-service
October Holiday11 October 202722 October 2027Holiday
November In-Service Day22 November 202722 November 2027In-service
Christmas Holiday23 December 20274 January 2028Holiday
February Holiday7 February 202811 February 2028Holiday
February In-Service Day14 February 202814 February 2028In-service
Easter Holiday3 April 202817 April 2028Holiday
May In-Service Day26 May 202826 May 2028In-service
May Weekend29 May 202829 May 2028Holiday
Summer Holiday30 June 202813 August 2028Holiday

Clothing grant

£120 – £150

Primary: £120 · Secondary: £150

Apply at Argyll and Bute

Council links

Nearby councils

Need childcare during the holidays? Holiday clubs, childminders, costs — and what the 1,140 funded hours cover outside term time.
See options Nurseries in Argyll and Bute
Filling the holiday weeks? Our sister site TripSCOT covers family days out and free museums across Scotland — with train fares and honest costs.
Family days out Free museums

Frequently asked questions

When do schools go back in Argyll and Bute for 2026/27?

Schools in Argyll and Bute return for the 2026/27 academic year on 17 August 2026. This is the official term-start date used by council-managed primary and secondary schools across Argyll and Bute.

When is the October break in Argyll and Bute 2026/27?

The October break in Argyll and Bute — the October week — runs from 5 October 2026 to 16 October 2026 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 19 October 2026.

When are the Christmas school holidays in Argyll and Bute?

Argyll and Bute schools close for the Christmas holiday from 23 December 2026, and pupils go back to school on 5 January 2027.

When is the spring holiday in Argyll and Bute 2026/27?

The spring holiday in Argyll and Bute runs from 5 April 2027 to 16 April 2027 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 19 April 2027.

When does the summer holiday start in Argyll and Bute?

Argyll and Bute schools break up for the summer on 3 July 2027. The holiday runs to 15 August 2027, and pupils go back for 2027/28 on 16 August 2027, as confirmed by Argyll and Bute.

How many in-service days does Argyll and Bute have in 2026/27?

Argyll and Bute has 3 published in-service days in the 2026/27 academic year. On an in-service day schools are closed to pupils but staff are in for training and planning.

Related guides

Argyll and Bute schools & grantsBack to school checklistSchool clothing grantsFree school mealsP7 to S1 transitionSummer holiday childcareFunded childcare (1,140 hours)Early years & childcare hub

Places to stay in Argyll and Bute

Book a break around the school holidays.

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Dates last checked April 2026.

Dates follow the typical Argyll and Bute regional pattern. Always confirm with Argyll and Bute before booking holidays, flights or childcare. See our editorial policy for how we source this data.