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Academic year 2026/27

City of Edinburgh School Holidays

The full 2026/27 school calendar for City of Edinburgh schools. The new term starts 12 August 2026 and the year ends 29 June 2027. The summer holiday runs from 30 June 2027 to 17 August 2027 — 49 days. City of Edinburgh has 1 in-service day when schools are closed to pupils for staff training.

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City of Edinburgh school holidays 2026/27 — at a glance

October break
12 Oct – 19 Oct
Christmas
21 Dec – 5 Jan
February break
15 Feb – 19 Feb
Spring
5 Apr – 19 Apr
Summer
30 Jun – 17 Aug

City of Edinburgh term dates 2026/27: how the school year runs

City of Edinburgh 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 12 August 2026 — the back-to-school date after the summer break — and the school year ends on 29 June 2027, with 9 school holidays and 1 in-service day in between.

The September weekend — the traditional autumn long weekend City of Edinburgh schools take — falls on 14 September 2026 to 14 September 2026. The October week — the autumn mid-term break — runs from 12 October 2026 to 19 October 2026. The February mid-term break falls on 15 February 2027 to 19 February 2027.

Schools break up for Christmas on 21 December 2026 and the Christmas holiday runs to 5 January 2027. The spring holiday runs from 5 April 2027 to 19 April 2027.

The summer holidays begin on 30 June 2027 — 49 days off before the new school year. Pupils go back for 2027/28 on 18 August 2027 — confirmed by City of Edinburgh.

When do schools go back in City of Edinburgh?

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 September Holiday
15 September 2026
After the October Holiday
20 October 2026
After the Christmas Holiday
6 January 2027
After the February Mid-Term Holiday
22 February 2027
After the Good Friday Weekend
30 March 2027
After the Spring Holiday
20 April 2027
After the May Day
5 May 2027
After the Victoria Day
25 May 2027

Academic year at a glance

Term time
Holiday
In-service day

Term dates summary

Autumn term

12 Aug – 11 Oct

42 school days

Winter term

20 Oct – 20 Dec

44 school days

Spring term

6 Jan – 4 Apr

56 school days

Summer term

20 Apr – 29 Jun

48 school days

PeriodStartsEndsDaysTypevs England
September Holiday14 September 202614 September 20261Holiday—
October Holiday12 October 202619 October 20268HolidayAligns with English half-term
Christmas Holiday21 December 20265 January 202716HolidaySimilar dates to England
February Mid-Term Holiday15 February 202719 February 20275HolidayEngland takes a longer half-term week
Good Friday Weekend26 March 202729 March 20274Holiday—
Spring Holiday5 April 202719 April 202715HolidayRoughly aligns with English Easter
May Day3 May 20273 May 20271HolidaySame across UK
May In-Service Day4 May 20274 May 20271In-service—
Victoria Day24 May 202724 May 20271Holiday—
Summer Holiday30 June 202717 August 202749HolidayStarts 3–4 weeks earlier than England

Money & school admin for City of Edinburgh parents

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

School clothing grant

£125–£157 per child

City of Edinburgh 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: City of Edinburgh school holidays 2027/28

Confirmed. These 2027/28 dates are taken from City of Edinburgh’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 18 August 2027 and ends 30 June 2028.

PeriodStartsEndsType
September Holiday20 September 202720 September 2027Holiday
October Holiday18 October 202725 October 2027Holiday
Christmas Holiday21 December 20275 January 2028Holiday
February Mid-Term Holiday14 February 202818 February 2028Holiday
Spring Holiday3 April 202817 April 2028Holiday
May Day1 May 20281 May 2028Holiday
May In-Service Day2 May 20282 May 2028In-service
Victoria Day22 May 202822 May 2028Holiday
Summer Holiday3 July 202815 August 2028Holiday

Clothing grant

£125 – £157

Primary: £125 · Secondary: £157

Apply at City of Edinburgh

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 City of Edinburgh
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 City of Edinburgh for 2026/27?

Schools in City of Edinburgh return for the 2026/27 academic year on 12 August 2026. This is the official term-start date used by council-managed primary and secondary schools across City of Edinburgh.

When is the September weekend in City of Edinburgh 2026?

The September weekend in City of Edinburgh runs from 14 September 2026 to 14 September 2026 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 15 September 2026.

When is the October break in City of Edinburgh 2026/27?

The October break in City of Edinburgh — the October week — runs from 12 October 2026 to 19 October 2026 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 20 October 2026.

When are the Christmas school holidays in City of Edinburgh?

City of Edinburgh schools close for the Christmas holiday from 21 December 2026, and pupils go back to school on 6 January 2027.

When is the spring holiday in City of Edinburgh 2026/27?

The spring holiday in City of Edinburgh runs from 5 April 2027 to 19 April 2027 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 20 April 2027.

When does the summer holiday start in City of Edinburgh?

City of Edinburgh schools break up for the summer on 30 June 2027. The holiday runs to 17 August 2027, and pupils go back for 2027/28 on 18 August 2027, as confirmed by City of Edinburgh.

How many in-service days does City of Edinburgh have in 2026/27?

City of Edinburgh has 1 published in-service day 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

City of Edinburgh 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 City of Edinburgh

Book a break around the school holidays.

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Dates last checked April 2026.

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