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Academic year 2026/27

East Lothian School Holidays

The full 2026/27 school calendar for East Lothian schools. The new term starts 12 August 2026 and the year ends 29 June 2027. The summer holiday runs from 30 June 2027 to 10 August 2027 — 42 days. East Lothian has 3 in-service days when schools are closed to pupils for staff training.

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East Lothian school holidays 2026/27 — at a glance

October break
12 Oct – 16 Oct
Christmas
21 Dec – 4 Jan
February break
15 Feb – 19 Feb
Easter
5 Apr – 19 Apr
Summer
30 Jun – 10 Aug

Academic year at a glance

Term time
Holiday
In-service day

Term dates summary

Autumn term

12 Aug – 11 Oct

41 school days

Winter term

17 Oct – 20 Dec

44 school days

Spring term

5 Jan – 4 Apr

56 school days

Summer term

20 Apr – 29 Jun

49 school days

PeriodStartsEndsDaysTypevs England
September Weekend11 September 202614 September 20264Holiday—
October Holiday12 October 202616 October 20265HolidayAligns with English half-term
October In-Service Day19 October 202619 October 20261In-service—
Christmas Holiday21 December 20264 January 202715HolidaySimilar dates to England
February Holiday15 February 202719 February 20275HolidayEngland doesn't have this
February In-Service Day22 February 202722 February 20271In-service—
Good Friday Weekend26 March 202729 March 20274Holiday—
Easter Holiday5 April 202719 April 202715HolidayRoughly aligns with English Easter
May Day3 May 20273 May 20271HolidaySame across UK
May In-Service Day24 May 202724 May 20271In-service—
Summer Holiday30 June 202710 August 202742HolidayStarts 3–4 weeks earlier than England

Money & school admin for East Lothian parents

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

School clothing grant

£130–£160 per child

East Lothian 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: East Lothian school holidays 2027/28

Term is expected to start 16 August 2027 and end 23 June 2028.

PeriodStartsEndsType
Autumn In-Service13 September 202714 September 2027In-service
October Holiday11 October 202715 October 2027Holiday
Christmas Holiday20 December 20275 January 2028Holiday
February Holiday14 February 202815 February 2028Holiday
February In-Service16 February 202816 February 2028In-service
Easter Holiday3 April 202814 April 2028Holiday
May Day1 May 20281 May 2028Holiday
May In-Service4 May 20284 May 2028In-service
Summer Holiday26 June 202811 August 2028Holiday

Clothing grant

£130 – £160

Primary: £130 · Secondary: £160

Apply at East Lothian

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
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 East Lothian for 2026/27?

Schools in East Lothian 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 East Lothian.

When is the October break in East Lothian 2026/27?

The October break in East Lothian runs from 12 October 2026 to 16 October 2026 inclusive. Schools return the following school day.

When are the Christmas school holidays in East Lothian?

East Lothian schools close for the Christmas holiday from 21 December 2026 and return on the school day after 4 January 2027.

When is the Easter holiday in East Lothian 2026/27?

The Easter holiday in East Lothian runs from 5 April 2027 to 19 April 2027 inclusive.

When does the summer holiday start in East Lothian?

East Lothian schools break up for the summer on 30 June 2027 and return for the new academic year on 10 August 2027 or the school day after, depending on in-service day scheduling.

How many in-service days does East Lothian have in 2026/27?

East Lothian 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

East Lothian 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 East Lothian

Book a break around the school holidays.

The School Bell

Weekly Scottish-education updates

Deadlines, benefit rate changes and the stuff you actually need to know — no spam.

Dates last checked April 2026.

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