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Academic year 2026/27

Highland School Holidays

The full 2026/27 school calendar for Highland schools. The new term starts 19 August 2026 and the year ends 1 July 2027. The summer holiday runs from 2 July 2027 to 17 August 2027 — 47 days. Highland has 4 in-service days when schools are closed to pupils for staff training.

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Highland school holidays 2026/27 — at a glance

October break
12 Oct – 23 Oct
Christmas
23 Dec – 5 Jan
February break
15 Feb – 16 Feb
Easter
26 Mar – 9 Apr
Summer
2 Jul – 17 Aug

Highland term dates 2026/27: how the school year runs

Highland 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 19 August 2026 — the back-to-school date after the summer break — and the school year ends on 1 July 2027, with 6 school holidays and 4 in-service days in between.

The October week — the autumn mid-term break — runs from 12 October 2026 to 23 October 2026. The February mid-term break falls on 15 February 2027 to 16 February 2027.

Schools break up for Christmas on 23 December 2026 and the Christmas holiday runs to 5 January 2027. The easter holiday runs from 26 March 2027 to 9 April 2027.

The summer holidays begin on 2 July 2027 — 47 days off before the new school year. Pupils go back for 2027/28 on 18 August 2027 — confirmed by Highland.

When do schools go back in Highland?

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
26 October 2026
After the Christmas Holiday
6 January 2027
After the February Break
18 February 2027
After the Easter Holiday
12 April 2027
After the May Day
4 May 2027

Academic year at a glance

Term time
Holiday
In-service day

Term dates summary

Autumn term

19 Aug – 11 Oct

37 school days

Winter term

24 Oct – 22 Dec

42 school days

Spring term

6 Jan – 25 Mar

54 school days

Summer term

10 Apr – 1 Jul

57 school days

PeriodStartsEndsDaysTypevs England
August In-Service Days17 August 202618 August 20262In-service—
September In-Service Day14 September 202614 September 20261In-service—
October Holiday12 October 202623 October 202612HolidayAligns with English half-term
Christmas Holiday23 December 20265 January 202714HolidaySimilar dates to England
February Break15 February 202716 February 20272HolidayEngland takes a longer half-term week
February In-Service Day17 February 202717 February 20271In-service—
Easter Holiday26 March 20279 April 202715HolidayRoughly aligns with English Easter
May Day3 May 20273 May 20271HolidaySame across UK
May In-Service Day6 May 20276 May 20271In-service—
Summer Holiday2 July 202717 August 202747HolidayStarts 3–4 weeks earlier than England

Money & school admin for Highland parents

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

School clothing grant

£140–£150 per child

Highland 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: Highland school holidays 2027/28

Confirmed. These 2027/28 dates are taken from Highland’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 29 June 2028.

PeriodStartsEndsType
August In-Service Days16 August 202717 August 2027In-service
September In-Service Day13 September 202713 September 2027In-service
October Holiday11 October 202722 October 2027Holiday
Christmas Holiday22 December 20274 January 2028Holiday
February Break14 February 202815 February 2028Holiday
February In-Service Day16 February 202816 February 2028In-service
Easter Holiday3 April 202817 April 2028Holiday
May Day1 May 20281 May 2028Holiday
June In-Service Day5 June 20285 June 2028In-service
Summer Holiday30 June 202815 August 2028Holiday

Clothing grant

£140 – £150

Primary: £140 · Secondary: £150

Apply at Highland

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 Highland
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 Highland for 2026/27?

Schools in Highland return for the 2026/27 academic year on 19 August 2026. This is the official term-start date used by council-managed primary and secondary schools across Highland.

When is the October break in Highland 2026/27?

The October break in Highland — the October week — runs from 12 October 2026 to 23 October 2026 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 26 October 2026.

When are the Christmas school holidays in Highland?

Highland schools close for the Christmas holiday from 23 December 2026, and pupils go back to school on 6 January 2027.

When is the Easter holiday in Highland 2026/27?

The Easter holiday in Highland runs from 26 March 2027 to 9 April 2027 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 12 April 2027.

When does the summer holiday start in Highland?

Highland schools break up for the summer on 2 July 2027. The holiday runs to 17 August 2027, and pupils go back for 2027/28 on 18 August 2027, as confirmed by Highland.

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

Highland has 4 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

Highland 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 Highland

Book a break around the school holidays.

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Dates last checked April 2026.

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