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This page is Midlothian — the council covering Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg, Penicuik and Gorebridge.

Academic year 2026/27

Midlothian School Holidays

The full 2026/27 school calendar for Midlothian schools. The new term starts 13 August 2026 and the year ends 29 June 2027. The summer holiday runs from 30 June 2027 to 11 August 2027 — 43 days. Midlothian has 3 in-service days when schools are closed to pupils for staff training.

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Midlothian school holidays 2026/27 — at a glance

October break
12 Oct – 16 Oct
Christmas
23 Dec – 5 Jan
February break
15 Feb – 19 Feb
Easter
5 Apr – 19 Apr
Summer
30 Jun – 11 Aug

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

Midlothian 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 13 August 2026 — the back-to-school date after the summer break — and the school year ends on 29 June 2027, with 8 school holidays and 3 in-service days in between.

The September weekend — the traditional autumn long weekend Midlothian schools take — falls on 11 September 2026 to 14 September 2026. The October week — the autumn mid-term break — runs from 12 October 2026 to 16 October 2026. The February mid-term break falls on 15 February 2027 to 19 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 5 April 2027 to 19 April 2027.

The summer holidays begin on 30 June 2027 — 43 days off before the new school year. Pupils go back for 2027/28 on 18 August 2027 — confirmed by Midlothian.

When do schools go back in Midlothian?

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 Weekend
15 September 2026
After the October Holiday
20 October 2026
After the Christmas Holiday
7 January 2027
After the February Holiday
22 February 2027
After the Good Friday Weekend
30 March 2027
After the Easter Holiday
20 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

13 Aug – 11 Oct

40 school days

Winter term

17 Oct – 22 Dec

46 school days

Spring term

6 Jan – 4 Apr

55 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 Holiday23 December 20265 January 202714HolidaySimilar dates to England
January In-Service Day6 January 20276 January 20271In-service—
February Holiday15 February 202719 February 20275HolidayEngland takes a longer half-term week
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 202711 August 202743HolidayStarts 3–4 weeks earlier than England

Money & school admin for Midlothian parents

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

School clothing grant

£120–£150 per child

Midlothian 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: Midlothian school holidays 2027/28

Confirmed. These 2027/28 dates are taken from Midlothian’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
August In-Service Days16 August 202717 August 2027In-service
September Holiday17 September 202720 September 2027Holiday
October Holiday18 October 202722 October 2027Holiday
October In-Service Day25 October 202725 October 2027In-service
Christmas Holiday22 December 20274 January 2028Holiday
January In-Service Day5 January 20285 January 2028In-service
February Holiday14 February 202818 February 2028Holiday
Easter Holiday31 March 202817 April 2028Holiday
May Day1 May 20281 May 2028Holiday
Victoria Day22 May 202822 May 2028Holiday
Summer Holiday3 July 202815 August 2028Holiday

Clothing grant

£120 – £150

Primary: £120 · Secondary: £150

Apply at Midlothian

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 Midlothian
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 Midlothian for 2026/27?

Schools in Midlothian return for the 2026/27 academic year on 13 August 2026. This is the official term-start date used by council-managed primary and secondary schools across Midlothian.

When is the September weekend in Midlothian 2026?

The September weekend in Midlothian runs from 11 September 2026 to 14 September 2026 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 15 September 2026.

When is the October break in Midlothian 2026/27?

The October break in Midlothian — the October week — runs from 12 October 2026 to 16 October 2026 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 20 October 2026.

When are the Christmas school holidays in Midlothian?

Midlothian schools close for the Christmas holiday from 23 December 2026, and pupils go back to school on 7 January 2027.

When is the Easter holiday in Midlothian 2026/27?

The Easter holiday in Midlothian 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 Midlothian?

Midlothian schools break up for the summer on 30 June 2027. The holiday runs to 11 August 2027, and pupils go back for 2027/28 on 18 August 2027, as confirmed by Midlothian.

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

Midlothian 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

Midlothian 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 Midlothian

Book a break around the school holidays.

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Dates last checked April 2026.

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