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Academic year 2026/27

Moray School Holidays

The full 2026/27 school calendar for Moray schools. The new term starts 19 August 2026 and the year ends 2 July 2027. The summer holiday runs from 3 July 2027 to 17 August 2027 — 46 days. Moray has 2 in-service days when schools are closed to pupils for staff training.

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Moray school holidays 2026/27 — at a glance

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

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

Moray 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 2 July 2027, with 6 school holidays and 2 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 12 February 2027 to 15 February 2027.

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

The summer holidays begin on 3 July 2027 — 46 days off before the new school year. Pupils go back for 2027/28 on 18 August 2027 — confirmed by Moray.

When do schools go back in Moray?

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 Mid-Term Holiday
16 February 2027
After the Spring 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

38 school days

Winter term

24 Oct – 22 Dec

40 school days

Spring term

6 Jan – 25 Mar

54 school days

Summer term

10 Apr – 2 Jul

59 school days

PeriodStartsEndsDaysTypevs England
October Holiday12 October 202623 October 202612HolidayAligns with English half-term
November In-Service Days9 November 202610 November 20262In-service—
Christmas Holiday23 December 20265 January 202714HolidaySimilar dates to England
February In-Service Day11 February 202711 February 20271In-service—
February Mid-Term Holiday12 February 202715 February 20274HolidayEngland takes a longer half-term week
Spring Holiday26 March 20279 April 202715HolidayRoughly aligns with English Easter
May Day3 May 20273 May 20271HolidaySame across UK
Summer Holiday3 July 202717 August 202746HolidayStarts 3–4 weeks earlier than England

Money & school admin for Moray parents

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

School clothing grant

£120–£150 per child

Moray 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: Moray school holidays 2027/28

Confirmed. These 2027/28 dates are taken from Moray’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
October Holiday11 October 202722 October 2027Holiday
November In-Service Days8 November 20279 November 2027In-service
Christmas Holiday22 December 20274 January 2028Holiday
February In-Service Day10 February 202810 February 2028In-service
February Mid-Term Holiday11 February 202814 February 2028Holiday
Spring Holiday3 April 202814 April 2028Holiday
May Day1 May 20281 May 2028Holiday
Summer Holiday30 June 202815 August 2028Holiday

Clothing grant

£120 – £150

Primary: £120 · Secondary: £150

Apply at Moray

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 Moray
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 Moray for 2026/27?

Schools in Moray 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 Moray.

When is the October break in Moray 2026/27?

The October break in Moray — 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 Moray?

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

When is the spring holiday in Moray 2026/27?

The spring holiday in Moray 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 Moray?

Moray schools break up for the summer on 3 July 2027. The holiday runs to 17 August 2027, and pupils go back for 2027/28 on 18 August 2027, as confirmed by Moray.

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

Moray has 2 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

Moray 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 Moray

Book a break around the school holidays.

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Dates last checked April 2026.

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