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Academic year 2026/27

Scottish Borders School Holidays

The full 2026/27 school calendar for Scottish Borders 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. Scottish Borders has 3 in-service days when schools are closed to pupils for staff training.

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Scottish Borders school holidays 2026/27 — at a glance

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

Scottish Borders term dates 2026/27: how the school year runs

Scottish Borders 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 8 school holidays and 3 in-service days in between.

The October week — the autumn mid-term break — runs from 12 October 2026 to 16 October 2026. The February mid-term break falls on 8 February 2027 to 12 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 16 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 Scottish Borders.

When do schools go back in Scottish Borders?

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
20 October 2026
After the St Andrew's Day Holiday
1 December 2026
After the Christmas Holiday
6 January 2027
After the February Holiday
16 February 2027
After the Good Friday
29 March 2027
After the Easter Holiday
19 April 2027
After the May Day
5 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

17 Oct – 22 Dec

45 school days

Spring term

6 Jan – 4 Apr

56 school days

Summer term

17 Apr – 1 Jul

52 school days

PeriodStartsEndsDaysTypevs England
October Holiday12 October 202616 October 20265HolidayAligns with English half-term
October In-Service Day19 October 202619 October 20261In-service—
St Andrew's Day Holiday30 November 202630 November 20261Holiday—
Christmas Holiday23 December 20265 January 202714HolidaySimilar dates to England
February Holiday8 February 202712 February 20275HolidayEngland takes a longer half-term week
February In-Service Day15 February 202715 February 20271In-service—
Good Friday26 March 202726 March 20271Holiday—
Easter Holiday5 April 202716 April 202712HolidayRoughly aligns with English Easter
May Day3 May 20273 May 20271HolidaySame across UK
May In-Service Day4 May 20274 May 20271In-service—
Summer Holiday2 July 202717 August 202747HolidayStarts 3–4 weeks earlier than England

Money & school admin for Scottish Borders parents

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

School clothing grant

£120–£150 per child

Scottish Borders 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: Scottish Borders school holidays 2027/28

Confirmed. These 2027/28 dates are taken from Scottish Borders’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 202715 October 2027Holiday
October In-Service Day18 October 202718 October 2027In-service
St Andrew's Day Holiday29 November 202729 November 2027Holiday
Christmas Holiday22 December 20275 January 2028Holiday
February Holiday14 February 202818 February 2028Holiday
February In-Service Day21 February 202821 February 2028In-service
Easter Holiday3 April 202814 April 2028Holiday
May Day1 May 20281 May 2028Holiday
May In-Service Day2 May 20282 May 2028In-service
Summer Holiday30 June 202815 August 2028Holiday

Clothing grant

£120 – £150

Primary: £120 · Secondary: £150

Apply at Scottish Borders

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 Scottish Borders
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 Scottish Borders for 2026/27?

Schools in Scottish Borders 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 Scottish Borders.

When is the October break in Scottish Borders 2026/27?

The October break in Scottish Borders — 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 Scottish Borders?

Scottish Borders 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 Scottish Borders 2026/27?

The Easter holiday in Scottish Borders runs from 5 April 2027 to 16 April 2027 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 19 April 2027.

When does the summer holiday start in Scottish Borders?

Scottish Borders 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 Scottish Borders.

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

Scottish Borders 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

Scottish Borders 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 Scottish Borders

Book a break around the school holidays.

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Dates last checked April 2026.

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