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This page is West Dunbartonshire — the council covering Clydebank, Dumbarton and Alexandria.

Academic year 2026/27

West Dunbartonshire School Holidays

The full 2026/27 school calendar for West Dunbartonshire schools. The new term starts 17 August 2026 and the year ends 30 June 2027. The summer holiday runs from 1 July 2027 to 15 August 2027 — 46 days. West Dunbartonshire has 3 in-service days when schools are closed to pupils for staff training.

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West Dunbartonshire school holidays 2026/27 — at a glance

October break
12 Oct – 16 Oct
Christmas
21 Dec – 4 Jan
February break
15 Feb – 16 Feb
Easter
5 Apr – 16 Apr
Summer
1 Jul – 15 Aug

West Dunbartonshire term dates 2026/27: how the school year runs

West Dunbartonshire 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 17 August 2026 — the back-to-school date after the summer break — and the school year ends on 30 June 2027, with 9 school holidays and 3 in-service days in between.

The September weekend — the traditional autumn long weekend West Dunbartonshire schools take — falls on 25 September 2026 to 28 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 16 February 2027.

Schools break up for Christmas on 21 December 2026 and the Christmas holiday runs to 4 January 2027. The easter holiday runs from 5 April 2027 to 16 April 2027.

The summer holidays begin on 1 July 2027 — 46 days off before the new school year. Pupils go back for 2027/28 on 17 August 2027 — confirmed by West Dunbartonshire.

When do schools go back in West Dunbartonshire?

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
29 September 2026
After the October Holiday
19 October 2026
After the Christmas Holiday
5 January 2027
After the February Holiday
18 February 2027
After the Good Friday Weekend
30 March 2027
After the Easter Holiday
19 April 2027
After the May Day
5 May 2027
After the May Weekend
1 June 2027

Academic year at a glance

Term time
Holiday
In-service day

Term dates summary

Autumn term

17 Aug – 11 Oct

38 school days

Winter term

17 Oct – 20 Dec

44 school days

Spring term

5 Jan – 4 Apr

59 school days

Summer term

17 Apr – 30 Jun

49 school days

PeriodStartsEndsDaysTypevs England
September Weekend25 September 202628 September 20264Holiday—
October Holiday12 October 202616 October 20265HolidayAligns with English half-term
November In-Service Day9 November 20269 November 20261In-service—
Christmas Holiday21 December 20264 January 202715HolidaySimilar dates to England
February Holiday15 February 202716 February 20272HolidayEngland takes a longer half-term week
February In-Service Day17 February 202717 February 20271In-service—
Good Friday Weekend26 March 202729 March 20274Holiday—
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—
May Weekend28 May 202731 May 20274HolidaySame across UK
Summer Holiday1 July 202715 August 202746HolidayStarts 3–4 weeks earlier than England

Money & school admin for West Dunbartonshire parents

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

School clothing grant

£120–£150 per child

West Dunbartonshire 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: West Dunbartonshire school holidays 2027/28

Confirmed. These 2027/28 dates are taken from West Dunbartonshire’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 17 August 2027 and ends 30 June 2028.

PeriodStartsEndsType
August In-Service Days13 August 202716 August 2027In-service
September Weekend27 September 202727 September 2027Holiday
October Holiday4 October 202715 October 2027Holiday
November In-Service Day22 November 202722 November 2027In-service
Christmas Holiday23 December 20274 January 2028Holiday
February Holiday14 February 202815 February 2028Holiday
February In-Service Day16 February 202816 February 2028In-service
Spring Holiday3 April 202817 April 2028Holiday
May Day1 May 20281 May 2028Holiday
May In-Service Day25 May 202825 May 2028In-service
May Weekend26 May 202829 May 2028Holiday
Summer Holiday3 July 202814 August 2028Holiday

Clothing grant

£120 – £150

Primary: £120 · Secondary: £150

Apply at West Dunbartonshire

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 West Dunbartonshire
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 West Dunbartonshire for 2026/27?

Schools in West Dunbartonshire return for the 2026/27 academic year on 17 August 2026. This is the official term-start date used by council-managed primary and secondary schools across West Dunbartonshire.

When is the September weekend in West Dunbartonshire 2026?

The September weekend in West Dunbartonshire runs from 25 September 2026 to 28 September 2026 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 29 September 2026.

When is the October break in West Dunbartonshire 2026/27?

The October break in West Dunbartonshire — the October week — runs from 12 October 2026 to 16 October 2026 inclusive. Pupils go back to school on 19 October 2026.

When are the Christmas school holidays in West Dunbartonshire?

West Dunbartonshire schools close for the Christmas holiday from 21 December 2026, and pupils go back to school on 5 January 2027.

When is the Easter holiday in West Dunbartonshire 2026/27?

The Easter holiday in West Dunbartonshire 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 West Dunbartonshire?

West Dunbartonshire schools break up for the summer on 1 July 2027. The holiday runs to 15 August 2027, and pupils go back for 2027/28 on 17 August 2027, as confirmed by West Dunbartonshire.

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

West Dunbartonshire 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

West Dunbartonshire 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 West Dunbartonshire

Book a break around the school holidays.

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Dates last checked April 2026.

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