October half term 2026: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

GOV.UK says school term and holiday dates vary across the UK and tells parents to find their child’s half term dates on their local council’s website, so there is no single October half term across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In Wales, Essex and Southwark it is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026.

Surrey, Edinburgh and Highland publish different dates, and Northern Ireland lists only two days at Halloween. The table sets out what each place gives.

When is October half term in England?

Essex County Council lists Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 for its community and voluntary controlled schools, and Southwark Council gives the same week. Surrey County Council is different: it says community and voluntary controlled schools there will have a two-week autumn half term from September 2026, running 19 to 30 October. Durham County Council publishes a closing date of Friday 23 October and a reopening date of Monday 2 November.

Essex says term dates for foundation and voluntary-aided schools and academies may be different, and tells parents to check with their child’s school. The councils above are examples, not a full list of authorities in England, so a child’s own school calendar settles it.

When is half term in Wales?

Under the Welsh Government’s approved dates for 2026 to 2027, Autumn Half Term 2026 runs from Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October for every council area on the list, from Anglesey to Wrexham. The autumn term as a whole runs to Friday 18 December in all but one area; Powys lists Tuesday 22 December.

When is the October break in Scotland?

Scotland’s dates vary by council, according to mygov.scot, which sends parents to their own council. The City of Edinburgh Council lists a mid term break from Monday 12 to Monday 19 October 2026 and says holiday dates are inclusive, so pupils return on the 20th, a Tuesday. Highland Council lists October holidays from Monday 12 to Friday 23 October, with term 2 starting on Monday 26 October. Other councils in Scotland may differ; these two are examples.

What about Northern Ireland?

Northern Ireland’s Department of Education publishes a table of non-operational dates for 2026/2027 and lists Halloween on 29 and 30 October 2026. It adds that schools can operate on those dates at their own discretion, and that schools also have discretion over staff training and school development days, which are likely to differ from school to school.