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AberdeenAberdeenshireAngusArgyll and ButeClackmannanshireDumfries and GallowayDundeeEast AyrshireEast DunbartonshireEast LothianEast RenfrewshireEdinburghFalkirkFifeGlasgowHighlandInverclydeMidlothianMorayNorth AyrshireNorth LanarkshireOrkneyPerth and KinrossRenfrewshireScottish BordersShetlandSouth AyrshireSouth LanarkshireStirlingWest DunbartonshireWest LothianWestern Isles
School holidaysExamsToolsTeacher pay
AberdeenAberdeenshireAngusArgyll and ButeClackmannanshireDumfries and GallowayDundeeEast AyrshireEast DunbartonshireEast LothianEast RenfrewshireEdinburghFalkirkFifeGlasgowHighlandInverclydeMidlothianMorayNorth AyrshireNorth LanarkshireOrkneyPerth and KinrossRenfrewshireScottish BordersShetlandSouth AyrshireSouth LanarkshireStirlingWest DunbartonshireWest LothianWestern Isles

School holidays, term dates and exams in Scotland

Scotland's 32 councils each set their own school holidays for 2026/27. Most start the October break on Monday 12 October 2026. The 2027 exams run from Monday 26 April to Wednesday 2 June.

See all 32 councils side by side

October across Scotland

Which councils are off, day by day. Select a council for its full calendar.

AberdeenAberdeenshireAngusArgyll and ButeClackmannanshireDumfries and GallowayDundeeEast AyrshireEast DunbartonshireEast LothianEast RenfrewshireEdinburghFalkirkFifeGlasgowHighlandInverclydeMidlothianMorayNorth AyrshireNorth LanarkshireOrkneyPerth and KinrossRenfrewshireScottish BordersShetlandSouth AyrshireSouth LanarkshireStirlingWest DunbartonshireWest LothianWestern Isles
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HolidayIn-service dayPublic holidaySchool openWeekend

Exams 2027

The 2027 exam timetable is out. Find every National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exam, check past grade boundaries and see what grade a practice mark would get.

See the exam timetable
  1. PrelimsMost schools hold prelims between December and February
  2. Exam dietMonday 26 April to Wednesday 2 June 2027
  3. Results dayTuesday 10 August 2027, by text, email and post

Answers worked out for you

Enter a date of birth, a mark or a pay point. Each tool uses the official rules and your council's own dates.

When can my child leave school?

Summer or winter leaving date, using your council's Christmas break

Mon 21 Dec 2026

When does my child start P1?

Start date, deferral rights and the funded extra nursery year

August 2027

What grade is my practice mark?

Any National 5, Higher or Advanced Higher course, using real grade boundaries

70 of 120 = B

Teacher pay and take-home

Every point on the SNCT scales, after tax, pension and student loan

Point 3: £48,504

Next break in every council

The first day pupils are off, counting in-service days.

Aberdeen12 OctAberdeenshire12 OctAngus5 OctArgyll and Bute5 OctClackmannanshire12 OctDumfries and Galloway12 OctDundee12 OctEast Ayrshire12 OctEast Dunbartonshire9 OctEast Lothian12 OctEast Renfrewshire9 OctEdinburgh12 OctFalkirk12 OctFife12 OctGlasgow9 OctHighland12 OctInverclyde12 OctMidlothian12 OctMoray12 OctNorth Ayrshire12 OctNorth Lanarkshire12 OctOrkney12 OctPerth and Kinross12 OctRenfrewshire12 OctScottish Borders12 OctShetland12 OctSouth Ayrshire12 OctSouth Lanarkshire12 OctStirling12 OctWest Dunbartonshire12 OctWest Lothian19 OctWestern Isles9 Oct

Every council sets its own dates

Scotland has 32 councils, and each one sets its own school calendar. Holidays line up in some places and differ by a week in others. We check every date against the council's published calendar and show the day we checked it.

In-service days are different everywhere

Pupils are in school for 190 days a year. Teachers work five more, called in-service days, when schools are closed to pupils. Each council picks its own in-service days, often next to a holiday.

In Glasgow, Friday 9 October 2026 is an in-service day, so pupils get ten days off in a row. In Edinburgh, the in-service day comes after the break, on Monday 19 October.

The 2026/27 school year at a glance

  • October: one week from 12 October in most of the central belt. Much of the north and east takes two weeks.
  • Christmas: schools close between Friday 18 and Wednesday 23 December 2026. Most return on Tuesday 5 January 2027.
  • Easter: Good Friday is 26 March 2027. Most councils break from 26 March or from 5 April.
  • Summer: schools break up between Friday 25 June and Friday 2 July 2027.

Choose your council for the full list, or check bank holidays and the school leaving date.

Exams, tools and teacher pay

The 2027 National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams run from Monday 26 April to Wednesday 2 June. Results day is Tuesday 10 August 2027.

The tools work out a school leaving date, P1 start date, school stage or grade. The teacher pay pages set out the SNCT scales from 1 August 2026.

Quick answers

When are the school holidays in Scotland in 2026/27?

It depends on the council. Most break for October from 12 October 2026 and for Christmas in late December. Then come a short February break, two weeks at Easter and summer from late June 2027.

Do all Scottish councils have the same school holidays?

No. Each of the 32 councils sets its own calendar. Neighbouring councils often match, but dates can differ by a week, especially in October and at Easter.

Are in-service days the same across Scotland?

No. Every council has five in-service days, but it chooses when they fall. Check your council's page, and your school, for the exact days.