Easter holidays 2027 in Scotland
Easter Sunday 2027 is 28 March. Scottish schools break either from Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April, or from Monday 5 to Friday 16 April.
Updated 1 October 2026. Dates checked against each council's published calendar.
16 of 32 councils start the Easter holiday on Monday 5 April 2027.
| Council | Easter holiday 2027 | Good Friday 26 March | Pupils back |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| Aberdeenshire | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| Angus | Mon 29 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | School day | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| Argyll and Bute | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| Clackmannanshire | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| Dundee | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| East Ayrshire | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| East Dunbartonshire | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| East Lothian | Mon 5 to Mon 19 Apr 2027 | Closed | Tue 20 Apr 2027 |
| East Renfrewshire | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| Edinburgh | Mon 5 to Mon 19 Apr 2027 | Closed | Tue 20 Apr 2027 |
| Falkirk | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| Fife | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| Glasgow | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| Highland | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| Inverclyde | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| Midlothian | Mon 5 to Mon 19 Apr 2027 | Closed | Tue 20 Apr 2027 |
| Moray | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| North Ayrshire | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| North Lanarkshire | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| Orkney | Mon 29 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | School day | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| Perth and Kinross | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| Renfrewshire | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| Scottish Borders | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| Shetland | Thu 25 Mar to Tue 6 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Wed 7 Apr 2027 |
| South Ayrshire | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| South Lanarkshire | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| Stirling | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| West Dunbartonshire | Mon 5 to Fri 16 Apr 2027 | Closed | Mon 19 Apr 2027 |
| West Lothian | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
| Western Isles | Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Part of the holiday | Mon 12 Apr 2027 |
Two patterns
Good Friday is 26 March 2027, which is early. Councils handle this in one of two ways.
Break from Good Friday
These councils close from Good Friday for two weeks. Pupils return on Monday 12 April 2027.
- Aberdeen, Dundee, Fife, Highland, Moray and Perth and Kinross
- Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire
- West Lothian and the Western Isles
Angus and Orkney start their spring holiday on Monday 29 March and return on 12 April. Shetland breaks earliest, from Thursday 25 March to Tuesday 6 April.
Easter weekend, then a later break
These councils close on Good Friday and Easter Monday, then open for four days. The spring break runs from Monday 5 to Friday 16 April. Pupils return on Monday 19 April.
- Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire
- East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk
Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian follow this pattern but add Monday 19 April. Pupils there return on Tuesday 20 April. Scottish Borders closes on Good Friday but not Easter Monday.
After Easter
Most councils close again for the May Day bank holiday on Monday 3 May 2027. Glasgow, North Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire also have an in-service day on Thursday 6 May. In Edinburgh the in-service day is Tuesday 4 May.
Bank holidays at Easter
Good Friday is a bank holiday in Scotland. Easter Monday is not, but many councils close schools on it as a local holiday.
Glasgow schools finish at 2.30pm on Friday 2 April, the last day before the spring break.
Easter and the exams
The 2027 SQA exams, now run by Qualifications Scotland, start on Monday 26 April. Pupils in the early group get two weeks back in school before the exams. Pupils in the later group get one week.
Easter 2028
Easter is later in 2028. Good Friday is 14 April 2028. Most councils with published dates break from Monday 3 April 2028.
Quick answers
- When are the Easter holidays 2027 in Scotland?
Either Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April 2027, or Monday 5 to Friday 16 April 2027. Councils in the second group also close on Good Friday and Easter Monday.
- When is Easter 2027?
Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027. Good Friday is 26 March, a Scottish bank holiday.
- When do Glasgow schools break up for Easter 2027?
Glasgow schools close on Good Friday 26 March and Easter Monday 29 March. The spring break is 5 to 16 April, with a 2.30pm finish on Friday 2 April.
More guides
Dates for every council, worked out for each break.
October week 2026 in Scotland
October week 2026 starts on Monday 12 October in most Scottish councils.
Christmas school holidays 2026 in Scotland
Scottish schools break up for Christmas between Friday 18 and Wednesday 23 December 2026.
February holidays 2027 in Scotland
The February break in 2027 falls between Monday 8 and Monday 22 February, depending on the council.