Aberdeen school holidays 2026/27
Every holiday, in-service day and early finish for Aberdeen City Council schools in 2026/27 and 2027/28. Aberdeen has a two-week October break this year, and the usual five in-service days.
Checked against Aberdeen City Council, Education and Children's Services Committee report CFS/24/044, School holiday pattern to 2030 (Appendix A) on 1 October 2026
The school year at a glance
Term dates 2026/27
| Date | What happens | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | ||
| Fri 14 Aug 2026 | Teachers return (in-service)Pupils not in school | In-service |
| Mon 17 Aug 2026 | Pupils return | Term starts |
| Fri 18 and Mon 21 Sep 2026 | September holidayFriday 18 and Monday 21 September | Holiday |
| Fri 9 Oct 2026 | End of term 1 | Term ends |
| Mon 12 to Fri 23 Oct 2026 | October holiday | Holiday |
| Fri 13 Nov 2026 | In-service day | In-service |
| Fri 18 Dec 2026 | End of term 2 | Term ends |
| Christmas | ||
| Mon 21 Dec 2026 to Fri 1 Jan 2027 | Winter holiday | Holiday |
| Autumn term | ||
| Mon 4 Jan 2027 | New Year public holidayTerm 3 starts on Tuesday 5 January | Public holiday |
| Spring term | ||
| Mon 8 Feb 2027 | Mid-term holiday | Holiday |
| Tue 9 and Wed 10 Feb 2027 | In-service days | In-service |
| Thu 25 Mar 2027 | End of term 3 | Term ends |
| Easter | ||
| Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Spring holidayIncludes Good Friday, 26 March | Holiday |
| Summer term | ||
| Mon 3 May 2027 | May Day holiday | Public holiday |
| Tue 4 May 2027 | In-service day | In-service |
| Fri 2 Jul 2027 | Last day of session | Term ends |
| Summer | ||
| Sat 3 Jul 2027 to Mon 23 Aug 2027 | Summer holidaysPupils return Tuesday 24 August 2027 | Holiday |
Term dates 2027/28
| Date | What happens | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | ||
| Mon 23 Aug 2027 | Teachers return (in-service)Pupils not in school | In-service |
| Tue 24 Aug 2027 | Pupils return | Term starts |
| Fri 17 and Mon 20 Sep 2027 | September holidayFriday 17 and Monday 20 September | Holiday |
| Fri 8 Oct 2027 | End of term 1 | Term ends |
| Mon 11 to Fri 22 Oct 2027 | October holiday | Holiday |
| Fri 12 Nov 2027 | In-service day | In-service |
| Tue 21 Dec 2027 | End of term 2 | Term ends |
| Christmas | ||
| Wed 22 Dec 2027 to Tue 4 Jan 2028 | Winter holiday | Holiday |
| Spring term | ||
| Mon 14 Feb 2028 | Mid-term holiday | Holiday |
| Tue 15 and Wed 16 Feb 2028 | In-service days | In-service |
| Fri 31 Mar 2028 | End of term 3 | Term ends |
| Easter | ||
| Mon 3 to Fri 14 Apr 2028 | Spring holidayIncludes Good Friday, 14 April | Holiday |
| Summer term | ||
| Mon 1 May 2028 | May Day holiday | Public holiday |
| Tue 2 May 2028 | In-service day | In-service |
| Thu 6 Jul 2028 | Last day of session | Term ends |
| Summer | ||
| Fri 7 Jul 2028 | Summer holidaysNext session not published yet | Holiday |
Keep these dates in your phoneSubscribe once and your calendar updates if the council changes a date.
Get the calendar fileAberdeen's 2026/27 calendar in brief
Aberdeen City Council runs the schools across the city, from Dyce and Bridge of Don to Cults and Cove. The 2026/27 session began on Monday 17 August 2026. The next break is the October holiday, from Monday 12 to Friday 23 October.
Schools close for Christmas after Friday 18 December and reopen on Tuesday 5 January 2027. Aberdeen keeps a September long weekend, which fell on Friday 18 and Monday 21 September in 2026. There are five in-service days in 2026/27.
They are 14 August, 13 November, 9 and 10 February, and 4 May. In February the mid-term holiday and two in-service days join up. Pupils are off from Monday 8 to Wednesday 10 February 2027.
The spring holiday starts on Good Friday, 26 March, and runs to Friday 9 April. The May Day holiday on 3 May is followed by an in-service day, so pupils return on 5 May. The session ends on Friday 2 July 2027.
In 2027/28 pupils go back a week later than in 2026, on Tuesday 24 August 2027. That session ends on Thursday 6 July 2028.
Schools in Aberdeen
From the September 2025 pupil census.
Quick answers
- When is the October holiday in Aberdeen in 2026?
Aberdeen schools are off from Monday 12 October to Friday 23 October 2026. Pupils return on Monday 26 October.
- How many in-service days are there in Aberdeen in 2026/27?
There are five. In 2026 they are Friday 14 August and Friday 13 November. In 2027 they are 9 and 10 February and Tuesday 4 May.
- When do Aberdeen schools go back after Christmas 2026?
Term 3 starts on Tuesday 5 January 2027. The winter holiday runs from Monday 21 December, and Monday 4 January is the New Year public holiday.
- When do Aberdeen schools go back after the summer 2027?
Staff return for an in-service day on Monday 23 August 2027. Pupils start on Tuesday 24 August 2027.
Individual schools can add their own closure days, and councils sometimes move in-service days. Your school's letter or website takes priority. Aberdeen has five in-service days in 2026/27.