Highland school holidays 2026/27
Every holiday, in-service day and early finish for The Highland Council schools in 2026/27 and 2027/28. Highland has a two-week October break this year, and the usual five in-service days.
Checked against The Highland Council, School term dates 2026/2027 on 1 October 2026
The school year at a glance
Term dates 2026/27
| Date | What happens | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | ||
| Mon 17 and Tue 18 Aug 2026 | Teachers return (in-service) | In-service |
| Wed 19 Aug 2026 | Pupils return | Term starts |
| Mon 14 Sep 2026 | In-service day | In-service |
| Fri 9 Oct 2026 | Term 1 ends | Term ends |
| Mon 12 to Fri 23 Oct 2026 | October holidaysTerm 2 starts Monday 26 October. | Holiday |
| Tue 22 Dec 2026 | Term 2 ends | Term ends |
| Christmas | ||
| Wed 23 Dec 2026 to Tue 5 Jan 2027 | Christmas and New Year holidaysTerm 3 starts Wednesday 6 January 2027. | Holiday |
| Spring term | ||
| Mon 15 and Tue 16 Feb 2027 | February break | Holiday |
| Wed 17 Feb 2027 | In-service day | In-service |
| Thu 25 Mar 2027 | Term 3 ends | Term ends |
| Easter | ||
| Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Easter holidaysIncludes Good Friday (26 March) and Easter Monday (29 March). Term 4 starts Monday 12 April. | Holiday |
| Summer term | ||
| Mon 3 May 2027 | May Day | Public holiday |
| Thu 6 May 2027 | In-service day | In-service |
| Thu 1 Jul 2027 | Term 4 ends | Term ends |
| Summer | ||
| Fri 2 Jul 2027 to Tue 17 Aug 2027 | Summer holidaysPupils return Wednesday 18 August 2027 | Holiday |
Term dates 2027/28
| Date | What happens | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | ||
| Mon 16 and Tue 17 Aug 2027 | Teachers return (in-service) | In-service |
| Wed 18 Aug 2027 | Pupils return | Term starts |
| Mon 13 Sep 2027 | In-service day | In-service |
| Fri 8 Oct 2027 | Term 1 ends | Term ends |
| Mon 11 to Fri 22 Oct 2027 | October holidaysTerm 2 starts Monday 25 October. | Holiday |
| Tue 21 Dec 2027 | Term 2 ends | Term ends |
| Christmas | ||
| Wed 22 Dec 2027 to Tue 4 Jan 2028 | Christmas and New Year holidaysTerm 3 starts Wednesday 5 January 2028. | Holiday |
| Spring term | ||
| Mon 14 and Tue 15 Feb 2028 | February break | Holiday |
| Wed 16 Feb 2028 | In-service day | In-service |
| Fri 31 Mar 2028 | Term 3 ends | Term ends |
| Easter | ||
| Mon 3 to Mon 17 Apr 2028 | Easter holidaysIncludes Good Friday (14 April) and Easter Monday (17 April). Term 4 starts Tuesday 18 April. | Holiday |
| Summer term | ||
| Mon 1 May 2028 | May Day | Public holiday |
| Mon 5 Jun 2028 | In-service day | In-service |
| Thu 29 Jun 2028 | Term 4 ends | Term ends |
| Summer | ||
| Fri 30 Jun 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 fileHighland's 2026/27 calendar in brief
The Highland Council sets one calendar for schools across a huge area. It covers Inverness, Nairn, Fort William, Skye, Caithness, Sutherland and Wester Ross. Highland starts later than central Scotland.
Term 1 began with in-service days on 17 and 18 August 2026, and pupils returned on Wednesday 19 August. The October holidays last two weeks, from Monday 12 to Friday 23 October. Term 2 runs to Tuesday 22 December.
The Christmas break lasts until Tuesday 5 January 2027. February has a short break on Monday 15 and Tuesday 16, then an in-service day on Wednesday 17. The Easter holidays run from Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April 2027.
Easter weekend falls inside the break. There are five in-service days in the session. One of them is a September Monday, 14 September 2026.
The last is Thursday 6 May 2027, just after the May Day holiday. Term 4 ends on Thursday 1 July 2027. For 2027/28, pupils return on Wednesday 18 August 2027.
Schools in Highland
From the September 2025 pupil census.
Quick answers
- When are the October holidays in Highland in 2026?
The October holidays run from Monday 12 to Friday 23 October 2026. Term 2 starts on Monday 26 October.
- How many in-service days are there in Highland in 2026/27?
There are five: 17 and 18 August 2026, 14 September 2026, 17 February 2027 and 6 May 2027.
- When does the Easter holiday start in Highland in 2027?
Term 3 ends on Thursday 25 March 2027. The Easter holidays run from Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April. Term 4 starts on Monday 12 April.
- When do Highland schools break up for summer 2027?
Term 4 ends on Thursday 1 July 2027, and the summer holidays start on Friday 2 July. Pupils return on Wednesday 18 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. Highland has five in-service days in 2026/27.