Orkney school holidays 2026/27
Orkney schools are open on Good Friday 2027, as term 3 runs to 26 March before the spring holidays. The 2027/28 calendar is a colour grid that could not be read reliably, so only 2026/27 appears here.
Checked against Orkney Islands Council, School Term Dates 2026 to 2027 on 1 October 2026
The school year at a glance
Term dates 2026/27
| Date | What happens | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | ||
| Mon 17 Aug 2026 | Teachers return (in-service) | In-service |
| Tue 18 Aug 2026 | Term 1 starts | Term starts |
| Fri 9 Oct 2026 | Term 1 ends | Term ends |
| Mon 12 to Fri 23 Oct 2026 | October holidays | Holiday |
| Mon 26 and Tue 27 Oct 2026 | In-service daysPupils return Wednesday 28 October | In-service |
| Wed 28 Oct 2026 | Term 2 starts | Term starts |
| Fri 18 Dec 2026 | Term 2 ends | Term ends |
| Christmas | ||
| Mon 21 Dec 2026 to Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Christmas holidays | Holiday |
| Spring term | ||
| Tue 5 Jan 2027 | Term 3 starts | Term starts |
| Thu 11 to Mon 15 Feb 2027 | Schools closed (February) | Holiday |
| Tue 16 Feb 2027 | In-service day | In-service |
| Fri 26 Mar 2027 | Term 3 endsTerm 3 runs to Friday 26 March, which is Good Friday | Term ends |
| Easter | ||
| Mon 29 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Spring holidaysIncludes Easter Monday 29 March | Holiday |
| Summer term | ||
| Mon 12 Apr 2027 | Term 4 starts | Term starts |
| Mon 3 May 2027 | May Day holiday | Public holiday |
| Mon 31 May 2027 | In-service day | In-service |
| Fri 2 Jul 2027 | Term 4 ends | Term ends |
| Summer | ||
| Sat 3 Jul 2027 | Summer holidaysNext session not published yet | Holiday |
Orkney Islands Council has not published its 2027/28 dates yet. We add them as soon as the council does.
Keep these dates in your phoneSubscribe once and your calendar picks up any date the council changes. Use Google Calendar on Android, or the subscribe link on iPhone and Outlook.
Orkney's 2026/27 calendar in brief
Orkney Islands Council sets term dates for schools on Mainland Orkney and the outer isles. Pupils return on Tuesday 18 August 2026, after an in-service day on Monday 17 August. Term 1 ends on Friday 9 October.
The October holidays then run for two weeks, from 12 to 23 October. Two in-service days follow on 26 and 27 October, so pupils return on Wednesday 28 October. Term 2 ends on Friday 18 December.
Pupils return on Tuesday 5 January 2027. In February, schools close from Thursday 11 to Tuesday 16 February. The last of those days is an in-service day.
Term 3 runs until Friday 26 March, which is Good Friday. The spring holidays then run from Easter Monday, 29 March, to Friday 9 April. Schools close for May Day on 3 May and for an in-service day on Monday 31 May.
The session ends on Friday 2 July 2027. There are five in-service days in 2026/27. The council has published calendars covering 2027 to 2030, and 2027/28 dates will be added here once checked.
Schools in Orkney
From the September 2025 pupil census.
Quick answers
- When do Orkney schools go back after the summer 2026?
Pupils return on Tuesday 18 August 2026. Monday 17 August is an in-service day for staff.
- When is the October holiday in Orkney in 2026?
Schools close from Monday 12 to Friday 23 October 2026. In-service days follow on 26 and 27 October, and pupils return on Wednesday 28 October.
- How many in-service days are there in Orkney in 2026/27?
There are five: 17 August, 26 and 27 October 2026, then 16 February and 31 May 2027.
- When does the Easter holiday start in Orkney in 2027?
Term 3 ends on Friday 26 March 2027. The spring holidays run from Easter Monday, 29 March, to Friday 9 April, and pupils return on Monday 12 April.
Individual schools can add their own closure days, and councils sometimes move in-service days. Your school's letter or website takes priority. Orkney has five in-service days in 2026/27.