Orkney school holidays 2026/27
Every holiday, in-service day and early finish for Orkney Islands Council schools in 2026/27. Orkney has a two-week October break this year, and the usual five in-service days.
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 updates if the council changes a date.
Get the calendar fileOrkney'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.