Western Isles school holidays 2026/27
Every holiday, in-service day and early finish for Comhairle nan Eilean Siar schools in 2026/27. Western Isles has a two-week October break this year, and the usual five in-service days.
Checked against Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, School Term Dates and Mid Term Holidays 2026-27 on 1 October 2026
The school year at a glance
Term dates 2026/27
| Date | What happens | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | ||
| Mon 10 to Wed 12 Aug 2026 | Teachers return (in-service)10 August school based; 11 and 12 August centre based | In-service |
| Thu 13 Aug 2026 | Schools open for pupils | Term starts |
| Thu 8 Oct 2026 | Last day of term 1 | Term ends |
| Fri 9 Oct 2026 | Occasional holidayAll schools | Holiday |
| Mon 12 to Tue 20 Oct 2026 | October holidayNational Mod runs 9 to 17 October 2026 | Holiday |
| Wed 21 Oct 2026 | In-service daySchool based; pupils return Thursday 22 October | In-service |
| Thu 22 Oct 2026 | Pupils return for term 2 | Term starts |
| Fri 27 and Mon 30 Nov 2026 | Mid-term holidayAll schools | Holiday |
| Tue 22 Dec 2026 | Last day before Christmas | Term ends |
| Christmas | ||
| Wed 23 Dec 2026 to Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Christmas holiday | Holiday |
| Spring term | ||
| Tue 5 Jan 2027 | Schools reopen for teachers and pupils | Term starts |
| Fri 12 to Tue 16 Feb 2027 | Mid-term holidayAll schools | Holiday |
| Wed 17 Feb 2027 | In-service daySchool based; pupils return Thursday 18 February | In-service |
| Thu 25 Mar 2027 | Last day of term 3 | Term ends |
| Easter | ||
| Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027 | Easter holidayIncludes Good Friday 26 March and Easter Monday 29 March | Holiday |
| Summer term | ||
| Mon 12 Apr 2027 | Schools open for teachers and pupils | Term starts |
| Fri 30 Apr and Mon 3 May 2027 | Mid-term holidayAll schools; the council document prints 'Monday, 4 May 2027', which is a Tuesday, so the May Day Monday 3 May has been used | Holiday |
| Fri 25 Jun 2027 | Last day of session | Term ends |
| Summer | ||
| Sat 26 Jun 2027 | Summer holidaysNext session not published yet | Holiday |
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 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 fileWestern Isles's 2026/27 calendar in brief
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar runs schools across Na h-Eileanan Siar, from Lewis and Harris to the Uists and Barra. Its calendar differs from mainland councils in several ways. Pupils return on Thursday 13 August 2026.
Teachers start on Monday 10 August with three in-service days. Term 1 ends on Thursday 8 October, followed by an occasional holiday on Friday 9 October. The October break then runs to Tuesday 20 October.
It covers the National Mod, which runs from 9 to 17 October 2026. Wednesday 21 October is an in-service day, and pupils return on Thursday 22 October. A long weekend follows on Friday 27 and Monday 30 November.
Christmas runs from Wednesday 23 December to Monday 4 January. In February, schools close from Friday 12 to Tuesday 16 February, with an in-service day on the Wednesday. The Easter holiday runs from Good Friday, 26 March, to Friday 9 April 2027.
A May long weekend closes schools on Friday 30 April and Monday 3 May. The session ends on Friday 25 June 2027. There are five in-service days in total.
For 2027, the proposed start is Monday 16 August for teachers. Pupils would return on Thursday 19 August.
Schools in Western Isles
From the September 2025 pupil census.
Quick answers
- When do Western Isles schools go back after the summer 2026?
Pupils return on Thursday 13 August 2026. Teachers start on Monday 10 August with three in-service days.
- When is the October holiday in the Western Isles in 2026?
Schools close after Thursday 8 October. The break runs from Friday 9 to Tuesday 20 October, then Wednesday 21 October is an in-service day. Pupils return on Thursday 22 October.
- Is there a November holiday in the Western Isles?
Yes. All schools close for a mid-term long weekend on Friday 27 and Monday 30 November 2026.
- When do Western Isles schools go back in August 2027?
The Comhairle has proposed Thursday 19 August 2027 for pupils and Monday 16 August for teachers. The full 2027/28 calendar has not been published yet.
Individual schools can add their own closure days, and councils sometimes move in-service days. Your school's letter or website takes priority. Western Isles has five in-service days in 2026/27.