School term dates

Introduction

Local Authorities have a duty to determine school term dates for local authority maintained schools. Schools must be open to pupils for 190 days in an academic year, and 195 days for teachers. Schools have five training days available to take at their discretion.

Please check the school’s own website to verify term dates and details of staff training dates, which are set at the discretion of the school. Foundation, Trust, Voluntary Aided schools and Academies are responsible for setting their own holiday dates. So individual schools, may choose to follow a pattern and/or specific dates that do not match those set by us.

School term and holiday dates for 2023/2024

Autumn term dates

  • Friday 1 September to Friday 20 October 2023 (36 days)
  • Half Term: Monday 23 to Friday 27 October 2023
  • Monday 30 October to Wednesday 20 December 2023 (38 days)
  • Christmas Holidays: Thursday 21 December 2023 to Wednesday 3 January 2024

Spring term dates

  • Thursday 4 January to Friday 16 February 2024 (32 days)
  • Half Term: Monday 19 to Friday 23 February 2024
  • Monday 26 February to Thursday 28 March 2024 (24 days)
  • Easter Holidays: Friday 29 March to Friday 12 April 2024

Summer term dates

  • Monday 15 April to Friday 24 May 2024 (29 days)
  • Half Term: Monday 27 to Friday 31 May 2024
  • Monday 3 June to Monday 22 July 2024 (36 days)
  • Summer Holiday: Tuesday 23 July onwards

These dates comprise a total of 195 days. Schools will therefore need to select 5 of these days to set aside as professional training days.

School term and holiday dates for 2024/2025

Autumn term dates

  • Tuesday 3 September to Friday 25 October (39 days)
  • Half Term: Monday 28 October to Friday 1 November
  • Monday 4 November to Friday 20 December (35 days)
  • Christmas Holidays: Monday 23 December to Friday 3 January

Spring term dates

  • Monday 6 January to Friday 14 February (30 days)
  • Half Term: Monday 17 February to Friday 21 February
  • Monday 24 February to Friday 4 April (30 days)
  • Easter Holidays: Monday 7 April to Monday 21 April

Summer term dates

  • Tuesday 22 April to Friday 23 May 2025 (23 days)
  • Half Term: Monday 26 May to Friday 30 May
  • Monday 2 June to Wednesday 23 July (38 days)
  • Summer Holiday: Thursday 24 July onwards

These dates comprise a total of 195 days. Schools will therefore need to select 5 of these days to set aside as professional training days.

School term and holiday dates 2025-2026

Thank you very much to all those who responded to the consultation on these dates.

During the period of the consultation, we received 46 responses. 33 of these responses (72%) were in favour of the proposals and 13 responses (28%) were not or raised queries or concerns.

Many of the comments received related to the length of the autumn term and requesting consideration of a two week half term autumn break. These comments have been considered and will be discussed with our neighbouring authorities ahead of next year’s consultation. However, the dates proposed in the consultation have been agreed. These are the same dates as proposed by the Eastern Region Group of Local Authorities, which comprises all our neighbouring authorities.

The confirmed Cambridgeshire school holiday and term time dates for 2025 – 2026 are therefore agreed as shown below. These dates total 195 days, from which schools will choose 5 days to set aside as professional training days.

Autumn term dates 2025

  • Monday 1 September to Friday 24 October (40 days)
  • Half Term: Monday 27 October to Friday 31 October
  • Monday 3 November to Friday 19 December (35 days)
  • Christmas Holidays: Monday 22 December to Friday 2 January

Spring term dates 2026

  • Monday 5 January to Friday 13 February (30 days)
  • Half Term: Monday 16 February to Friday 20 February
  • Monday 23 February to Friday 27 March (25 days)
  • Easter Holidays: Monday 30 March to Friday 10 April

Summer term dates 2026

  • Monday 13 April to Friday 22 May (29 days)
  • Half Term: Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May
  • Monday 1 June to Monday 20 July (36 days)
  • Summer Holiday: Tuesday 21 July onwards