Wales school holidays 2026 and 2027
Welsh schools break for October half-term from 26 to 30 October 2026, the same week as England. Welsh dates are set independently across 22 local authorities, coordinated by the Welsh Government. The school year is also under active reform: a 2024 consultation set the direction toward a five-week summer break and a two-week October half-term.
October half-term 2026
Quietest week 21–27 Oct 2026 37%Busiest week 24–30 Oct 2026 82%
45 points separate the quietest week of October half-term from the busiest. Picking the week matters more than picking the destination.
Wales has 22 local authorities, each setting its own term calendar. Councils coordinate through the Welsh Government, so most dates align within a day or two — but not always. Cardiff and Swansea can differ from each other and from your English comparison dates. Always check your specific council's published dates before booking.
How Wales's dates compare across the UK
Wales mirrors England closely. The Gantt shows exactly where any divergence occurs — and where all four nations align to create peak demand.
Upcoming school holiday dates in Wales ✓ Verified
- October half-term
- Christmas
- February half-term
- Easter
- May half-term
- Summer holidays
These dates apply to most maintained schools across Wales. Voluntary aided and foundation schools can set their own and may differ slightly.
How Welsh dates are decided
Wales has a hybrid system. The 22 local authorities each set term dates for the schools they maintain, but they have a statutory duty to coordinate so dates are "the same or as similar as can be" across Wales. The Welsh Government can direct authorities if they don't agree, a power used in recent years to keep dates aligned.
In practice, Welsh dates align almost completely with English dates. There are occasional small variations: Powys, for example, was allowed to end its 2027 summer term on 16 July so school staff and families could attend the Royal Welsh Show.
The Welsh school year reform
The 2023 to 2024 Welsh Government consultation on reforming the school year proposed three changes:
- Cut the summer holiday by one week, from six weeks to five.
- Extend October half-term to two weeks, taking the week from summer.
- Decouple the spring break from Easter, so the spring half-term always falls in the middle of spring term regardless of when Easter weekend falls.
In May 2024 the Welsh Government confirmed it will progress this model, with implementation timing deferred to the next Senedd term. As of 2026, the changes have not yet taken effect, and Welsh school holidays still follow the traditional six-week summer pattern.
The reform is contested. Education unions, tourism bodies, and farming organisations have argued against it on the grounds that Wales already has the shortest summer break in Europe and the evidence for educational benefit is thin. Parenting groups have generally supported it because it spreads childcare and travel demand more evenly.
What this means for planning
For 2026 and 2027, Welsh dates match English ones within a day or two, so the same off-peak strategies work in both. October half-term, May half-term, and the summer holiday all coincide.
When reform takes effect, Wales will diverge from England, which creates new off-peak opportunities. A five-week Welsh summer would mean Welsh families travelling a week earlier in late August while English families are still off, and vice versa for the longer October break.
For now, advice in Wales mirrors England's:
- Get your school’s INSET days as early as possible. One placed on the last school day before a break moves your outbound journey a day ahead of the rest of the country, which is where the fare saving sits.
- Consider Scotland's earlier October break for a quieter autumn destination week.
- For summer, late August is busier than mid-July: Scotland has already gone back to school.
Reform timing is set by the Welsh Government and may shift; the 2024 consultation outcome confirmed the direction but not the implementation year. Check the Welsh Government's "Reform of the school year" page for current status before assuming any specific year's calendar.
Common questions
When is October half-term 2026 in Wales?
Welsh schools are off from 26 to 30 October 2026, the same week as England. Scotland's October holidays run earlier, 12 to 23 October 2026.
Are Welsh school holidays the same as England's?
Almost. Wales sets its dates independently across 22 local authorities, but they're coordinated to be 'the same or as similar as can be'. In practice Welsh dates align with English dates within a day or two.
Is the Welsh school year changing?
The Welsh Government has confirmed the direction of reform: a five-week summer break, a two-week October half-term, and a spring break decoupled from Easter. As of 2026 the implementation date has not been set, and current calendars still follow the traditional six-week summer pattern.