When is the Easter school holiday in the UK?
When is the Easter school holiday?
20 Mar to 11 Apr 2027
Earliest start: Wales. Latest end: England. Different UK nations break up on different dates.
Western Easter can fall between 22 March and 25 April. UK school Easter breaks move with it. Late-March Easter years front-load spring demand early, leaving post-Easter April quieter. Late-April Easter years push the busy period later. Scotland often takes a different week to England, sometimes creating a brief quiet gap between the two.
Easter 2027 school holiday dates by nation
| Nation | Upcoming dates |
|---|---|
| England | · ✓ GOV.UK |
| Scotland | · ✓ education.gov.scot |
| Wales | · ✓ Welsh Government |
| Northern Ireland | · ✓ education-ni.gov.uk |
Easter school holiday dates 2026–2030
Easter is the most date-variable UK school holiday. Here are confirmed and published dates for all four nations:
| Year | England | Scotland | Wales | N. Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (past) | 28 Mar – 12 Apr 2026 | 3 Apr – 17 Apr 2026 | 28 Mar – 12 Apr 2026 | 2 Apr – 10 Apr 2026 |
| 2027 | 26 Mar – 11 Apr 2027 | 26 Mar – 9 Apr 2027 | 20 Mar – 4 Apr 2027 | 25 Mar – 2 Apr 2027 |
| 2028 | 8 Apr – 23 Apr 2028 | 3 Apr – 14 Apr 2028 | 8 Apr – 23 Apr 2028 | 7 Apr – 14 Apr 2028 |
| 2029 | 30 Mar – 15 Apr 2029 | 2 Apr – 13 Apr 2029 | n/a | n/a |
| 2030 | 6 Apr – 22 Apr 2030 | 1 Apr – 12 Apr 2030 | n/a | n/a |
n/a = dates not yet published for that nation.
Why the Easter break changes every year
Easter Sunday is a moveable feast: the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March. It can fall anywhere between 22 March and 25 April, a 34-day window. UK school Easter breaks are pegged to Easter Sunday, so the holiday shifts by up to four weeks between years. Easter 2027 starts in late March; Easter 2028 doesn't begin until 8 April. If you're planning ahead, use the table above and don't assume the same weeks apply each year.
How the Easter break differs by UK nation
England and Wales take roughly two weeks bracketing Easter, typically breaking the week before Good Friday and returning about two weeks after Easter Monday. Exact dates often differ slightly between the two nations.
Scotland takes a "spring holiday" rather than an explicitly Easter-named break. It broadly aligns with Easter but isn't rigidly tied to it, and councils have some discretion. There can be a one-to-two week difference from English dates in some years.
Northern Ireland takes a shorter break, typically one to two weeks, set centrally rather than by local authority.
The cheapest weeks around Easter
The two weeks immediately before and after the school Easter window are reliably cheaper for European city breaks. Weather is similar but demand drops sharply once schools return. For the absolute quietest window, look for the week England and Wales are in school but Scotland has already broken (or vice versa), when only one nation is off simultaneously.
Dates are based on term dates published by 218 UK local authorities and devolved education bodies. Individual schools, particularly academies in England, may set their own dates within the local authority window. Always confirm specific dates before booking.