Surrey schools break for two weeks from 19 to 30 October 2026 and finish on 18 December. Every holiday for 2026/27, plus the local schools that differ.

Surrey’s state schools break up for a two-week October half term this year, from Monday 19 to Friday 30 October 2026. That is new. Surrey County Council has moved five days out of the summer holiday to pay for it, so the school year now ends later, on Wednesday 28 July 2027.

The Christmas holiday starts after school on Friday 18 December 2026, and pupils go back on Monday 4 January 2027. Several of the borough’s independent schools finish earlier, and the table below shows by how much.

The quick answer

  • October half term: 19 to 30 October 2026, two full weeks, for Surrey community and voluntary controlled schools.
  • Christmas: last day Friday 18 December 2026, back Monday 4 January 2027.
  • February half term: 15 to 19 February 2027. Easter: school ends Thursday 25 March, back Monday 12 April.

Surrey term dates 2026/27

These are the dates Surrey County Council sets for community and voluntary controlled schools (Surrey County Council).

Surrey County Council school term dates 2026/27
TermStartsHalf termEnds
Autumn 2026Tuesday 1 September19 to 30 OctoberFriday 18 December
Spring 2027Monday 4 January15 to 19 FebruaryThursday 25 March
Summer 2027Monday 12 April31 May to 4 JuneWednesday 28 July

The council says the year still has 195 days, including five INSET days. Each school sets its own INSET days, so the table above does not show them, and neither does the council’s downloadable calendar file.

Academies, voluntary aided and foundation schools set their own dates. The council encourages them to follow its calendar, and the big local secondaries we checked have done so for the half term.

Why the October half term is two weeks

Surrey’s page says that from September 2026 community and voluntary controlled schools “will have a two-week autumn half term”, with five days taken from the summer holiday in July 2027.

It is a one-year change for now. For 2027/28 the council has already published a return to a one-week half term, 25 to 29 October 2027.

For families, that means ten weekdays of childcare to arrange in October, and a summer break that starts almost a week later than usual. Our October half term in Reigate page lists what is on locally across the fortnight.

Local schools compared

We read each school’s own term dates page on 24 September 2026. Where a school has published INSET days, they are shown.

2026/27 dates at selected Reigate & Banstead schools, from each school's own website
SchoolOctober half termChristmas: last dayBack in JanuarySummer: last day
Surrey County Council calendar19 to 30 OctFri 18 DecMon 4 JanWed 28 Jul
St Bede's School, Redhill19 to 30 OctFri 18 DecMon 4 JanWed 28 Jul
Oakwood School, Horley19 to 30 OctFri 18 DecTue 5 Jan (4 Jan is INSET)Wed 28 Jul
Royal Alexandra and Albert School, Gatton17 to 31 Oct, back Mon 2 NovThu 17 DecMon 4 JanFri 2 Jul
Reigate Grammar School (independent)19 to 30 OctTue 15 Dec, 12.15pmThu 7 Jan (sixth form earlier)Fri 2 Jul, 12.15pm
Dunottar School, Reigate (independent)Weeks of 19 and 26 OctWed 16 Dec, noonWed 6 JanFri 2 Jul, noon

What it means for you: every school we checked has taken the two-week October break. The differences come at Christmas and in the summer. Reigate Grammar finishes three days before the state schools at Christmas, and the independents and the Royal Alexandra and Albert School finish in early July rather than late July.

INSET days and other closures

  • St Bede’s School: INSET on Tuesday 1 September and Friday 2 October 2026 (St Bede’s School). The school notes its dates “may vary slightly” from Surrey’s.
  • Oakwood School: INSET on 1 and 2 September 2026 and Monday 4 January 2027 (Oakwood School).
  • Royal Alexandra and Albert School: INSET on Friday 28 August 2026, Tuesday 1 September 2026 and Thursday 25 March 2027. The early May bank holiday, 3 May 2027, is a normal school day there (RAA School).
  • Reigate Grammar School: a Wellbeing Day on Friday 20 November and a staff training day on Monday 23 November, both with the school closed to students, plus a training day on Friday 28 May 2027 (Reigate Grammar School).
  • Dunottar School: INSET on 1 and 2 September, 4 and 5 January and 13 and 14 April (Dunottar School).

Primary schools and other secondaries set their own INSET days. Check your school’s website or newsletter, as the county calendar cannot tell you.

Bank holidays in the school year

Christmas Day is Friday 25 December 2026, the Boxing Day holiday moves to Monday 28 December, and New Year’s Day is Friday 1 January 2027. Good Friday is 26 March and Easter Monday 29 March 2027, both inside the Easter holiday (GOV.UK).

For what the holidays mean for bins and trains, see our Christmas bin collections and Christmas trains and travel pages.

Frequently asked questions

When is October half term 2026 in Reigate? Monday 19 to Friday 30 October 2026 for Surrey state schools. It is two weeks this year.

Why is the October half term two weeks long in Surrey? Surrey County Council has moved five days from the July 2027 summer holiday to the autumn half term. The school year still has 195 days.

When do Surrey schools break up for Christmas 2026? Friday 18 December 2026, returning Monday 4 January 2027. Reigate Grammar breaks up on Tuesday 15 December and Dunottar on Wednesday 16 December.

When does the summer term end in 2027? Wednesday 28 July 2027 for schools on the Surrey calendar, later than usual because of the longer October break.

Is the October half term two weeks again in 2027? No. Surrey has published a one-week half term, 25 to 29 October 2027.

Sources

Last checked 24 September 2026. Surrey will publish 2028/29 dates before 10 May 2027.

More from Reigate News: October half term in Reigate, school results and Ofsted and roadworks and travel.