Warwickshire schools break up on Friday 18 December and return on 4 January. Half terms, INSET days, and the five local schools that set their own dates.
Schools in Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth that follow Warwickshire County Council’s calendar break up for Christmas on Friday 18 December 2026 and go back on Monday 4 January 2027, which is a training day, so most pupils return on Tuesday 5 January. The independent schools break up two days earlier.
The quick answer
- October half term is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 in council-calendar schools.
- Christmas holiday is 21 December 2026 to 1 January 2027. The autumn term ends on Friday 18 December.
- Easter holiday is 29 March to 9 April 2027, and the summer term ends on Wednesday 21 July.
Warwickshire’s 2026/27 dates
These are the dates Warwickshire County Council sets for community and voluntary controlled schools. Academies, foundation and aided schools set their own, though the council says it works with them to keep dates as similar as possible.
| Term | Starts | Half term | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2026 | Tuesday 1 September (training day) | 26 to 30 October | Friday 18 December |
| Spring 2027 | Monday 4 January (training day) | 15 to 19 February | Thursday 25 March |
| Summer 2027 | Monday 12 April | 31 May to 4 June | Wednesday 21 July |
The holidays in between are 21 December to 1 January at Christmas and 29 March to 9 April at Easter. The May Day bank holiday is Monday 3 May 2027, according to the county’s 2026/27 calendar, which counts 195 school days across the year.
INSET days
The county sets only two training days for 2026/27: Tuesday 1 September 2026 and Monday 4 January 2027. Every school adds three more of its own, so ask your child’s school for the rest. The secondary induction day for Year 6 pupils moving up is Wednesday 7 July 2027.
The local schools that differ
Several of the biggest schools locally publish their own calendars. We checked each school’s own page on 25 September 2026.
| School | October half term | Christmas break-up | Summer term ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warwickshire County Council calendar | 26 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Wed 21 Jul |
| Warwick School, King's High, Warwick Prep | 19 to 30 Oct (two weeks) | Wed 16 Dec, 12.15pm | Fri 9 Jul |
| Arnold Lodge, Leamington | 17 Oct to 1 Nov (two weeks) | Wed 16 Dec | Wed 7 Jul |
| North Leamington School | 26 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Fri 16 Jul |
| Myton School, Warwick | 26 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Fri 16 Jul |
| Kenilworth School | 26 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Tue 20 Jul |
What that means for families with children in two schools:
- The Warwick Schools Foundation takes a two-week October half term, from Monday 19 to Friday 30 October, so its pupils are off a full week before county schools. Its spring term also starts a day later, on Tuesday 5 January.
- Arnold Lodge’s half term also runs two weeks, from Saturday 17 October to Sunday 1 November.
- Kenilworth School pupils are not in on Monday 2 November. It is one of the school’s training days, alongside 1 and 2 September, 4 January and 21 July, so they go back after half term on Tuesday 3 November.
- Myton School closes to pupils on Friday 4 December for a training day, and finishes the summer term on Friday 16 July, with training days on 19, 20 and 21 July.
- North Leamington’s summer term also ends on Friday 16 July. Its spring term starts on Tuesday 5 January after a training day on the 4th.
If your child’s school is not listed, it may still be on the county calendar. The council says to check with the school directly, especially an academy.
Half term and Christmas plans
For what is actually on locally in October half term, including the Pumpkin Path and the castle Halloween events, see our Halloween half term page. For the Christmas break, see Father Christmas near Leamington and the Christmas markets.
Holidays in term time
Warwickshire’s page says headteachers can only approve leave in exceptional circumstances and are not allowed to approve it for holidays. Talk to the head before booking anything.
Next year’s dates are already out
The county has also published 2027/28: autumn term starts on Wednesday 1 September 2027, October half term is 25 to 29 October, and the term ends on Friday 17 December 2027. It publishes dates about 18 months ahead.
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