School HolidaysDorset Council School Holidays, Half Term & Term Dates

Dorset Council School Holidays, Half Term & Term Dates 2026 - 2027

Planning a family getaway or just trying to avoid last-minute surprises? Stay on top of school term dates and holidays in Dorset Council for the years 2026 and 2027. This page has all the key dates you need to plan ahead with confidence.

Many academies and free schools have the flexibility to set their own term dates, so we recommend confirming the exact schedule with your child's school. To make things easy, we've included a link to your school's website further down this page.

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What's the next school holiday in Dorset Council?

23 Jul - 28 Aug

Summer

Starts in 14 days

Dorset Council School Holiday Dates Table 2026 - 2027

The next school holiday in Dorset Council is the Summer holiday, running from 23 July to 28 August. After that, the Autumn Half Term holiday will take place from 26 October to 30 October.

TermHoliday Dates
Summer Half Term25 May 2026 - 29 May 2026
Summer23 Jul 2026 - 28 Aug 2026
Autumn Half Term26 Oct 2026 - 30 Oct 2026
Christmas21 Dec 2026 - 1 Jan 2027
Spring Half Term15 Feb 2027 - 19 Feb 2027
Easter30 Mar 2027 - 9 Apr 2027
Summer Half Term1 Jun 2027 - 4 Jun 2027
Summer22 Jul 2027 - 31 Aug 2027

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Dorset Council School Term & Half Term Dates Table 2026 - 2027

The current school term in Dorset Council is the Summer term, running from 13 Apr 2026 to 22 Jul 2026.

TermTerm DatesHalf Term Dates
Summer13 Apr 2026 - 22 Jul 202625 May 2026 - 29 May 2026
Autumn1 Sep 2026 - 18 Dec 202626 Oct 2026 - 30 Oct 2026
Spring4 Jan 2027 - 25 Mar 202715 Feb 2027 - 19 Feb 2027
Summer12 Apr 2027 - 21 Jul 20271 Jun 2027 - 4 Jun 2027

List of Schools in Dorset Council and Their Holiday Pages

Are you looking to find specific school holiday information for your school? Below is a list of schools in Dorset Council with direct links to their websites or dedicated holiday pages.

School NameSchool Website
Ringwood Junior Schoolhttps://www.ringwood.hants.sch.uk
Ringwood Church of England Infant Schoolhttps://www.ringwood-inf.hants.sch.uk
Moyles Court Schoolhttps://moylescourt.co.uk
Yewstock Schoolhttps://yewstock.dorset.sch.uk
Wyvern Academyhttps://www.wyvern.kent.sch.uk/Term-Dates/
Cranborne Middle Schoolhttps://www.cranbornemid.dorset.sch.uk/term-dates.html
West Moors Middle Schoolhttps://westmoorsmid.dorset.sch.uk/about-us/term-dates/
Hanford Schoolhttps://www.hanfordprep.group/term-dates
Port Regis Preparatory Schoolhttps://www.portregis.com/term_dates_and_uniform
Sherborne Preparatory Schoolhttps://www.sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk/key-information/term-dates/
Dumpton Schoolhttps://www.dumpton.com/term-dates
Sunninghill Preparatory Schoolhttps://sunninghillprep.co.uk/information/term-dates/
Castle Court Schoolhttps://www.somerset.gov.uk
Dorchester Middle Schoolhttps://www.ths.wessex.ac
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletownhttps://www.puddletownfirst.dorset.sch.uk
Allenbourn Middle Schoolhttps://www.allenbournmiddle.org
St Michael's Church of England Middle School, Colehillhttps://www.stmichaelscofe.org.uk/parents/school-holidays/
Emmanuel Church of England Middle Schoolhttps://www.emanuel.org.uk
Lockyer's Middle Schoolhttps://www.lockyersmid.dorset.sch.uk
St Osmund's Church of England Middle Schoolhttps://www.stosmunds.wessex.ac
Kingfisher Schoolhttps://kingfisherschool.e-act.org.uk/parent-information/term-dates/
Bryanston Schoolhttps://www.bryanston.co.uk/term-dates/
Ringwood Waldorf Schoolhttps://ringwoodwaldorfschool.org.uk/term-dates/
Lytchett Minster Schoolhttps://www.lytchett.org.uk/parents/term-dates
All Saints' Church of England Academyhttps://www.allsaints-academy.co.uk/Term-Dates/
Milton Abbey Schoolhttps://www.miltonabbey.co.uk/news-and-information/term-dates/
Atlantic Academy Portlandhttps://www.atlanticacademy.uk
Dorset Studio Schoolhttps://www.totalguidetodorset.com
Beaucroft Foundation Schoolhttps://www.beaucroft.dorset.sch.uk/key-dates/school-term-dates/
Sherborne Schoolhttps://www.sherbornepri.dorset.sch.uk/key-information/term-dates/
The Gryphon Schoolhttps://www.gryphon.dorset.sch.uk/school-life/term-dates/
The Forum Schoolhttps://blandfordschool.org.uk/parents-and-carers/term-dates/
Arbour House Schoolhttps://www.arbourvaleschool.org
The Thomas Hardye Schoolhttps://www.thomas-hardye.net
Budmouth Academy Weymouthhttps://www.budmouth-aspirations.org
Sherborne School for Girlshttps://www.sherbornegirls.group/sgs-term-dates
Queen Elizabeth's Schoolhttps://www.queenelizabeths-ac.org.uk/news-and-calendar/term-dates/
Sheiling Schoolhttps://www.thesheilingringwood.co.uk
Beaminster Schoolhttps://www.beaminster.dorset.sch.uk/school-calendar-1
The Sir John Colfox Academyhttps://sirjohntalbots.co.uk/term-dates/
Clayesmore Schoolhttps://www.clayesmore.com/term-dates
Leweston Schoolhttps://www.leweston.co.uk/useful-information/term-dates
The Blandford Schoolhttps://blandfordschool.org.uk/parents-and-carers/term-dates/
The Swanage Schoolhttps://www.swanageprimary.dorset.sch.uk
Aurora Beeches Schoolhttps://www.beechescps.org.uk/parents/term-dates-and-times
Shaftesbury Schoolhttps://www.shaftesbury.lancs.sch.uk/our-school/term-dates
Harbour School Dorsethttps://harbourvale.dorset.sch.uk/school-life/term-dates/
Westfield Arts Collegehttps://westfield.dorset.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Term-Dates-2025-26-V2.pdf
The Luccombe Hubhttps://www.sast.org.uk/term-dates/
Mountjoy Schoolhttps://mountjoy.school
Wey Valley Academyhttps://weyvalley-academy.co.uk/Parents/Term-Dates/
The Woodroffe Schoolhttps://woodroffeschool.org/term-dates-hours-events/
Sturminster Newton High Schoolhttps://www.sast.org.uk/term-dates/
The Purbeck Schoolhttps://www.purbeck.dorset.sch.uk

What’s the Difference Between a Term, a Half Term, and a Holiday?

  • Term: A block of time when schools are open, usually split into three per year – Autumn, Spring, and Summer.
  • Half Term: A short break in the middle of each term, typically lasting one week.
  • School Holidays: The longer breaks between terms, such as Christmas, Easter, and Summer.

Each term consists of one half-term, and each term concludes with a holiday. This structure is consistent across most schools in the UK.

How Are School Term Dates Decided in Dorset Council?

School term dates in Dorset Council are set by the Dorset Council, which publishes an official calendar for community and voluntary-controlled schools.

However, not all schools follow these exact dates. Academies, free schools, and independent schools have the freedom to set their own term dates, especially when it comes to inset days (staff training days) and minor adjustments.

Explore School Holiday & Term Dates in Cities Across Dorset Council

BeaminsterBlandford ForumBovingtonBridportChild OkefordColehillCorfe MullenCranborneDorchesterIwerne Minster

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

School holidays in Dorset Council typically follow this annual pattern:

  • October half-term: One week in October (26 October 2026 - 30 October 2026)
  • Christmas holidays: Two weeks in December (21 December 2026 - 1 January 2027)
  • February half-term: One week in February (15 February 2027 - 19 February 2027)
  • Easter holidays: Two weeks around March/April (30 March 2027 - 9 April 2027)
  • May half-term: One week in late May (25 May 2026 - 29 May 2026, 1 June 2027 - 4 June 2027)
  • Summer holidays: Usually six weeks, beginning in late July (23 July 2026 - 28 August 2026, 22 July 2027 - 31 August 2027)

Dates can vary between schools, especially for academies and free schools, so it's always best to check directly with your school for the most accurate information.

Not always. While Dorset Council sets standard term dates for most schools, academies and free schools may differ. So it's a good idea to double-check with your school to be sure.
No - inset days are teacher training days when staff are in school but pupils get the day off. While children don't attend, these days aren't officially considered part of the school holidays, and they can vary from school to school.