Essex School Holidays and Term Dates

🔄 Updated: 15 February 2026

There are six main school holiday periods in Essex each academic year, including the summer break, Christmas, Easter, and three half-term holidays. The Essex School Holidays calendar gives families a clear breakdown of when terms start and finish across the county.

Here, you can quickly find the most up-to-date Essex School Holidays and term dates in one convenient place. It’s designed to help parents and carers plan ahead, manage childcare, and organise holidays around official school closures.

Essex School Holidays 2025/2026

For the Essex School term dates 2025/2026, the key dates are as follows.

2025-2026 Term Dates

TermStarting DateEnding Date
Autumn Term 1Monday 1 September 2025Friday 24 October 2025
Autumn Half TermMonday 27 October 2025Friday 31 October 2025
Autumn Term 2Monday 3 November 2025Friday 19 December 2025
Spring Term 3Monday 5 January 2026Friday 13 February 2026
Spring Half TermMonday 16 February 2026Friday 20 February 2026
Spring Term 4Monday 23 February 2026Friday 27 March 2026
Summer Term 5Monday 13 April 2026Friday 22 May 2026
Summer Half TermMonday 25 May 2026Friday 29 May 2026
Summer Term 6Monday 1 June 2026Monday 20 July 2026

2025-2026 Bank Holidays

Bank HolidayDate
Christmas DayFriday 25 December 2025
Boxing DaySaturday 26 December 2025
New Year’s DayThursday 1 January 2026
Good FridayFriday 3 April 2026
Easter MondayMonday 6 April 2026
Early May Bank HolidayMonday 4 May 2026
Spring Bank HolidayMonday 25 May 2026
Summer Bank HolidayMonday 31 August 2026

Essex School Holidays 2026/2027

For the Essex School Holidays 2026/2027, the key dates are as follows.

2026-2027 Term Dates

TermStarting DateEnding Date
Autumn Term 1Tuesday 1 September 2026Friday 23 October 2026
Autumn Half TermMonday 26 October 2026Friday 30 October 2026
Autumn Term 2Monday 2 November 2026Friday 18 December 2026
Spring Term 3Monday 4 January 2027Friday 12 February 2027
Spring Half TermMonday 15 February 2027Friday 19 February 2027
Spring Term 4Monday 22 February 2027Thursday 25 March 2027
Summer Term 5Monday 12 April 2027Friday 28 May 2027
Summer Half TermMonday 31 May 2027Friday 4 June 2027
Summer Term 6Monday 7 June 2027Wednesday 21 July 2027

2026-2027 Bank Holidays

Bank HolidayDate
Christmas DayFriday 25 December 2026
Boxing DaySaturday 26 December 2026
New Year’s DayFriday 1 January 2027
Good FridayFriday 26 March 2027
Easter MondayMonday 29 March 2027
Early May Bank HolidayMonday 3 May 2027
Spring Bank HolidayMonday 31 May 2027
Summer Bank HolidayMonday 30 August 2027

Essex School Holidays 2027/2028

For the Essex School Holidays 2027/2028, the key dates are as follows.

2027-2028 Term Dates

TermStarting DateEnding Date
Autumn Term 1Wednesday 1 September 2027Friday 22 October 2027
Autumn Half TermMonday 25 October 2027Friday 29 October 2027
Autumn Term 2Monday 1 November 2027Friday 17 December 2027
Spring Term 3Tuesday 4 January 2028Friday 11 February 2028
Spring Half TermMonday 14 February 2028Friday 18 February 2028
Spring Term 4Monday 21 February 2028Friday 31 March 2028
Summer Term 5Monday 17 April 2028Friday 26 May 2028
Summer Half TermMonday 29 May 2028Friday 2 June 2028
Summer Term 6Monday 5 June 2028Friday 21 July 2028

2027-2028 Bank Holidays

Bank HolidayDate
Christmas DaySaturday 25 December 2027
Boxing DaySunday 26 December 2027
New Year’s DayMonday 1 January 2028
Good FridayFriday 14 April 2028
Easter MondayMonday 17 April 2028
Early May Bank HolidayMonday 1 May 2028
Spring Bank HolidayMonday 29 May 2028
Summer Bank HolidayMonday 28 August 2028

Have a Question About School Holiday Dates?

If you’ve spotted an issue, need clarification, or have a question about UK school holidays or term dates, feel free to get in touch with us.

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Detailed Essex School Holidays Explained

Autumn Term

The autumn term typically runs from early September through mid-December, split by a week-long October half term. For Essex schools, this term marks the start of the academic year and includes winter holiday preparations. The term start dates and term end dates for autumn give families a natural rhythm—settling into new routines after summer, enjoying autumn activities during half term, and building excitement for Christmas holidays.

In Essex, you’ll notice the autumn term often begins on 1 September (or the nearest weekday) and wraps up just before Christmas, with the Christmas holiday offering a well-deserved two-week break.

Spring Term

The spring term kicks off in early January, running through to late March or early April, with a February half term breaking up the weeks. This term includes the Easter holiday, which can fall in late March or April depending on the year. For parents scanning Essex term dates, the spring term is when bank holidays like Good Friday and Easter Monday often provide extended weekends.

It’s also a key time for term time absence requests, as families sometimes consider early holiday requests school administrators must review carefully.

Summer Term

The summer term is the final sprint of the school year, beginning after Easter and concluding in late July. It features the May bank holiday and a summer half term in late May or early June. For Essex school summer holidays, this term builds anticipation—term end dates in July signal the start of the six-week summer holiday.

The number of school days in a year (around 195) includes this term’s contributions, and teachers use these weeks for key assessments before the break.

Essex School Holidays and Term Dates
Essex School Holidays and Term Dates

Key Bank Holidays & Closures in Essex

Bank holidays bring guaranteed days off for Essex schools, aligning with national celebrations. The early May bank holiday, spring bank holiday in late May, and summer bank holiday in August all fall within or near school holidays, often extending weekends. Religious holidays like Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Good Friday, and Easter Monday also shape the calendar.

For Essex school Easter holidays, the dates shift annually, but they always include these statutory days. The GOV.UK bank holidays list confirms these nationally, though Essex County Council adapts term dates around them. When reviewing Essex school calendar PDFs, you’ll spot these red-letter days—perfect for planning family time without needing term time absence approval.

More School Holidays

Planning your family’s year around Essex School Holidays and Essex School Term Dates doesn’t have to be complicated. Bookmark this page, share it with fellow parents, and enjoy a stress-free year of planning around Essex Schools!

Useful Resources

  • Essex County Council Official Term Dates:
Check the official Essex County Council Website

FAQs

Are Essex school term dates the same for all schools?

No, academies and foundation schools may differ. Always verify with your child’s school.

Can I take my child on holiday during term time in Essex?
Do Essex schools close for the May bank holiday?
Are INSET days included in the published term dates?
Where can I download the Essex school calendar PDF?