Leave HackerGuidesPlan my yearHighland school holidays 2026/27 and 2027/28
Highland's school holidays and term dates for 2026/27 and 2027/28, from The Highland Council. Highland schools break up for Christmas on Tuesday 22 December 2026 and go back on Wednesday 6 January. For a parent, the best value is Christmas 2026: book 3 days, get 11 off (Fri 25 Dec 2026 to Mon 4 Jan 2027). October holidays 2026 are Sat 10 Oct to Sun 25 Oct 2026 (two weeks), longer than the most common Scottish dates: Sat 10 Oct to Sun 18 Oct 2026 (one week, 11 of 32 councils).
Highland school holidays 2026/27
| Holiday | Off, weekends included | Leave to cover it |
|---|---|---|
| October holidaystwo weeks, past | 10 to 25 Octback Mon 26 Oct | 10 days → 16 off |
| Christmas holidaystwo weeks | 23 Dec to 5 Janback Wed 6 Jan | 6 days → 14 off |
| February mid-term2 days | 13 to 16 Febback Wed 17 Feb INSET day | 2 days → 4 off |
| Easter holidaystwo weeks and 1 day | 26 Mar to 11 Aprback Mon 12 Apr | 10 days → 17 off |
| May Day1 day | 1 to 3 Mayback Tue 4 May | No leave |
| Summer holidayssix weeks and 3 days | 2 Jul to 17 Augback Wed 18 Aug | 32 days → 47 off |
Training (INSET) days set by the council: Mon 17 Aug 2026, Tue 18 Aug 2026, Mon 14 Sep 2026, Wed 17 Feb 2027 and Thu 6 May 2027. Pupils are off. Check with your school: schools set their other training days themselves.
Each row is a month, from the 1st on the left. The yellow stickers are the school holidays.
Term dates 2026/27
| Term | First day | Last day |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | Mon 17 Aug 2026 | Tue 22 Dec 2026 |
| Spring term | Wed 6 Jan 2027 | Thu 25 Mar 2027 |
| Summer term | Mon 12 Apr 2027 | Thu 1 Jul 2027 |
The terms between Christmas, Easter and the summer; Scottish councils often number them 1 to 4. Half terms and the other holidays above fall inside them.
How Highland compares
- October holidays 2026 are Sat 10 Oct to Sun 25 Oct 2026 (two weeks), longer than the most common Scottish dates: Sat 10 Oct to Sun 18 Oct 2026 (one week, 11 of 32 councils).
- Christmas 2026 is Wed 23 Dec 2026 to Tue 5 Jan 2027 (two weeks), a week later than the most common Scottish dates: Sat 19 Dec 2026 to Mon 4 Jan 2027 (two weeks and 1 day, 12 of 32 councils).
- Summer holidays 2027 are Fri 2 Jul to Tue 17 Aug 2027 (six weeks and 3 days), a week later than the most common Scottish dates: Sat 26 Jun to Tue 10 Aug 2027 (six weeks and 2 days, 4 of 32 councils).
Its February mid-term and Easter holidays match the most common Scottish dates.
Compared with the 32 Scottish councils we have 2026/27 dates for. Every Scottish council side by side.
The best days of leave to book in 2026/27
To be off for every school holiday day in 2026/27 you'd need 65 days of leave, including the council's INSET days. Full-time workers are entitled to at least 28 days a year, and that can include the bank holidays, so most families mix leave with a second parent, family and holiday clubs. These are the holidays where a day of leave goes furthest:
Christmas 2026: book 3 days, get 11 off
Open it in the planner to see it in your year and get the message for your manager.
Easter holidays 2027: book 5 days, get 10 off
Open it in the planner to see it in your year and get the message for your manager.
Summer holidays 2027: book 4 days, get 9 off
Open it in the planner to see it in your year and get the message for your manager.
If your leave year runs January to December, covering the whole Christmas holiday takes 5 days from your 2026 leave and 1 day from 2027's.
About these dates: Term 1 starts on 17 August with two in-service days, so pupils start on 19 August.
Source: The Highland Council's term dates page, checked on 26 October 2026. Bank holidays from gov.uk.
Highland school holidays 2027/28
| Holiday | Off, weekends included | Leave to cover it |
|---|---|---|
| October holidaystwo weeks | 9 to 24 Octback Mon 25 Oct | 10 days → 16 off |
| Christmas holidaystwo weeks | 22 Dec to 4 Janback Wed 5 Jan | 6 days → 14 off |
| February mid-term2 days | 12 to 15 Febback Wed 16 Feb INSET day | 2 days → 4 off |
| Easter holidaystwo weeks and 1 day | 1 to 17 Aprback Tue 18 Apr | 10 days → 17 off |
| May Day1 day | 29 Apr to 1 Mayback Tue 2 May | No leave |
| Summer holidayssix weeks | 30 Jun to 10 Augback Fri 11 Aug | 29 days → 42 off |
Training (INSET) days set by the council: Mon 16 Aug 2027, Tue 17 Aug 2027, Mon 13 Sep 2027, Wed 16 Feb 2028 and Mon 5 Jun 2028. Pupils are off. Check with your school: schools set their other training days themselves.
Each row is a month, from the 1st on the left. The yellow stickers are the school holidays.
Term dates 2027/28
| Term | First day | Last day |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | Wed 18 Aug 2027 | Tue 21 Dec 2027 |
| Spring term | Wed 5 Jan 2028 | Fri 31 Mar 2028 |
| Summer term | Tue 18 Apr 2028 | Thu 29 Jun 2028 |
The terms between Christmas, Easter and the summer; Scottish councils often number them 1 to 4. Half terms and the other holidays above fall inside them.
How Highland compares
- Summer holidays 2028 are Fri 30 Jun to Thu 10 Aug 2028 (six weeks), longer than the most common Scottish dates: Sat 1 Jul to Thu 10 Aug 2028 (five weeks and 4 days, 10 of 29 councils).
Its October holidays, Christmas holidays, February mid-term and Easter holidays match the most common Scottish dates.
Compared with the 29 Scottish councils we have 2027/28 dates for. Every Scottish council side by side.
The best days of leave to book in 2027/28
To be off for every school holiday day in 2027/28 you'd need 62 days of leave, including the council's INSET days. Full-time workers are entitled to at least 28 days a year, and that can include the bank holidays, so most families mix leave with a second parent, family and holiday clubs. These are the holidays where a day of leave goes furthest:
Christmas 2027: book 3 days, get 11 off
Open it in the planner to see it in your year and get the message for your manager.
Easter holidays 2028: book 4 days, get 9 off
Open it in the planner to see it in your year and get the message for your manager.
Summer holidays 2028: book 5 days, get 10 off
Open it in the planner to see it in your year and get the message for your manager.
Source: The Highland Council's term dates page, checked on 26 October 2026. Bank holidays from gov.uk.
Which schools use these dates
These are The Highland Council's dates for its own schools. Independent schools set their own, and some local holidays vary from school to school, so check with your school before you book.
Taking children out of school in term time has its own rules: can I take my child on holiday in term time? Work in a school? Teachers and annual leave.
Questions
When are the October holidays 2027 in Highland?
Sat 9 Oct to Sun 24 Oct 2027, weekends included: two weeks off school. The last day of school before it is Friday 8 October and pupils go back on Monday 25 October.
When do Highland schools break up for Christmas 2026?
The last day of term is Tuesday 22 December 2026. The holiday runs Wed 23 Dec 2026 to Tue 5 Jan 2027, and schools go back on Wednesday 6 January 2027.
When are the summer holidays 2027 in Highland?
Fri 2 Jul to Tue 17 Aug 2027: six weeks and 3 days off school. The last day of term is Thursday 1 July.
When are the summer holidays 2028 in Highland?
Fri 30 Jun to Thu 10 Aug 2028: six weeks off school. The last day of term is Thursday 29 June.
What's the best time to book annual leave around the Highland school holidays?
Christmas 2026: book Tue 29 to Thu 31 Dec (3 days) and you're off Friday 25 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027, 11 days with the children. Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2nd January are bank holidays, so they come free.
How much annual leave do I need to cover the Highland school holidays?
65 days in 2026/27 and 62 days in 2027/28, to be off for every school holiday day and the council's INSET days, Monday to Friday. With 25 days of leave that's about 38% of 2026/27.
Do all schools in Highland follow these dates?
These are The Highland Council's dates for its own schools. Independent schools set their own, and some local holidays vary from school to school, so check with your school before you book.