OCT12October

Orkney school term dates 2026/27

Next break: October holiday, Mon 12 – Tue 27 Oct 2026. Back on Wednesday 28 October 2026.

Checked 10 Oct 2026 against Orkney Islands Council's term dates · Report a wrong date

Add Orkney school holidays to your calendarFree. Updates by itself when dates change or next year's dates come out.
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The school year at a glance

August 2026

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September 2026

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October 2026

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November 2026

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December 2026

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January 2027

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February 2027

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March 2027

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April 2027

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May 2027

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June 2027

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July 2027

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October holidayChristmas holidaysFebruary breakEaster holidaysSummer holidaysOther days off

Holidays 2026/27

October holidayMon 12 – Tue 27 Oct 202618 days off with weekends
Christmas holidaysMon 21 Dec 2026 – Mon 4 Jan 202717 days off with weekends
February breakThu 11 – Tue 16 Feb 20276 days off with weekends
Easter holidaysMon 29 Mar – Fri 9 Apr 202716 days off with weekends
May DayMon 3 May 2027
In-service dayMon 31 May 2027
Summer holidaysFrom Mon 5 Jul 2027

Terms 2026/27

TermStartsEnds
AutumnTue 18 Aug 2026Fri 18 Dec 2026
SpringTue 5 Jan 2027Fri 26 Mar 2027
SummerMon 12 Apr 2027Fri 2 Jul 2027

Council schools in Orkney, including Catholic schools, use these dates. Independent schools set their own.

In-service days listed by the council are included above. A few schools may add their own occasional days.

Day-by-day details from Orkney Islands Council

Pupils start Tue 18 Aug; Mon 17 Aug is an in-service day. October holiday runs Mon 12 to Tue 27 Oct (Mon 26 and Tue 27 Oct are in-service days); pupils return Wed 28 Oct. Christmas holiday is Mon 21 Dec to Mon 4 Jan; pupils return Tue 5 Jan. Schools are closed Thu 11 to Tue 16 Feb (Tue 16 Feb is an in-service day). Fri 26 Mar (Good Friday) is a normal school day; the spring holiday is Mon 29 Mar to Fri 9 Apr. Last day of the year is Fri 2 Jul. There is no September weekend holiday.

Questions parents ask

When is the October holiday 2026 in Orkney?

Mon 12 – Tue 27 Oct 2026. Schools go back on Wednesday 28 October 2026.

When do Orkney schools break up for Christmas 2026?

The autumn term ends on Friday 18 December 2026. The spring term starts on Tuesday 5 January 2027.

When is the February break 2027 in Orkney?

Thu 11 – Tue 16 Feb 2027.

When are the Easter holidays 2027 in Orkney?

Mon 29 Mar – Fri 9 Apr 2027.

When do Orkney schools break up for summer 2027?

The last day of the summer term is Friday 2 July 2027.

What other days are Orkney schools closed in 2026/27?

May Day: Mon 3 May 2027; In-service day: Mon 31 May 2027.

Does the calendar feed include in-service days?

Yes, where the council lists them. They appear as days with no school for pupils.

Nearby councils

AberdeenAberdeenshireAngusArgyll and ButeClackmannanshireDumfries and GallowayDundeeEast AyrshireEast DunbartonshireEast LothianEdinburghFalkirkFifeGlasgowHighlandMidlothianMorayNorth AyrshireNorth LanarkshirePerth and KinrossRenfrewshireScottish BordersShetlandSouth AyrshireSouth LanarkshireStirlingWest DunbartonshireWest LothianWestern Isles

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