Worcestershire schools break for half term on 23 October and return 2 November. RGS and King's break a week earlier and finish on 11 December. All dates.
Worcestershire’s council schools break up for October half term on Friday 23 October 2026 and go back on Monday 2 November. The Christmas holiday runs from Friday 18 December to Monday 4 January 2027. Worcester’s two big independent schools, RGS Worcester and King’s Worcester, take a two-week October break and finish for Christmas a week earlier.
The quick answer
- October half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 for council schools, Nunnery Wood and Christopher Whitehead. RGS and King’s: 19 to 30 October.
- Christmas: council schools close Friday 18 December and reopen Monday 4 January 2027. RGS and King’s finish on Friday 11 December.
- Summer term ends Wednesday 21 July 2027 for council schools. Academies and independents set their own dates and INSET days, so check with your school.
Worcestershire County Council dates, 2026/27
These are the dates the county council sets for community and voluntary controlled schools. It says academies, foundation, free and voluntary aided schools set their own, and that parents should check INSET days with the school (Worcestershire County Council).
| Holiday | School closes | School reopens |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term starts | Tuesday 1 September 2026 | |
| October half term | Friday 23 October 2026 | Monday 2 November 2026 |
| Christmas | Friday 18 December 2026 | Monday 4 January 2027 |
| February half term | Friday 12 February 2027 | Monday 22 February 2027 |
| Easter | Thursday 25 March 2027 | Monday 12 April 2027 |
| May half term | Friday 28 May 2027 | Monday 7 June 2027 |
| End of summer term | Wednesday 21 July 2027 |
Bank holidays in term time: Good Friday 26 March 2027, Easter Monday 29 March, May Day Monday 3 May and the spring bank holiday Monday 31 May.
The county has also approved 2027/28: the autumn term starts Thursday 2 September 2027, October half term runs from Friday 22 October to Monday 1 November 2027, and Christmas from Friday 17 December 2027 to Tuesday 4 January 2028.
How Worcester’s big schools differ
We checked the published calendars of four of the city’s largest secondary schools on 25 September 2026. Each links to its source.
| School | Autumn term starts | October half term | Christmas break starts after | Spring term starts | Summer term ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County council schools | Tue 1 Sep | 26 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Mon 4 Jan | Wed 21 Jul |
| Nunnery Wood High | Thu 3 Sep (Year 7), Fri 4 Sep (all) | 26 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Mon 4 Jan | Fri 16 Jul |
| Christopher Whitehead | Thu 3 Sep | 26 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Mon 4 Jan | Wed 21 Jul |
| RGS Worcester | Thu 3 Sep | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 11 Dec | Tue 5 Jan | Fri 9 Jul (midday) |
| King's Worcester (senior) | Tue 8 Sep | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 11 Dec | Tue 5 Jan | Fri 9 Jul |
All five share the February half term (15 to 19 February 2027) and the May half term (31 May to 4 June 2027). Everyone breaks for Easter after Thursday 25 March 2027.
INSET days we found
INSET days, also called teacher education or TED days, close a school to pupils. They are the dates that most often catch families out.
- Nunnery Wood High: 1 and 2 September and Friday 4 December 2026 (Nunnery Wood).
- Christopher Whitehead: 1 and 2 September, Friday 9 October, Monday 23 November 2026 and Thursday 11 March 2027 (Christopher Whitehead). The school’s page is headed “Academic Year 2025 - 2026” but the dates beneath it are for 2026/27.
- RGS Worcester: 1 and 2 September, Friday 16 October 2026, Monday 4 January and Monday 12 April 2027 (RGS Worcester). The October INSET day means RGS pupils are off from Friday 16 October.
- King’s Worcester: 3 and 4 September, Monday 4 January and Monday 12 April 2027 (King’s Worcester). King’s prep schools, King’s St Alban’s and King’s Hawford, start on Monday 7 September and finish the summer term on Thursday 8 July 2027.
For council primary schools, the county leaves INSET days to each school.
What is on in half term
October half term for most Worcester children runs from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October. Our Worcester October half term page lists what is on in the city that week, and the rail closure that shuts Foregate Street to trains for most of it.
Frequently asked questions
When is October half term 2026 in Worcester? Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 for council schools. Schools close on Friday 23 October and reopen on Monday 2 November. RGS Worcester and King’s Worcester break from 19 to 30 October.
When do Worcester schools break up for Christmas 2026? Council schools close on Friday 18 December 2026 and reopen on Monday 4 January 2027. RGS Worcester and King’s Worcester finish on Friday 11 December.
When does the summer term end in 2027? Wednesday 21 July 2027 for council schools. Nunnery Wood finishes on Friday 16 July, and RGS and King’s on Friday 9 July.
Do academies in Worcester follow the county’s dates? Not necessarily. The county says academies, foundation, free and voluntary aided schools set their own dates, so check the school’s website.
Sources
- Worcestershire County Council, School term dates, checked 25 September 2026
- Nunnery Wood High School, Term dates
- Christopher Whitehead Language College, Term dates
- RGS Worcester, Term dates
- King’s Worcester, Term dates
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