Consultation on proposed school terms and holiday dates for 2026/2027
Bristol City Council is responsible for setting the school term and holiday dates for all Community and Voluntary Controlled schools in the city. Academies have the freedom to determine their own but often choose to align with the Local Authority.
Local Authority maintained schools must open for 380 sessions, the equivalent of 190 days.
Bristol City Council usually intends to find continuity with our neighbouring Local Authorities; South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, and North Somerset. This was not possible for 2026/2027 so Bristol are proposing two options for consultation of what we feel are the most suitable dates, considering various factors including the working commitments of Bristol families, consistency in the length of each term and the avoidance of unauthorised absence, particularly during the summer term.
Around five hundred Bristol children are educated in state schools in our neighbouring Local Authorities. The majority of these of primary school age travel to South Gloucestershire whereas most secondary school age children travel to North Somerset.
For this reason, we are consulting on two sets of dates. Option 1 dates align with those proposed by South Gloucestershire and Option 2 dates align with those proposed with North Somerset.
| Term | Start of term | End of term | Number of days |
| Term 1 | 1 September 2026 | 23 October 2026 | 39 Days |
| Term 2 | 2 November 2026 | 18 December 2026 | 35 Days |
| Term 3 | 4 January 2027 | 12 February 2027 | 30 Days |
| Term 4 | 22 February 2027 | 25 March 2027 | 24 Days |
| Term 5 | 12 April 2027 | 28 May 2027 | 34 Days |
| Term 6 | 7 June 2027 | 21 July 2027 | 33 Days |
| Term | Start of term | End of term | Number of days |
| Term 1 | 3 September 2026 | 23 October 2026 | 37 Days |
| Term 2 | 2 November 2026 | 18 December 2026 | 35 Days |
| Term 3 | 4 January 2027 | 12 February 2027 | 30 Days |
| Term 4 | 22 February 2027 | 25 March 2027 | 24 Days |
| Term 5 | 12 April 2027 | 28 May 2027 | 34 Days |
| Term 6 | 7 June 2027 | 23 July 2027 | 35 Days |
Total - 195 School Days*
In the school year 2026/2027 pupils must attend for 190 days. School may decide which 5 days in the school year are INSET or non-contact days (days when pupils do not attend).
Have your say
If you would like to give feedback on the proposed dates and to choose your preferred option, please click on the link below to complete the online survey.
Please respond by 20 May 2025.
If you need this consultation survey as a paper version, Easy Read, Braille, large print, British Sign Language, or in another language, or other alternative format, you can request this by emailing the Consultation and Engagement Team at consultation@bristol.gov.uk or by calling 0117 922 2848.
