Bucks half term is 26 to 30 October and Christmas starts 21 December. Borlase breaks up on 16 October, RGS and John Hampden a day early. Every date checked.

Schools in High Wycombe, Marlow and Princes Risborough that follow Buckinghamshire Council’s calendar have October half term from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 and break up for Christmas on Friday 18 December. But most of the big secondaries here are academies that set their own dates, and several of them do not match the county. Sir William Borlase’s in Marlow has a two-week October break.

The quick answer

October half term: 26 to 30 October 2026. Christmas holiday: 21 December 2026 to 1 January 2027. February half term: 15 to 19 February 2027, all from Buckinghamshire Council. Academies, voluntary aided and foundation schools set their own dates, including training days, so check your child’s school: the grammar school dates below are from each school’s own calendar.

Buckinghamshire Council term dates 2026/27

These are the dates for community schools. The council says most other schools “aim to keep consistencies across the county as far as possible”, but they do not have to (Buckinghamshire Council).

Term Starts Half term Ends Holiday after
Autumn 2026 Wednesday 2 September Monday 26 to Friday 30 October Friday 18 December Monday 21 December to Friday 1 January
Spring 2027 Monday 4 January Monday 15 to Friday 19 February Thursday 25 March Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April
Summer 2027 Monday 12 April Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June Wednesday 21 July From Thursday 22 July

The council’s calendar PDF counts 190 pupil days and five training (INSET) days. The council proposes one INSET day, Tuesday 1 September 2026; the other four are chosen by each school, which is why two schools on the “county” dates can still close on different days.

The big local schools that set their own dates

Every date here is from the school’s own term dates page, checked on 25 September 2026.

School Autumn half term Last day before Christmas Spring term starts Last day of the year
County calendar 26 to 30 Oct Fri 18 Dec Mon 4 Jan Wed 21 Jul
Royal Grammar School Fri 23 Oct to Mon 2 Nov Fri 18 Dec (12.30pm) Mon 4 Jan Fri 16 Jul (12.30pm)
John Hampden Grammar Fri 23 Oct to Fri 30 Oct Thu 17 Dec (1pm) Mon 4 Jan Fri 16 Jul
Sir William Borlase’s Sat 17 Oct to Sun 1 Nov Fri 18 Dec (1.40pm) Tue 5 Jan Fri 16 Jul (1.40pm)
Wycombe Abbey (independent) Fri 16 Oct to Sun 1 Nov Fri 11 Dec Tue 5 Jan Fri 2 Jul

Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe. Half term runs from Friday 23 October to Monday 2 November, with pupils back on Tuesday 3 November. There is a further INSET day on Monday 30 November, a spring INSET day on Friday 12 February, and the summer term ends on Friday 16 July, five days before the county (RGS term dates).

John Hampden Grammar School. The school closes for half term on Thursday 22 October and reopens on Monday 2 November. Staff days close it on Friday 20 and Monday 23 November, and on Friday 12 February. It closes for Christmas on Thursday 17 December with a 1pm finish, a day before the county (JHGS term dates, JHGS calendar).

Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School, Marlow. The longest October break locally: the last day is Friday 16 October and pupils return on Monday 2 November, with Monday 19 October an INSET day inside the holiday. Christmas runs from 19 December to 3 January, with an INSET day on Monday 4 January, so pupils return on Tuesday 5 January. February half term is 13 to 21 February. A summer INSET day falls on Monday 28 June (Borlase 2026/27 term dates PDF).

Great Marlow School. Its five INSET days are 1 and 2 September, Friday 23 October, Monday 4 January 2027 and Monday 28 June 2027. The school does not publish its holiday dates alongside them on that page (Great Marlow School).

Wycombe Abbey. The boarding school runs its own year of Short Leaves and Long Leaves. Long Leave in the autumn is Friday 16 October to Sunday 1 November, there is a Short Leave from Wednesday 18 to Sunday 22 November, and term ends on Friday 11 December. The spring Long Leave is 12 to 21 February and the summer term ends on Friday 2 July (Wycombe Abbey term dates).

Bank holidays inside term

Christmas Day and New Year’s Day 2026/27 both fall on a Friday, and the Boxing Day bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December; all three are inside the Christmas break. Good Friday (26 March) and Easter Monday (29 March) fall in the Easter holiday, the early May bank holiday (3 May) in the summer term, and the spring bank holiday (31 May) opens the May half term (GOV.UK).

Looking ahead to 2027/28

The council has already published the following year. The autumn term 2027 starts on Wednesday 1 September, October half term 2027 is 25 to 29 October, and the Christmas holiday runs from Monday 20 December 2027 to Monday 3 January 2028 (Buckinghamshire Council).

For what is on in the October break, see our October half term page. Also on Wycombe Today: Christmas bin collections and roadworks and travel.