Kingston schools break for Christmas on Friday 18 December and return on 4 January. October half term is one week or two, depending on the school. Full dates.
Kingston’s community schools break up for Christmas on Friday 18 December 2026 and go back on Monday 4 January 2027. October half term is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October. Those are the borough dates published by Achieving for Children, which runs children’s services for Kingston, last updated on 15 September 2026.
The catch is October. Several of Kingston’s biggest secondary schools take a two-week half term, from 19 to 30 October, so one family can have children off school on different weeks.
The quick answer
- Christmas holiday: schools close Friday 18 December and return Monday 4 January 2027 (borough calendar).
- October half term: 26 to 30 October on the borough calendar, but 19 to 30 October at Tiffin, Tiffin Girls’ and Kingston Grammar.
- February half term: 15 to 19 February 2027, the same week at every school we checked.
Borough term dates 2026/27
These dates apply to community schools. Achieving for Children says academy, voluntary aided and foundation schools may set different dates, so check with your school.
| Term | Dates |
|---|---|
| Autumn, first half | Thursday 3 September to Friday 23 October 2026 |
| October half term | Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 |
| Autumn, second half | Monday 2 November to Friday 18 December 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | Monday 21 December 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027 |
| Spring, first half | Monday 4 January to Friday 12 February 2027 |
| February half term | Monday 15 to Friday 19 February 2027 |
| Spring, second half | Monday 22 February to Thursday 25 March 2027 |
| Easter holiday | Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April 2027 |
| Summer, first half | Monday 12 April to Friday 28 May 2027 (includes the 3 May bank holiday) |
| May half term | Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027 |
| Summer, second half | Monday 7 June to Friday 23 July 2027 |
Achieving for Children does not publish borough INSET days. Its page says schools may vary their staff training days and that you should check with your school.
Big schools that set their own dates
We read the term dates page of each of these schools on 25 September. The difference that matters most is October half term.
| School | October half term | Christmas | Summer term ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borough calendar (community schools) | 26 to 30 Oct | Ends Fri 18 Dec; back Mon 4 Jan | Fri 23 Jul |
| Tiffin School | 19 to 30 Oct | Ends Fri 18 Dec (12.30pm); Mon 4 Jan is a staff day | Fri 16 Jul |
| Tiffin Girls' School | 19 to 30 Oct | Ends Fri 18 Dec; spring term from Mon 4 Jan | Fri 16 Jul |
| Kingston Grammar School (independent) | 19 to 30 Oct | Ends Wed 16 Dec; back Wed 6 Jan | Fri 2 Jul |
| Coombe Girls' School | 26 Oct to 3 Nov; 4 Nov INSET | Ends Fri 18 Dec; 4 Jan INSET, back Tue 5 Jan | Fri 23 Jul |
| Richard Challoner School | Fri 23 Oct to Mon 2 Nov | Ends Fri 18 Dec; back Mon 4 Jan | Fri 16 Jul |
A few details from those pages worth knowing:
- Tiffin School has staff development days on 1, 2 and 3 September, 2 November, 4 January, 7 June and 16 July, and closes early at 12.30pm on 18 December and 25 March.
- Tiffin Girls’ lists INSET days on 1 and 2 September, 1 and 2 October 2026, and 7 June 2027.
- Kingston Grammar School is on a shorter year: Christmas starts on Wednesday 16 December, spring term ends on Tuesday 23 March and summer term starts on Thursday 15 April.
- Coombe Girls’ has INSET days on 3 and 4 September, 4 November, 4 January and 2 July.
- Richard Challoner has INSET days on 1 and 2 September, 30 September and 17 November.
If your child’s school is not listed, its own website is the only reliable source. Aggregator sites often carry last year’s dates.
Bank holidays in the school year
From GOV.UK: Christmas Day is Friday 25 December, the Boxing Day bank holiday is Monday 28 December (a substitute day), New Year’s Day is Friday 1 January, Good Friday is 26 March, Easter Monday is 29 March, and the May bank holidays are 3 May and 31 May 2027.
What is still to come
Achieving for Children has already published the 2027/28 calendar: autumn term starts on Thursday 2 September 2027 and the Christmas holiday starts after Friday 17 December 2027. We will add school-by-school dates for 2027/28 as the big schools publish them.
For what is on locally in the October break, see October half term in Kingston.
Related: Kingston Christmas trains and travel, Kingston Christmas bin collections and Kingston roadworks and travel.
Have your say