Kent School Term Dates 2026/27: Tunbridge Wells Calendar

What are the school term dates for 2026/27 in Tunbridge Wells?

Tunbridge Wells schools sit in the Kent County Council (KCC) area, and KCC publishes a standard six-term calendar. We read it in a document on KCC's committee site, where the 2026/27 dates are headed as determined term dates. KCC's own term dates web page would not open for us, so please check the dates on kent.gov.uk before you book anything. The dates below apply to schools that follow the KCC calendar, which makes them the baseline for the borough rather than a promise for every school in Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, Pembury or Rusthall. GOV.UK confirms the general rule, saying you should find your child's term, half term and holiday dates on your local council's website, and that they vary across the UK.

When does the autumn term run?

Term 1 starts on Tuesday 1 September 2026 and runs to Friday 23 October 2026, which KCC counts as 39 school days. The gap between the two parts of the autumn term is the October half term, so the week of Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026 is the holiday. Term 2 then runs from Monday 2 November 2026 to Friday 18 December 2026, which KCC counts as 35 school days. After that comes the Christmas holiday, with children back in the new year.

What are the spring term dates?

Term 3 starts on Monday 4 January 2027 and runs to Friday 12 February 2027, which is 30 school days. The February half term is the week of Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027. Term 4 runs from Monday 22 February 2027 to Thursday 25 March 2027, which is 24 school days. The Easter holiday follows, and it includes the Good Friday and Easter Monday bank holidays on 26 and 29 March 2027, as listed on GOV.UK.

What are the summer term dates?

Term 5 starts on Monday 12 April 2027 and runs to Friday 28 May 2027, which KCC counts as 34 school days. The early May bank holiday falls on Monday 3 May 2027 and sits inside this part of the term, so it is a day off for pupils even though the term is running. The summer half term is the week of Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027, which includes the spring bank holiday on Monday 31 May. Term 6 runs from Monday 7 June 2027 to Wednesday 21 July 2027, which is 33 school days. The summer holiday begins once that term ends, and the summer bank holiday is Monday 30 August 2027.

How many days do children actually attend?

The six terms listed by KCC come to 195 school days in total, made up of 39, 35, 30, 24, 34 and 33 days. KCC's document says pupils are required to attend for 190 days, or 380 sessions, and that teachers may be required to be available on up to 195 days, with the difference made up of non-contact days set by individual schools. That is why you should expect up to five training days a year on top of the published holidays, even though they are not printed in the council calendar.

Do academies and other Tunbridge Wells schools follow the same dates?

Not necessarily. The KCC calendar is the standard one, but individual schools can publish their own versions, and the two Kent schools we checked show how much that can matter. Wouldham All Saints CEP school publishes six terms that match the KCC dates above exactly. The John Wesley Church of England and Methodist (VA) Primary School in Ashford starts and ends its terms on the same dates for most of the year, but ends its fifth term on Friday 21 May 2027 rather than Friday 28 May, and closes for all of its INSET days in one week, Monday 24 May to Friday 28 May 2027. Neither is in Tunbridge Wells, but they make the point. If your children attend different schools, for example a primary and a grammar school, compare both calendars side by side and do not assume the dates will line up.

What are the bank holidays in 2026/27?

GOV.UK lists the following bank holidays for England and Wales. In 2026, Christmas Day is Friday 25 December, with Boxing Day observed on Monday 28 December as a substitute day. In 2027 the dates are New Year's Day on Friday 1 January, Good Friday on 26 March, Easter Monday on 29 March, the early May bank holiday on 3 May, the spring bank holiday on 31 May, the summer bank holiday on 30 August, and Christmas Day observed on Monday 27 December 2027 with Boxing Day observed on Tuesday 28 December. The August bank holiday in 2026 fell on Monday 31 August, the day before the new school year began, according to KCC's document.

How long are the holidays?

Reading across the calendar, the school year runs from Tuesday 1 September 2026 to Wednesday 21 July 2027. Each half term is a single week. The Christmas break begins after Friday 18 December 2026 and term restarts on Monday 4 January 2027, the Easter break runs between the end of term 4 on 25 March and the start of term 5 on 12 April 2027, and the summer break begins after Wednesday 21 July 2027. If you need childcare, put the half terms and holidays in your diary now and re-check once your child's school issues its own calendar.

Quick answers

Autumn term began on Tuesday 1 September 2026 and ends on Friday 18 December 2026, with half term from 26 to 30 October 2026. Spring term runs from 4 January to 25 March 2027, with half term from 15 to 19 February 2027. Summer term runs from 12 April to 21 July 2027, with half term from 31 May to 4 June 2027. Always confirm with your own school, particularly for INSET days. If you are still choosing a school see our Tunbridge Wells schools guide, and for ideas when the children are off see things to do with kids in Tunbridge Wells.