Nottinghamshire schools break for two weeks, 19 to 30 October, and finish for Christmas on 18 December. Where West Bridgford, Keyworth and Bingham differ.
Nottinghamshire’s schools have a two-week October half term: Monday 19 to Friday 30 October 2026. Pupils go back on Monday 2 November, and the autumn term ends on Friday 18 December.
Those are the county council’s dates for the schools it maintains. Academies set their own, and the four Rushcliffe secondaries we checked do not all agree. The biggest difference is in Bingham, where Toot Hill School breaks up for Christmas on Friday 11 December, a week before everyone else.
The quick answer
- October half term: Monday 19 to Friday 30 October 2026, two weeks, back on Monday 2 November.
- Christmas: schools close Friday 18 December, reopen Monday 4 January 2027.
- Check your child’s school: Toot Hill closes on 11 December and has only a one-week October break; Rushcliffe Spencer and South Wolds add training days either side.
Nottinghamshire County Council dates for 2026/27
| Term | Dates |
|---|---|
| Autumn, first half | Tuesday 1 September to Friday 16 October |
| October half term | Monday 19 to Friday 30 October |
| Autumn, second half | Monday 2 November to Friday 18 December |
| Christmas holiday | Monday 21 December to Friday 1 January |
| Spring, first half | Monday 4 January to Friday 12 February |
| February half term | Monday 15 to Friday 19 February |
| Spring, second half | Monday 22 February to Thursday 25 March |
| Easter holiday | Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April |
| Summer, first half | Monday 12 April to Friday 28 May |
| May half term | Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June |
| Summer, second half | Monday 7 June to Wednesday 28 July |
Source: Nottinghamshire County Council, school holidays calendar 2026-27.
The county’s calendar marks Tuesday 1 September as an administration day and Monday 3 May as the early May bank holiday. Good Friday falls on 26 March and Easter Monday on 29 March 2027, both inside the Easter break.
The two-week October break is deliberate and is staying. When the county consulted on dates for 2027 to 2030, it said the proposals follow “the current model, including two weeks for the October half-term break”. (Nottinghamshire County Council, term dates consultation)
How the big Rushcliffe secondaries differ
Academies, foundation and voluntary aided schools set their own dates, and the county says they may choose dates “that do not match those set by the council”. These are four Rushcliffe secondaries’ published calendars.
| School | Pupils start | October break | Christmas | Summer term ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County dates | Tue 1 Sep | 19 to 30 Oct | Close Fri 18 Dec, back Mon 4 Jan | Wed 28 Jul |
| The West Bridgford School | Wed 2 Sep | 19 Oct, back 2 Nov | Close Fri 18 Dec, back Mon 4 Jan | Fri 23 Jul |
| Rushcliffe Spencer Academy | Thu 3 Sep | 19 to 30 Oct | Holiday from Mon 21 Dec, training day Mon 4 Jan | Tue 27 Jul |
| The South Wolds Academy, Keyworth | Timetable from Thu 3 Sep | 19 to 30 Oct, training day Mon 2 Nov | Close 12.30pm Fri 18 Dec, back Mon 4 Jan | Wed 28 Jul, 12.30pm |
| Toot Hill School, Bingham | Tue 1 Sep (Y7 and Y11), Wed 2 Sep (all) | Close Thu 22 Oct, back Mon 2 Nov | Close Fri 11 Dec, back Tue 5 Jan | Fri 23 Jul |
Sources: The West Bridgford School, term dates 2026-2027; Rushcliffe Spencer Academy, holidays 2026-27; The South Wolds Academy, school holiday and term dates 2026-2027; Toot Hill School, term dates.
The West Bridgford School
Staff return on Tuesday 1 September and students on Wednesday 2 September. The spring and Easter dates match the county. In the summer term there is a school closure day on Monday 21 June, and the year ends on Friday 23 July, five days before the county.
Rushcliffe Spencer Academy
The academy’s calendar shows training days on Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 September, Monday 4 January and Wednesday 28 July, plus two half-shaded training days on Wednesday 11 November and Tuesday 20 April. The calendar does not say which half of those two days is affected, so check the school’s letters home. Its Easter break runs from Monday 29 March to Friday 9 April.
The South Wolds Academy, Keyworth
Wednesday 2 September is a student review day and the timetable starts on Thursday 3 September. Training days fall on Monday 2 November, so pupils return on Tuesday 3 November, and on Friday 12 February, Monday 12 April and Friday 25 June. The autumn and summer terms both end at 12.30pm.
Toot Hill School, Bingham
Toot Hill’s own page gives the dates the school “closes afternoon of” and “re-opens on”. It closes for Christmas on the afternoon of Friday 11 December and reopens on Tuesday 5 January. In October it closes on the afternoon of Thursday 22 October, so Toot Hill pupils are in school from 19 to 22 October while the county’s schools are off. Its training days are Thursday 27 and Friday 28 August, Friday 2 October, Friday 23 October, Monday 4 January and Monday 26 July.
For families with a primary child on county dates and a secondary child at Toot Hill, that is one week in October and one in December when the two do not line up.
Primary schools
Maintained primaries follow the county calendar above. Academy primaries can set their own, and many publish them on the school website under “term dates”. Check your own school’s page before you book anything.
Related
- October half term in West Bridgford and Rushcliffe: what is on
- Christmas and New Year travel
- Christmas bin collections
Still to confirm
- East Leake Academy’s 2026/27 dates: its term dates page blocked our request on 25 September. We will add it when we can read it.
- Independent schools such as Nottingham High School set their own calendars; they are not included here.
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