Living Abroad Life in the UK

UK school holidays: dates you need to know

Zorica Lončar

22.07.21 (updated more than 1 year ago)

Read time 2 minutes

If you’re planning a holiday, you’ll need to be clued up on UK school holiday dates. For parents, it’s essential to know when you can plan family trips outside of term time. And for everyone else, it’s handy to know when holiday destinations are likely to be quieter and prices lower.

Below, we’ll give you an at-a-glance guide to the UK school holiday schedule, so you’ll be all set to make your plans.

UK school holiday dates for 2021/22

In the UK, the school year is typically broken up into three terms, with half-term breaks in the middle of each.

It’s important to remember that dates for school holidays can vary from region to region, especially between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In most cases, there’s only a difference of a week or two here or there. But it’s always worth checking with the local authority in the area to find out the exact dates when school terms start and end.

But as a general guide, here are the list of UK school holiday dates in 2021/22:

School holidays - England

Summer holidays - 22nd July to 31st August 2021¹
Christmas holidays - 20th December 2021 to 3rd January 2022²
Spring/Easter holidays - 4th April to 18th April 2022².

School holidays - Wales

Summer holidays - 20th July to 1st September 2021³
Christmas holidays - 18th December 2021 to 3rd January 2022⁴
Spring/Easter holidays - 9th April 2022 to 24th April 2022.⁴

School holidays - Scotland⁵

Summer holidays - 25th June to 15th August 2021
Christmas holidays - 23rd December 2021 to 4th January 2022
Spring/Easter holidays - 2nd April to 18th April 2022.

School holidays - Northern Ireland⁶

Summer holidays - 1st July to 31st August 2021
Christmas holidays - 23rd December 2021 to 3rd January 2022
Spring/Easter holidays - 14th April to 22nd April 2022.

How long is the summer break in the UK?

The school summer holidays in the UK usually last for around 6 weeks. However, it can vary between regions and parts of the UK, as well as between different schools.

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Hopefully, this list of UK school holiday dates will come in very handy when planning your next trip. But before you travel, just make sure to double-check with your local authority or school, just in case the dates vary in your area. Bon voyage!

Sources used for this article:

Essex.gov.uk - school terms and holidays
Essex.gov.uk - academic year 2021 to 2022
Swansea.gov.uk - school term and holiday dates
Swansea.gov.uk - school term and holiday dates for 2021/2022
Glasgow.gov.uk - school term dates
Education-ni.gov.uk- school holidays in the UK

Sources checked on 1-July-2021.

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