Free · no signup
October half term 2026: dates and a two-home split you can actually use
Pick your nation to see the standard half-term week, then see a suggested night-by-night split between two homes with handover times you can adjust. Add it straight to your calendar, print it, or send it over before anyone books time off. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is saved.
Choose your nation and break
Defaults to the break happening now or coming up next, so the planner stays current all year.
| Last day of term | Friday, 23 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| First day off | Monday, 26 October 2026 |
| Last day off | Friday, 30 October 2026 |
| Back to school | Monday, 2 November 2026 |
| Days off | 5 school days |
Check your own school. Most state schools in England follow these weeks. Academies, free schools and independent schools set their own dates and some take longer breaks, so check your school's calendar. If your dates differ, edit them in the planner below and everything updates. Nation-level dates for the 2026/27 and following school year last reviewed Wednesday, 19 August 2026.
Your break
One home for the first part of the break, the other for the rest, with one handover.
Saved on this device and used for handover entries in the calendar download (11:00–11:30).
Use first names or “Mum”/“Dad” — we never store what you type.
Suggested handovers
October half term 2026 (England) — Split the week in half
- Nights with Home 1
- 3
- Nights with Home 2
- 2
- Handovers in the break
- 1
The calendar file adds one all-day block per stay plus a 30-minute handover entry at your chosen time. Import it into Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook — no account with us needed.
Planning the rest of the year?
The full holiday & Christmas split planner covers longer breaks and Christmas/New Year halves, and the custody schedule generator builds the term-time pattern around it. There is also a handover checklist for the day itself.
Common questions
When is October half term 2026 in England?
Most state schools in England break up on Friday 23 October 2026, are off from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October, and return on Monday 2 November 2026. Academies and independent schools set their own dates, so check your school's calendar.
When is the October 2026 break in Scotland?
Scotland's October break usually falls earlier than the rest of the UK — commonly Monday 12 to Friday 16 October 2026 — and each council publishes its own dates, with some areas taking two weeks.
Why do Scottish dates differ from England, Wales and Northern Ireland?
School calendars are set nationally in Wales and locally in Scotland, where the school year starts in mid-August. That earlier start moves the autumn break forward by roughly a fortnight compared with England.
How do co-parents usually split a one-week half term?
Two patterns are common: split the week in half with a single mid-week handover, or alternate the whole week year by year so each home gets a full break with the children. Both are in the planner below so you can compare the actual dates.
Do these dates apply to every school?
No. They are the standard nation-level weeks, not a guarantee. Councils, academies, free schools and independent schools vary, so confirm with your school and edit the dates in the planner if yours differ.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a planning tool to help you picture a half-term split before you agree it. Any arrangement should be agreed between you, or through the appropriate process where that is needed.
Dates shown are the standard nation-level weeks for the 2026/27 and 2027/28 school years and are not a substitute for your school's published calendar.
Keep half term in one shared calendar
A printout goes stale the moment a shift or a train time changes. In Co-Parenting Harmony the half-term blocks sit in a calendar both homes can see, handovers send reminders, and either home can propose a swap instead of a long message thread.
No card needed. Private events are only ever shown to others as “Busy”.