Dorset school term dates 2026/27

Official Dorset Council dates

Term and holiday dates from Dorset Council’s published calendar. INSET days are set by each school, so you’ll find those on your school’s own page.

Dorset term dates 2026/27

  • 2026/27 academic year

  • First day of school · first day back
    Tue 1 Sep 2026
    GOV
  • Autumn term (first half)
    Tue 1 Sep – Fri 23 Oct 2026
    GOV
  • Autumn half-term holiday
    Sat 24 Oct – Sun 1 Nov 2026
    GOV
    9 days off
  • Autumn term (second half)
    Mon 2 Nov – Fri 18 Dec 2026
    GOV
  • Christmas holiday
    Sat 19 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027
    GOV
    16 days off
  • Spring term (first half)
    Mon 4 Jan – Fri 12 Feb 2027
    GOV
  • Spring half-term holiday
    Sat 13 – Sun 21 Feb 2027
    GOV
    9 days off
  • Spring term (second half)
    Mon 22 Feb – Thu 25 Mar 2027
    GOV
  • Easter holiday
    Fri 26 Mar – Sun 11 Apr 2027
    GOV
    17 days off
  • Summer term (first half)
    Mon 12 Apr – Fri 28 May 2027
    GOV
  • Summer half-term holiday
    Sat 29 May – Sun 6 Jun 2027
    GOV
    9 days off
  • Summer term (second half)
    Mon 7 Jun – Wed 21 Jul 2027
    GOV
  • Summer holiday
    Thu 22 Jul – Tue 31 Aug 2027
    GOV
    41 days off

Where these dates come from: Dorset Council’s published calendar. Academies and free schools can set their own dates - subscribe on your school’s page and we read that school’s own website, then send anything that differs straight to your calendar. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Get your school’s exact dates

These are the council dates. Your school adds its own INSET days, and academies can set different dates entirely. Find your school to subscribe to the calendar that actually applies. Free, and it keeps itself up to date.

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Schools in Dorset

Every school has its own page with its exact dates, INSET days and a free calendar you can subscribe to.

All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary All Saints' Church of England AcademySecondary Allenbourn Middle SchoolMiddle deemed secondary Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Atlantic Academy PortlandAll-through Aurora Boveridge CollegeNot applicable Beaminster SchoolSecondary Beaminster St Mary's AcademyPrimary Beaucroft Foundation SchoolNot applicable Beechcroft St Paul's CofE Primary SchoolPrimary Bere Regis Primary and PreschoolPrimary Bincombe Valley Primary SchoolPrimary Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Bovington AcademyPrimary Bridport Primary SchoolPrimary Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Broadmayne First SchoolPrimary Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary Bryanston SchoolNot applicable Buckland Newton Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Budmouth Academy WeymouthSecondary Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled SchoolPrimary Castle Court SchoolNot applicable Cerne Abbas CofE VC First SchoolPrimary Charmouth Primary SchoolPrimary Cheselbourne Village SchoolPrimary Chickerell Primary AcademyPrimary Clayesmore SchoolNot applicable Coastland College16 plus Colehill First SchoolPrimary Conifers Primary SchoolPrimary Corfe Castle Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Cranborne Church of England First SchoolPrimary Cranborne Middle SchoolMiddle deemed secondary Damers First SchoolPrimary Dorchester Learning CentreNot applicable Dorchester Middle SchoolMiddle deemed secondary Dorset Studio SchoolSecondary Downlands Community SchoolPrimary Dumpton SchoolNot applicable Dunbury Church of England AcademyPrimary Durweston Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Emmanuel Church of England Middle SchoolMiddle deemed secondary Employ My Ability (EMA) LtdNot applicable Ferndown First SchoolPrimary Ferndown Middle SchoolMiddle deemed secondary Ferndown Upper SchoolSecondary Frome Valley CofE First SchoolPrimary Gillingham Primary SchoolPrimary Gillingham SchoolSecondary Hampreston Church of England Voluntary Aided First SchoolPrimary Harbour School DorsetNot applicable Harbour Vale SchoolNot applicable Hayeswood First SchoolPrimary Hazelbury Bryan Primary SchoolPrimary Henbury View First SchoolPrimary Hillside Community First SchoolPrimary Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community NurseryPrimary Leweston SchoolNot applicable Lockyer's Middle SchoolMiddle deemed secondary Loders CofE Primary AcademyPrimary Lulworth and Winfrith CofE Primary SchoolPrimary Lytchett Matravers Primary SchoolPrimary Lytchett Minster SchoolSecondary Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Manor Park Church of England First SchoolPrimary Marshwood CofE Primary AcademyPrimary Milborne St Andrew First SchoolPrimary Milldown CofE AcademyPrimary Millie CollegeNot applicable Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Motcombe CofE Primary SchoolPrimary Mountjoy SchoolNot applicable Oakhurst Community First SchoolPrimary Pamphill Church of England First SchoolPrimary Parley First SchoolPrimary Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolPrimary Piddle Valley Church of England First SchoolPrimary Pimperne Church of England VC Primary SchoolPrimary Port Regis Preparatory SchoolNot applicable Portesham Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolPrimary Puddletown Church of England First SchoolPrimary Queen Elizabeth's SchoolSecondary Radipole Primary SchoolPrimary Ringwood Waldorf SchoolNot applicable Rushcombe First SchoolPrimary Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolPrimary Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolPrimary Shaftesbury Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Shaftesbury SchoolSecondary Sheiling CollegeNot applicable Sheiling SchoolNot applicable Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Sherborne Primary SchoolPrimary Shillingstone Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Sixpenny Handley First School and NurseryPrimary Southill Primary SchoolPrimary Spetisbury CofE Primary SchoolPrimary St Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary St Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary St Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, WeymouthPrimary St Catherine's Roman Catholic SchoolPrimary St George's Church of England Primary School, Langton MatraversPrimary St George's Church of England School, BourtonPrimary St George's Foundation Primary SchoolPrimary St Gregory's Church of England Primary School, MarnhullPrimary St Ives Primary & Nursery SchoolPrimary St James Church of England First SchoolPrimary St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, AlderholtPrimary St John's Church of England First School, WimbornePrimary St John's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary St Mary's Catholic First School, DorchesterPrimary St Mary's Catholic Primary School, MarnhullPrimary St Mary's Catholic Primary School, SwanagePrimary St Mary's Church of England First School, CharminsterPrimary St Mary's Church of England Middle School, PuddletownMiddle deemed secondary St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bradford AbbasPrimary St Mary's CofE First School & NurseryPrimary St Michael's Church of England Middle School, ColehillMiddle deemed secondary St Michael's CofE Primary School, Lyme RegisPrimary St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Child OkefordPrimary St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary St Osmund's Church of England Middle SchoolMiddle deemed secondary Stalbridge Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolPrimary Stoborough Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Stower Provost Community SchoolPrimary Sturminster Marshall First SchoolPrimary Sturminster Newton High SchoolSecondary Sunninghill Preparatory SchoolNot applicable Swanage Primary SchoolPrimary Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolPrimary The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, ShaftesburyPrimary The Blandford SchoolSecondary The CompassNot applicable The Forum CentreNot applicable The Gryphon SchoolSecondary The Prince of Wales SchoolPrimary The Purbeck SchoolSecondary The Sir John Colfox AcademySecondary The Swanage SchoolSecondary The Thomas Hardye SchoolSecondary The Woodroffe SchoolSecondary Thorncombe, St Mary's Church of England Primary AcademyPrimary Thorner's Church of England School, Litton CheneyPrimary Thornford CofE Primary SchoolPrimary Three Legged Cross First and Nursery SchoolPrimary Trent Young's CofE Primary SchoolPrimary Trinity Church of England First SchoolPrimary Upton Infant SchoolPrimary Upton Junior SchoolPrimary Verwood Church of England First SchoolPrimary Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary West Moors Middle SchoolMiddle deemed secondary Westfield Arts CollegeNot applicable Wey Valley AcademySecondary William Barnes Primary SchoolPrimary Wimborne First School and NurseryPrimary Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and NurseryPrimary Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First SchoolPrimary Witchampton Church of England First SchoolPrimary Wool Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary Wyke Primary SchoolPrimary Wyke Regis Church of England Junior SchoolPrimary Wyke Regis Infant School and NurseryPrimary Wyvern AcademyNot applicable Yewstock SchoolNot applicable

Questions parents ask

When do Dorset schools go back in September 2026?

The Dorset Council calendar has the 2026/27 school year starting on Tue 1 Sep 2026. Individual schools can add INSET days right at the start of term, so check your own school's page before booking anything around it.

Do all Dorset schools follow these dates?

Community schools follow the Dorset Council calendar. Academies and free schools can set their own, and every school picks its own INSET days. Subscribe on your school's page and we go and read that school's own website - its INSET days, and any dates it sets for itself. Anything we find lands in your calendar by itself, so there is nothing to come back and check.

How do I get these dates in my calendar?

Find your school with the school finder and subscribe to its calendar, free. The dates land in Apple, Google or Outlook calendars and keep themselves up to date: next year's dates and any changes appear on their own.

What about INSET days?

INSET days are set by each school, not the council, so they are not in the calendar on this page. When you subscribe to a school we read its website for INSET days and add them to your calendar automatically.

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