Edinburgh school holidays 2026: term dates and calendar

Scottish bank holidays in Edinburgh 2026

Scotland keeps a different set of bank holidays from England, and Edinburgh adds local civic holidays of its own. The headline 2026 dates are:

Two Scottish quirks matter. The summer bank holiday in Scotland falls at the start of August rather than the end as in England, and Edinburgh keeps Victoria Day in May as a local holiday when schools close. St Andrew's Day at the end of November is Scotland's national day.

City of Edinburgh Council term dates 2025-26 and 2026-27

City of Edinburgh Council publishes the term and holiday dates that all council schools follow. Holiday ranges are inclusive, and pupils return on the day after the date shown. The 2025-26 dates, covering the 2026 part of the year, are:

In-service days, when schools are closed to pupils so staff can train, fall in 2025-26 on 12 August 2025, 5 January 2026 and 5 May 2026. The autumn term of the 2026-27 year starts in mid-August 2026; the council confirms the exact date and the autumn mid-September holiday in its published calendar, so treat the mid-August return as a guide until those dates are finalised.

Independent and international school term dates

Edinburgh has a strong independent sector, including schools such as George Watson's College, the Edinburgh Academy, Fettes College, Merchiston Castle and St George's School for Girls, and these set their own term dates rather than following the council calendar. The pattern is the familiar Scottish three-term year, but independent schools typically start the autumn term a few days later than council schools, take full-week breaks in October and February and finish a little earlier in June, with a longer summer holiday of seven to eight weeks. Boarding schools add half-term exeats and parents' weekends.

For internationally mobile families, the key difference is the Scottish framing rather than the curriculum. Most Edinburgh schools teach the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence leading to National 5 and Highers, while some independents offer English A levels and a few offer the International Baccalaureate. Whichever route, the holidays sit on the Scottish rhythm rather than the English one, so a child moving from England will start the autumn term a fortnight earlier. To compare programmes, see our curriculum guides, and for the wider national view our United Kingdom schools guide.

Planning the year

Three practical notes for Edinburgh families. First, the October and February mid-term weeks are popular for travel and sit on different dates from the English half terms, which can mean cheaper flights but also clashes with relatives in England. Second, the summer holiday from late June is two to three weeks ahead of the English break, so European destinations are quieter and better value in early July before the rest of the UK breaks up. Third, the Edinburgh Festival fills the city through August, overlapping the end of the school holiday, so families returning for the new term share the city with the busiest tourist weeks of the year. For the wider context, our Edinburgh city guide covers where school-age families settle.

Common questions

When do schools break up in Edinburgh? City of Edinburgh Council schools break up for summer at the end of June, in 2026 on Friday 26 June. Mid-term breaks fall in February and October.

How long is the summer holiday in Edinburgh? Around six and a half weeks for council schools, from late June to mid-August, shorter than the English summer holiday.

When does the 2026 school year start in Edinburgh? Council schools start the 2026-27 year in mid-August 2026. The spring term of 2025-26 began on 6 January 2026.

Does Edinburgh follow the same holidays as England? No. Scotland runs a different calendar, starting the autumn term in mid-August, taking a shorter summer holiday and following Scottish bank holidays.

Related guides

• Edinburgh city guide
• London school holidays 2026
• United Kingdom schools guide