Hillingdon's October half term is 26 to 30 October and term ends Friday 18 December. Haydon and Bishopshalt take two weeks; Vyners shuts 19 to 23 Nov.

Hillingdon’s schools break for October half term from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, and the autumn term ends on Friday 18 December. Those are the council’s dates for its community schools. Academies and independent schools set their own, and in 2026/27 several of the big secondaries in and around Uxbridge do not match them. (Hillingdon Council)

The quick answer

  • October half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026. Christmas: term ends Friday 18 December, back Monday 4 January 2027.
  • Two-week October breaks: Bishopshalt is off from 19 to 30 October, and Haydon from 26 October to 6 November.
  • Staff training days are set school by school, not by the council, so check your own school’s calendar before booking anything.

Hillingdon Council term dates 2026/27

Term Starts Half term Ends
Autumn 2026 Wednesday 2 September Monday 26 to Friday 30 October Friday 18 December
Spring 2027 Monday 4 January Monday 15 to Friday 19 February Thursday 25 March
Summer 2027 Monday 12 April Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June Thursday 22 July

Source: Hillingdon Council, school term dates. The council’s own note: “Term dates are subject to change. Check with your school before making holiday arrangements, as dates may vary and schools will close for staff training days, which they will set.”

The Easter break runs between the end of spring term on Thursday 25 March and the start of summer term on Monday 12 April. Good Friday is 26 March 2027 and the early May bank holiday is Monday 3 May. (GOV.UK)

The council has also published dates further ahead. For 2027/28 the autumn term starts Wednesday 1 September 2027, October half term is Monday 25 to Friday 29 October 2027, and the term ends Friday 17 December 2027.

Where the big local schools differ

These dates come from each school’s own website, checked on 25 September 2026.

School Autumn starts October half term Other closures this autumn Christmas break
Council dates Wed 2 Sep 26 to 30 Oct set by each school from Mon 21 Dec, back Mon 4 Jan
Uxbridge High School, Uxbridge Thu 3 Sep (training days 3 and 4 Sep) Mon 26 Oct to Mon 2 Nov Fri 4 Dec Mon 21 Dec to Fri 1 Jan, back Mon 4 Jan
Bishopshalt School, Hillingdon Fri 4 Sep Mon 19 to Fri 30 Oct none listed Mon 21 Dec to Fri 1 Jan, back Tue 5 Jan
Vyners School, Ickenham Staff day Wed 2 Sep, lessons Fri 4 Sep 26 to 30 Oct Thu 19, Fri 20 and Mon 23 Nov ends Fri 18 Dec at 12.20pm, back Tue 5 Jan
Haydon School, Eastcote Years 7 and 12 Wed 2 Sep, all Thu 3 Sep Mon 26 Oct to Fri 6 Nov none listed Mon 21 Dec to Fri 1 Jan
Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood (independent) Wed 9 Sep Sun 18 Oct to Sun 1 Nov none listed ends Thu 17 Dec, back Thu 7 Jan
St Helen’s School, Northwood (independent) Tue 8 Sep Mon 19 to Fri 30 Oct none listed ends Tue 15 Dec, back Thu 7 Jan

A few things in that table are worth reading twice:

  • Uxbridge High’s October half term includes Monday 2 November, so pupils go back on Tuesday 3 November, a day after the council’s schools.
  • Vyners closes for three school days in November: staff development days on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 November and an “occasional day” on Monday 23 November, when the school is shut. That makes a five-day break with the weekend.
  • Bishopshalt’s page contradicts itself on January. It lists the first day of spring term as 5 January 2027 and a staff training day on “Monday 5th January”. In 2027, 5 January is a Tuesday and Monday is the 4th. Read that as back on Tuesday 5 January with Monday 4 January a training day, and confirm with the school.
  • St Helen’s breaks for Christmas on Tuesday 15 December, three days before the council’s schools.

Spring and summer 2027 at the same schools

School Spring term February half term Easter Summer ends
Council dates Mon 4 Jan to Thu 25 Mar 15 to 19 Feb 26 Mar to 9 Apr Thu 22 Jul
Uxbridge High Mon 4 Jan to Thu 25 Mar 15 to 19 Feb Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr Fri 16 Jul
Bishopshalt Tue 5 Jan to Thu 25 Mar 15 to 19 Feb Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr, training day Mon 12 Apr Tue 20 Jul
Vyners Staff day Mon 4 Jan, starts Tue 5 Jan 15 to 19 Feb ends Thu 25 Mar at 3pm Wed 21 Jul, 12.20pm; staff day Fri 25 Jun
Haydon start date not listed 15 to 19 Feb Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr Thu 22 Jul
Merchant Taylors’ INSET Wed 6 Jan, starts Thu 7 Jan Sun 14 to Sun 21 Feb, INSET Mon 22 Feb ends Thu 25 Mar Wed 7 Jul
St Helen’s Thu 7 Jan to Wed 24 Mar 15 to 19 Feb starts back Tue 13 Apr Wed 7 Jul

Every school above breaks for the late May half term from Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027, except Merchant Taylors’, which breaks from Sunday 30 May to Sunday 6 June and adds an INSET day on Monday 7 June.

Planning the holidays

For what is on locally in the October break, see our Uxbridge October half term page, which lists the council, theatre, museum and railway events from their own listings. For the Christmas holidays, our Santa’s grottos and Santa specials page has the dates that are already on sale, and the Christmas and New Year travel page covers the Tube and rail closures to expect.

Still to be confirmed

  • INSET days for Hillingdon’s community schools, which each school publishes separately.
  • Any school not listed here: check its own website, not a national term-dates aggregator, which may carry the council’s dates rather than your school’s.

Sources