England & Wales · set locally
UK School Term Dates: How the Year Actually Works
There's no single UK school calendar: your local authority or academy trust sets the dates. This page explains the standard shape of the year and links you to the official source for your area.
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The short answer
School term dates in England and Wales are set by each local authority or academy trust, so they vary by area. The typical year runs from early September to late July across three terms with half-term breaks in late October, mid-February and late May. Check exact dates on your council's website via GOV.UK.
The page's real job
Find your school's dates
Term dates are published by whoever runs your school. Start here:
Local-authority schools
GOV.UK's postcode lookup takes you straight to your council's published term dates.
gov.uk lookupAcademies & free schools
The academy trust sets the dates, and they can differ from the council's. Check the school's own website.
Scotland & Northern Ireland
Different structures entirely (Scottish schools return in mid-August): see mygov.scot and nidirect.
Typical, not exact
The typical shape of the year
Exact dates vary by council and trust: always confirm with the lookup above.
| Period | Typically |
|---|---|
| Autumn term | Early September to mid or late December, with half term in late October |
| Spring term | Early January to late March or early April (Easter), with half term in mid-February |
| Summer term | Mid or late April to late July, with half term in late May (the spring bank holiday week) |
The national anchors
The exam season is the same everywhere
The written exams
GCSE and A-Level papers run mid-May to late June, timetabled nationally by the exam boards.
Results days
A-Level results arrive in mid-August; GCSE results follow the week after.
The mocks
Most schools run mock exams between November and January: timing is set by each school.
The tutoring calendar
When the year turns, marks move
September
New course content starts compounding immediately: gaps opened now widen all year.
After mocks
The mock grade is the early warning, with a full revision runway still ahead.
February half term to May
The revision runway for GCSE and A-Level: structured past-paper practice pays fastest here.
Mock results a warning sign?
Get a TutorQuestions parents ask about term dates
Are school term dates the same across the UK?
No. Each local authority or academy trust sets its own term dates, so they vary by area. Scotland and Northern Ireland run different structures again: Scottish schools return in mid-August.
Where do I find my school's term dates?
Use GOV.UK's postcode lookup for local-authority schools. If your child attends an academy or free school, the trust sets the dates: check the school's own website.
When are GCSE and A-Level exams?
Written papers run roughly mid-May to late June each year, on timetables set nationally by the exam boards. A-Level results arrive in mid-August, with GCSE results the following week.
When is half term?
Typically late October, mid-February and late May, but the exact weeks vary by council and trust: always confirm with your own school or the GOV.UK lookup.
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