Hounslow Council has approved new school term and holiday dates for maintained community schools for the academic years 2027/28 to 2029/30, aiming to provide clarity and stability for families and educational institutions.
The decision was made by the council's Cabinet on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, following extensive consultation with schools and careful consideration of pan-London arrangements and the term dates of neighbouring authorities. This alignment is crucial for cross-borough coordination and benefits families and services operating across local authority boundaries.
Councillor Madeeha Asim, Cabinet Member for Children and Young Futures, presented the proposed dates, which were developed after consultation with schools between January 19 and March 15, 2026. The approved dates ensure that pupils attend school for 190 days each academic year, with five days allocated for teacher training (INSET). Schools have flexibility in how they use these INSET days, including the option to deliver ten hours of twilight sessions. The proposed calendar ensures a balanced distribution of teaching weeks across the academic year.
Approved School Term and Holiday Dates:
2027/2028
- Autumn Term: Wednesday 1 September - Friday 17 December 2027 (73 days)
- Half Term: Monday 25 October - Friday 29 October 2027
- Christmas Holiday: Monday 20 December - Monday 3 January 2028
- Spring Term: Tuesday 4 January - Friday 31 March 2028 (59 days)
- Half Term: Monday 14 February - Friday 18 February 2028
- Easter Holiday: Monday 3 April – Friday 14 April 2028
- Summer Term: Tuesday 18 April – Friday 21 July 2028 (63 days)
- May Day Holiday: Monday 1 May 2028
- Spring Bank Holiday: 29 May 2028
- Half Term: Monday 29 May - Friday 2 June 2028
- Total Days: 195 (with 5 days for inset training)
2028/2029
- Autumn Term: Friday 1 September - Friday 15 December 2028 (71 days)
- Half Term: Monday 23 October - Friday 27 October 2028
- Christmas Holiday: Monday 18 December – Monday 1 January 2029
- Spring Term: Tuesday 2 January - Thursday 29 March 2029 (58 days)
- Half Term: Monday 12 February - Friday 16 February 2029
- Easter Holiday: Friday 30 March – Friday 13 April 2029
- Summer Term: Monday 16 April – Tuesday 24 July 2029 (66 days)
- May Day Holiday: Monday 7 May 2029
- Spring Bank Holiday: 28 May 2029
- Half Term: Monday 28 May - Friday 1 June 2029
- Total Days: 195 (with 5 days for inset training)
2029/2030
- Autumn Term: Monday 3 September - Friday 14 December 2029 (71 days)
- Half Term: Monday 22 October - Friday 26 October 2029
- Christmas Holiday: Monday 17 December – Tuesday 1 January 2030
- Spring Term: Wednesday 2 January - Friday 5 April 2030 (58 days)
- Half Term: Monday 18 February - Friday 22 February 2030
- Easter Holiday: Monday 8 April – Monday 22 April 2030
- Summer Term: Tuesday 23 April – Thursday 25 July 2030 (66 days)
- May Day Holiday: Monday 6 May 2030
- Spring Bank Holiday: Monday 27 May 2030
- Half Term: Monday 27 May - Friday 31 May 2030
- Total Days: 195 (with 5 days for inset training)
While some schools requested a two-week October half-term or an extended December term, these were not adopted. The rejection of a two-week October half-term was due to the potential for inconsistencies with neighbouring authorities' calendars and disruption to the balance of the autumn term. Ealing and Richmond councils will also not be adopting this change. The extended December term was not supported because the proposed calendar already accounts for the early Easter in 2030, and extending the December term would disrupt the balance of teaching weeks across the rest of the academic year. The council also noted that many Catholic schools prefer to begin the spring term after 6 January for religious reasons, aligning with the London Inter-Authority Admissions Group (LIAAG) template and Greenwich Council's arrangements.
The Cabinet also unanimously approved the delegation of authority to the Executive Director of Children and Adults to determine future school term and holiday dates from the 2030/31 academic year onwards. This delegation will be managed following appropriate consultation, and with due regard to statutory requirements and pan-London coordination arrangements.
This decision aims to provide clarity and stability for schools, families, and partner organisations, supporting effective planning for the academic years ahead. The full details of the Cabinet meeting can be found in the Printed minutes Tuesday 08-Sep-2026 19.00 Cabinet and the Public reports pack Tuesday 08-Sep-2026 19.00 Cabinet.
