East Sussex schools break for half term 26 to 30 October and for Christmas on 18 December. Gildredge House and The Eastbourne Academy get two weeks in October.
Most Eastbourne schools break up for October half term on Friday 23 October 2026 and go back on Monday 2 November. Christmas holidays run from Friday 18 December to Monday 4 January 2027. Those are East Sussex County Council’s dates, and they bind community and voluntary controlled schools. Academies, free schools and independent schools set their own, and in 2026 two of Eastbourne’s secondary schools have given themselves a two-week October break.
The quick answer
- October half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 for schools on the county calendar.
- Christmas: last day Friday 18 December 2026, back Monday 4 January 2027.
- Gildredge House and The Eastbourne Academy break earlier, from 19 and 21 October, so check your own school before you book anything.
East Sussex County Council dates, 2026/27
These are the dates from the county’s term dates page and its 2026/27 calendar PDF.
| Term | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Wednesday 2 September 2026 | Friday 23 October 2026 |
| Autumn half term | Saturday 24 October | Sunday 1 November 2026 |
| Term 2 | Monday 2 November 2026 | Friday 18 December 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | Saturday 19 December 2026 | Sunday 3 January 2027 |
| Term 3 | Monday 4 January 2027 | Friday 12 February 2027 |
| February half term | Saturday 13 February | Sunday 21 February 2027 |
| Term 4 | Monday 22 February 2027 | Thursday 25 March 2027 |
| Easter holiday | Friday 26 March | Sunday 11 April 2027 |
| Term 5 | Monday 12 April 2027 | Friday 28 May 2027 |
| May half term | Saturday 29 May | Sunday 6 June 2027 |
| Term 6 | Monday 7 June 2027 | Thursday 22 July 2027 |
The county marks one staff training (INSET) day on its calendar, Wednesday 2 September 2026, and a primary to secondary transition week from 28 June to 2 July 2027. Any other INSET days are on your own school’s calendar. Term 4 ends on a Thursday because Good Friday is 26 March 2027.
The county is explicit that these dates apply only to community and voluntary controlled schools. Academies, free schools, voluntary aided and foundation schools set their own, and “may differ”.
Eastbourne schools that set their own dates
| School | October half term | Christmas break |
|---|---|---|
| East Sussex county calendar | 26 to 30 October | From Friday 18 December; back 4 January |
| Gildredge House (free school) | 19 to 30 October (two weeks) | Ends Friday 18 December at 12.30pm; back Tuesday 5 January |
| The Eastbourne Academy (provisional) | 21 to 30 October (two weeks), after staff days on 19 and 20 October | 21 December to 1 January; back 4 January (staff development day) |
| Eastbourne College (independent) | From Friday 16 October at 2.15pm; back Monday 2 November | Ends Friday 11 December at 3.45pm; pupils back Tuesday 5 January |
Gildredge House says on its term dates page that as a free school it has “the freedom to set its own term dates”. Its autumn half term runs from Monday 19 to Friday 30 October, and it lists INSET days on 2 and 3 September, Friday 16 October, Monday 4 January and Tuesday 2 March 2027. So Gildredge pupils are in school for only four days of the week of 12 October and then off for two weeks. The summer term ends on Friday 16 July 2027 at 12.30pm, six days before the county date.
The Eastbourne Academy, part of the Swale Academies Trust, publishes its 2026/27 dates as “provisional and subject to change”. Term 1 ends on Tuesday 20 October, with staff development days on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 October, and the “Autumn Break” is Wednesday 21 to Friday 30 October. Its summer term runs to Monday 26 July 2027, a staff development day, later than the county.
Eastbourne College publishes its term dates with exeats as well as half terms. Michaelmas half term starts on Friday 16 October at 2.15pm and pupils return on Monday 2 November. There are also exeat weekends from 25 to 28 September and 20 to 23 November. Term ends on Friday 11 December, a week before the state schools. Lent term starts on Tuesday 5 January for all pupils, with half term from Friday 12 February at 2.15pm to Monday 22 February, and ends on Friday 19 March at 3pm.
Ratton School publishes its 2026/27 term dates as a colour-coded calendar. Its written notes say term started on Friday 4 September for Years 7 and 11 only, and for all years on Monday 7 September. Check the calendar itself for its holiday weeks. The Cavendish School has a 2026/27 term dates download on its own site.
Gildredge House and Ratton both started most year groups on Monday 7 September, not on the county’s 2 September.
Bank holidays in the school year
From the county calendar: Christmas Day Friday 25 December 2026, Boxing Day substitute Monday 28 December, New Year’s Day Friday 1 January 2027, Good Friday 26 March, Easter Monday 29 March, early May bank holiday 3 May, spring bank holiday 31 May and summer bank holiday 30 August 2027.
Next year, 2027/28
The county has already set 2027/28. Term 1 runs from Wednesday 1 September 2027 (an INSET day) to Friday 22 October, with half term from 25 to 29 October and Christmas from Saturday 18 December 2027 to Monday 3 January 2028. Term 3 starts on Tuesday 4 January 2028.
Related
- What’s on in Eastbourne over October half term, for both half-term weeks.
- Eastbourne Christmas bin collections and Christmas trains and buses.
- Eastbourne Ofsted report cards for how local schools were rated this year.
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