Hertfordshire's October half term is 26 to 30 October and Christmas runs 21 December to 1 January. Hertswood, Yavneh and Habs Boys differ; here is how.
The October half term for Hertfordshire schools is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, and the Christmas holiday runs Monday 21 December 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027. Those are the county’s dates for community and voluntary controlled schools. Academies and independents set their own, and three of the biggest in and around Borehamwood do things differently.
The quick answer
- October half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026. Autumn term ends on Friday 18 December.
- Christmas holiday: 21 December to 1 January. Spring term starts on Monday 4 January 2027.
- Check your school. Habs Boys breaks for two weeks from 19 October; Yavneh has a long Pesach break and returns on 4 May.
Hertfordshire County Council dates 2026/27
These are the dates the county sets (Hertfordshire County Council, school term dates). The county’s printable calendar gives the exact teaching weeks (term dates 2026/27, PDF).
| Term or holiday | Dates |
|---|---|
| Autumn term (first half) | Tuesday 1 September to Friday 23 October 2026 |
| October half term | Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 |
| Autumn term (second half) | Monday 2 November to Friday 18 December 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | Monday 21 December 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027 |
| Spring term (first half) | Monday 4 January to Friday 12 February 2027 |
| February half term | Monday 15 to Friday 19 February 2027 |
| Spring term (second half) | Monday 22 February to Thursday 25 March 2027 |
| Easter holiday | Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April 2027 |
| Summer term (first half) | Monday 12 April to Friday 28 May 2027 |
| May half term | Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027 |
| Summer term (second half) | Monday 7 June to Thursday 22 July 2027 |
Schools add five INSET days and one occasional day of their own on top of these dates, and children are not in on those days. The county says only community and voluntary controlled schools must use its dates; academies, foundation schools and free schools set their own (Hertfordshire County Council). Most Hertsmere secondaries are academies, so the school’s own calendar is the one that counts.
Bank holidays inside term: Good Friday 26 March, Easter Monday 29 March, the early May bank holiday on Monday 3 May and the spring bank holiday on Monday 31 May 2027 (GOV.UK).
How the big local schools differ
| School | October half term | Autumn term ends | Spring term starts | Easter break |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County dates | 26 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Mon 4 Jan | 26 Mar to 9 Apr |
| Hertswood Academy | 26 to 30 Oct (INSET Fri 23 Oct) | Fri 18 Dec | Mon 4 Jan | Last day Thu 25 Mar, back Mon 12 Apr |
| Yavneh College | 26 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Tue 5 Jan (INSET Mon 4 Jan) | Spring term ends Fri 16 Apr, back Tue 4 May |
| Haberdashers' Boys' School | 19 to 30 Oct | Wed 16 Dec (Years 7 to 13) | Thu 7 Jan | Ends Wed 24 Mar, back Tue 13 Apr |
Hertswood Academy, Cowley Hill, follows the county holidays and adds an INSET day on Friday 23 October, so its half term starts a day early. The summer term ends on Friday 16 July 2027, with INSET days from 19 to 21 July (Hertswood Academy term dates).
Yavneh College shuts on Monday 21 September for Yom Kippur and on Friday 11 June for Shavuot. Its spring term runs to Friday 16 April and the summer term starts on Tuesday 4 May, so its spring break falls later than the county’s. The college ends the year on Wednesday 21 July (Yavneh Schools calendar 2026/27, PDF).
Haberdashers’ Boys’ School in Elstree takes a two-week October half term, 19 to 30 October. Prep pupils in Reception to Year 2 finish for Christmas on Friday 11 December, Years 3 to 6 on Tuesday 15 December and seniors on Wednesday 16 December at 11.45am. The summer term ends on Wednesday 7 July (Habs Boys term dates).
Dame Alice Owen’s School in Potters Bar publishes its 2026/27 dates as a download on its term dates page. The file would not open for us, so check it there rather than rely on a third-party listing.
Planning the holidays
Spook-Fest at Aldenham Country Park runs through half term week and ends on Saturday 31 October. For the Christmas break, the Christmas lights switch-on and Santa’s grotto at Aldenham pages have dates and prices.
Still to be confirmed
- Primary schools’ INSET days. Each school publishes its own; they are not on the county calendar.
- Dame Alice Owen’s 2026/27 dates, which we could not open.
Sources: Hertfordshire County Council term dates page and 2026/27 calendar; Hertswood Academy; Yavneh College calendar 2026/27; Haberdashers’ Boys’ School; GOV.UK bank holidays. Checked 25 September 2026.
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