Suffolk schools break for half term on 26 October and for Christmas after Friday 18 December. Culford breaks from 16 October. INSET days and all three terms.
Schools in Bury St Edmunds and the rest of West Suffolk that follow the county calendar have October half term from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, and break up for Christmas on Friday 18 December. Many also close on Friday 23 October for a teacher training day, which makes it a nine-day break.
The quick answer
- October half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, with a recommended training day on Friday 23 October.
- Christmas: last day Friday 18 December 2026, back on Monday 4 January 2027 (usually a training day) or Tuesday 5 January.
- Culford School breaks a week earlier, from 4.15pm on Friday 16 October, and returns on Monday 2 November.
Suffolk County Council dates for 2026/27
These are the county’s dates for its maintained schools, from the 2026/27 term dates booklet:
| Term | Starts | Half term | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2026 | Tuesday 1 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 | Wednesday 21 July |
- Christmas holidays: Saturday 19 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.
- Easter holidays: Friday 26 March to Sunday 11 April 2027.
INSET days
Every maintained school sets five Professional Development (PD) days, so the 195-day year has 190 teaching days. The county recommends:
- Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 September 2026
- Friday 23 October 2026, the day before half term
- Monday 4 January 2027, the first day of the spring term
- Monday 12 April 2027, the first day of the summer term
The county says most Suffolk schools follow these, but each school picks its own, so check with yours.
Schools that set their own dates
Academies, voluntary aided and free schools can set their own calendars, and most secondary schools in the district are academies. Two worked examples:
| School | October half term | Christmas break | Back in January |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk County Council | 26 to 30 October | from Saturday 19 December | Monday 4 January (PD day) |
| King Edward VI School, Bury | 26 to 30 October | Monday 21 December to Friday 1 January | Tuesday 5 January (Monday is a staff training day) |
| Culford School (independent) | Friday 16 October, 4.15pm, to Sunday 1 November | from Thursday 10 December, 4.15pm | Wednesday 6 January |
King Edward VI’s dates are from its 2026/27 term dates sheet. They match the county for the holidays but its staff training days sit on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 September, not Friday 23 October.
Culford’s are from the school’s own calendar. Its autumn half term is two full weeks, and term ends on Thursday 10 December, eight days before the state schools. The school says it can change term dates at any point.
Summer 2027
State schools on the county calendar finish on Wednesday 21 July 2027. Culford finishes much earlier, on Thursday 1 July.
Still to be confirmed
Your own school’s INSET days are the one thing this page cannot tell you. The county publishes its recommendation, not each school’s choice, so check the school’s website or newsletter.
For what is on locally in the October break, see our October half term page. If you are driving in for a day out, our parking page has the current car park charges and the free spots.
Have your say