Herts schools break for half term on Friday 23 October and for Christmas on Friday 18 December. Every 2026/27 holiday, plus four Dacorum schools' own dates.
Schools in Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring that follow Hertfordshire County Council’s calendar break up for October half term on Friday 23 October 2026 and go back on Monday 2 November. The Christmas holiday runs from Monday 21 December 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027, with pupils back on Monday 4 January (Hertfordshire County Council).
The quick answer
- October half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026. Last day before it is Friday 23 October.
- Christmas: last day Friday 18 December 2026, back Monday 4 January 2027.
- INSET days are set by each school, and several big Dacorum secondaries have already picked Friday 27 November as their occasional day.
Hertfordshire term dates 2026/27
These are the dates community and voluntary controlled schools must use. The county sets a 196-day year: 190 days in class, five staff training (INSET) days and one occasional day, which each school places itself (Hertfordshire County Council, 2026/27 calendar PDF).
| Term | Pupils in school | Holiday after it |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn 1 | Tuesday 1 September to Friday 23 October 2026 | Half term: 26 to 30 October |
| Autumn 2 | Monday 2 November to Friday 18 December 2026 | Christmas: 21 December to 1 January |
| Spring 1 | Monday 4 January to Friday 12 February 2027 | Half term: 15 to 19 February |
| Spring 2 | Monday 22 February to Thursday 25 March 2027 | Easter: 26 March to 9 April |
| Summer 1 | Monday 12 April to Friday 28 May 2027 | Half term: 31 May to 4 June |
| Summer 2 | Monday 7 June to Thursday 22 July 2027 | Summer: 23 July to 31 August |
Monday 3 May 2027 is the early May bank holiday. The county’s calendar also marks Thursday 8 July 2027 as the secondary transition day, when Year 6 pupils visit their new schools.
Four local schools that set their own dates
Academies, voluntary aided, foundation and free schools do not have to follow the county calendar, and most secondaries in the borough are academies. Four of the biggest have published 2026/27 dates on their own websites. The holidays line up with the county’s; the INSET days and the last day of the year do not.
| School | INSET and closure days (no pupils) | Last day before Christmas | Last day of the year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longdean School, Hemel Hempstead | 1 and 2 Sept, 8 Oct, 27 Nov (occasional day) | Friday 18 December | Tuesday 20 July 2027 |
| Ashlyns School, Berkhamsted | 1 Sept, 2 Oct, 27 Nov (occasional day), 30 Nov, 21 and 22 July | Friday 18 December | Tuesday 20 July 2027 |
| Tring School | 1 and 2 Sept, 26 Nov, 27 Nov (occasional day), 12 Feb, 25 Mar, 28 and 29 June | Friday 18 December (12.30pm finish) | Thursday 22 July 2027 (12.30pm finish) |
| Berkhamsted School (independent) | Own calendar | Friday 11 December | Friday 9 July 2027 |
Sources: Longdean School, Ashlyns School, Tring School, Berkhamsted Schools Group.
What that means for families:
- Friday 27 November 2026 is a day off at Longdean, Ashlyns and Tring School. Tring School also shuts on Thursday 26 November, which makes a four-day weekend.
- Tring School’s Easter holiday starts a day early. Its last day of the spring term is Wednesday 24 March, with an INSET day on the 25th.
- Berkhamsted School’s October half term is two weeks, Monday 26 October to Friday 6 November inclusive. It breaks up for Christmas on Friday 11 December, a week before the state schools, and its Michaelmas term did not start until Wednesday 9 September.
- Longdean and Ashlyns finish the year on Tuesday 20 July 2027, two days before the county’s last day.
Primary schools and the other academies in Dacorum each publish their own INSET days, usually on a “term dates” page. If your child’s school is not listed here, check its site before booking anything.
Looking further ahead
The county has already fixed 2027/28: term starts on 1 September 2027, October half term is 25 to 29 October 2027, and the Christmas holiday runs from 20 December 2027 to 3 January 2028 (Hertfordshire County Council). The council publishes each new year’s dates by 31 January.
Still to be confirmed
- Primary schools’ INSET days for the spring and summer terms, which many schools add to their calendars during the autumn.
- Any change to Berkhamsted School’s dates; its calendar says they may be adjusted.
Elsewhere on Hemel Hempstead Live
- October half term in Hemel Hempstead: what is on locally from 26 to 30 October.
- Christmas bin collections: what to expect from Dacorum over the holidays.
- Roadworks and travel: this week’s closures around the school run.
Sources
- Hertfordshire County Council school term dates and the 2026/27 calendar PDF, checked 25 September 2026.
- Longdean School term dates, checked 25 September 2026.
- Ashlyns School calendar and term dates, checked 25 September 2026.
- Tring School term dates, checked 25 September 2026.
- Berkhamsted Schools Group term dates, checked 25 September 2026.
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