Surrey schools get a two-week October half term, 19 to 30 October 2026, and break for Christmas on 18 December. Glyn, Rosebery, EEHS and Epsom College compared.
Schools in Epsom and Ewell that follow Surrey County Council’s calendar have a two-week October half term this year, from Monday 19 to Friday 30 October 2026, a change Surrey introduced from September 2026. The five extra days come off the summer holiday, which now starts after Wednesday 28 July 2027.
The autumn term ends on Friday 18 December 2026 and pupils go back on Monday 4 January 2027. But academies set their own dates, and the three big secondary schools we checked all differ from the county somewhere, mostly on INSET days.
The quick answer
- October half term: 19 to 30 October 2026, two weeks, for county schools and all the local secondaries we checked.
- Christmas: term ends Friday 18 December 2026, back Monday 4 January 2027. Epsom and Ewell High finishes on Wednesday 16 December.
- Easter: term ends Thursday 25 March 2027, back Monday 12 April.
Surrey County Council dates 2026/27
These are the county’s published dates for community and voluntary controlled schools, from its term dates page, reviewed 4 June 2026. Other schools are “encouraged to follow” them.
| Term | Starts | Half term | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2026 | Tuesday 1 September | 19 to 30 October | Friday 18 December |
| Spring 2027 | Monday 4 January | 15 to 19 February | Thursday 25 March |
| Summer 2027 | Monday 12 April | 31 May to 4 June | Wednesday 28 July |
The year is still 195 days, including five INSET days, which each school sets for itself. The county’s dates do not include them, so a school can be shut on a day this table shows as term time. Surrey also publishes a calendar file for phones, without INSET days.
The two-week half term is for this year only
Surrey says the two-week autumn break applies from September 2026 and that schools “will revert to a one-week autumn half term” from September 2027. The 2027/28 half term is 25 to 29 October 2027.
Big local schools compared
We read each school’s own calendar. Where a school’s dates match the county, the cell says so.
| School | October half term | Last day before Christmas | Back in January | INSET days in autumn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey County Council | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Mon 4 Jan | Set by school |
| Glyn School, Ewell | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec, 12.20pm finish | Mon 4 Jan | Tue 1 Sep, Fri 16 Oct |
| Rosebery School, Epsom | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec, noon finish | Tue 5 Jan | Tue 1 Sep, Fri 16 Oct, Mon 4 Jan |
| Epsom and Ewell High School, West Ewell | 19 to 30 Oct | Wed 16 Dec | Mon 4 Jan | Thu 3 and Fri 4 Sep, Thu 17 and Fri 18 Dec |
| Epsom College (independent) | Fri 16 Oct, 4pm, to Sun 1 Nov | Fri 11 Dec, 1pm | Tue 5 Jan (day pupils) | Not listed |
What that means in practice:
- Glyn and Rosebery pupils are off from Friday 16 October. Both schools are in GLF Schools, and the trust has put a staff training day on that Friday, so the break runs to 17 days including weekends.
- Epsom and Ewell High breaks up two days early for Christmas. Its INSET days on 17 and 18 December mean the last day for pupils is Wednesday 16 December.
- Rosebery pupils go back a day late in January, on Tuesday 5 January, because Monday 4 January is an INSET day there.
- Epsom College breaks up a week earlier than the state schools, at 1pm on Friday 11 December, and its day pupils return on Tuesday 5 January.
Glyn and Rosebery also finish at lunchtime on four trust “collaboration days”. The first is Monday 7 December 2026 (Glyn 1.20pm, Rosebery 1pm).
Summer 2027 differs most
The county’s summer term ends on Wednesday 28 July 2027. The schools do not agree on it:
| School | Last day of summer term 2027 |
|---|---|
| Surrey County Council | Wednesday 28 July |
| Glyn School | Wednesday 21 July, 12.20pm finish |
| Rosebery School | Thursday 22 July, noon finish |
| Epsom and Ewell High School | Tuesday 20 July |
| Epsom College | Friday 2 July, 1pm |
If you are booking a summer holiday for July 2027, check your own school’s calendar, not the county’s.
Primary schools
Most primary schools in the borough follow the county dates, but academies set their own and every school picks its own five INSET days. Your school’s website or newsletter is the only reliable source for those. Surrey’s directory of schools links to each one.
What is on in half term
A two-week half term is a long stretch to fill. Our October half term in Epsom page lists what is actually on. For the Christmas holidays, see Christmas bin collections and Christmas trains and travel.
Still to be confirmed
- 2027/28 INSET days for most schools. Glyn has already published its dates.
- Surrey’s 2028/29 dates, which the county says it will publish before 10 May 2027.
Sources: Surrey County Council term dates page (reviewed 4 June 2026); Glyn School and Epsom and Ewell High School term dates pages; Rosebery School term dates PDF dated 17 July 2026; Epsom College term dates page. All read 25 September 2026.
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