Royal Borough schools break for half term on 26 October 2026 and Christmas on 18 December. Windsor Boys', Windsor Girls' and Charters get two weeks in October.

October half term in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, and schools break up for Christmas on Friday 18 December 2026. That is the council’s calendar for community and voluntary controlled schools (Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead).

But several of the biggest secondaries set their own dates, and three of them have given pupils two weeks off in October, not one. Check your own school before you book anything.

The quick answer

  • October half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026. Back Monday 2 November.
  • Two weeks at Windsor Boys’, Windsor Girls’ and Charters: 26 October to 6 November, back Monday 9 November.
  • Christmas: last day Friday 18 December; back Monday 4 January 2027.

Royal Borough term dates 2026/27

These are the council’s dates. Academies, free schools and voluntary aided schools can set their own, and many do.

Term Starts Ends Holiday after
Autumn 1 Tue 1 Sep 2026 Fri 23 Oct 26 to 30 Oct
Autumn 2 Mon 2 Nov Fri 18 Dec 21 Dec to 1 Jan
Spring 1 Mon 4 Jan 2027 Fri 12 Feb 15 to 19 Feb
Spring 2 Mon 22 Feb Thu 25 Mar 26 Mar to 9 Apr
Summer 1 Mon 12 Apr Fri 28 May 31 May to 4 Jun
Summer 2 Mon 7 Jun Wed 21 Jul 2027 Summer holiday

Easter is inside the spring holiday: Good Friday is 26 March 2027 and Easter Monday 29 March. The May Day bank holiday, Monday 3 May 2027, falls in term time (Royal Borough).

INSET days

Every school has five INSET days. The council sets one of them, Tuesday 1 September 2026, the first day of the year. Schools choose the other four and tell parents directly, so they differ from school to school (Royal Borough).

School by school: where the dates differ

We read each school’s own published calendar on 25 September 2026.

School October break Back Christmas finish INSET days named so far
Council calendar 26 to 30 Oct Mon 2 Nov Fri 18 Dec Tue 1 Sep
The Windsor Boys’ School 26 Oct to 6 Nov Mon 9 Nov Fri 18 Dec, 1pm 1 and 2 Sep, Mon 5 Oct, Fri 26 Feb
Windsor Girls’ School 26 Oct to 6 Nov Mon 9 Nov Fri 18 Dec, 1pm 1 and 2 Sep, Mon 5 Oct, Fri 26 Feb, Mon 21 Jun
Charters School, Sunningdale 26 Oct to 6 Nov Mon 9 Nov Fri 18 Dec, 12.30pm 1 and 2 Sep, Mon 4 Jan, Mon 12 Apr
Furze Platt Senior, Maidenhead 26 to 30 Oct Mon 2 Nov Fri 18 Dec, 12.30pm 1 and 2 Sep, Fri 2 Oct
Eton College 23 Oct to 8 Nov (Long Leave) Sun 8 Nov Thu 17 Dec Boarding school: own calendar

Sources: The Windsor Boys’ School, Windsor Girls’ School, Charters School, Furze Platt Senior School, Eton College.

Three details from those calendars are worth knowing:

  • Windsor Boys’ and Windsor Girls’ publish the same dates, including an INSET day on Monday 5 October 2026 and another on Friday 26 February 2027. Both are also closed to pupils on Monday 21 June 2027, a trust development day at the Boys’ school and an INSET day at the Girls’.
  • Charters goes back on Tuesday 5 January 2027, a day after most schools, because Monday 4 January is an INSET day. The same happens after Easter: Monday 12 April is INSET, so pupils return on Tuesday 13 April.
  • Furze Platt closes to pupils on Friday 2 October 2026 for an INSET day, three weeks before half term.

Primary, first and middle schools that belong to academy trusts can also depart from the council’s calendar. If your child’s school is an academy, its own website is the only reliable source.

What to do with the week

What is actually on locally during half term, from organisers’ own listings, is on our October half term in Windsor page. For days out all year, see things to do in Windsor.

Still to be confirmed

Most schools publish their remaining INSET days in the autumn term letter home. The council has already published 2027/28 dates on the same page; we will add them here next summer.