Surrey schools break for two weeks this October, 19 to 30 Oct, and finish on 28 July 2027. The dates, plus George Abbot, County, RGS, Tormead and GHS.
October half term in Guildford is two weeks long this year: Monday 19 October to Friday 30 October 2026. Surrey County Council has moved five days out of next summer’s holiday to make it, so community schools finish on Wednesday 28 July 2027 rather than in the third week of July. Every Guildford secondary we checked has taken the same two-week October break, but several finish the summer term earlier than the county.
The quick answer
- October half term: Monday 19 to Friday 30 October 2026, two weeks, for county schools and every secondary below.
- Christmas: schools finish Friday 18 December 2026 and return Monday 4 January 2027 (county dates). The three independents break up to a week earlier.
- Summer 2027: county schools finish Wednesday 28 July. George Abbot and Guildford County finish Friday 23 July.
Surrey County Council term dates 2026/27
These are the dates for community and voluntary controlled schools. The council says academies, voluntary aided and foundation schools “may have different term dates” and set their own, and that every school sets its own five INSET days (Surrey County Council, school term dates).
| Term | Starts | Half term | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2026 | Tuesday 1 September | Monday 19 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 28 July |
The county’s own explanation: “From September 2026, community and voluntary controlled schools will have a two-week autumn half term. Five days will be taken from the summer holiday in July 2027. The school year will still have 195 days, including 5 INSET days.” It is a one-year change. From September 2027 the county reverts to a one-week October half term (25 to 29 October 2027).
The county’s calendar file for phones leaves out INSET days, so check your child’s school for those.
Guildford secondary schools compared
Each school’s dates are from its own website, checked on 25 September 2026.
| School | October half term | Autumn term ends | Spring term | Summer term ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey County Council (community schools) | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Mon 4 Jan to Thu 25 Mar | Wed 28 Jul |
| George Abbot School | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec, 12 noon | Tue 5 Jan to Wed 24 Mar, 12 noon | Fri 23 Jul, 12 noon |
| Guildford County School | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Tue 5 Jan to Wed 24 Mar | Fri 23 Jul |
| Royal Grammar School (independent) | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 11 Dec | Tue 5 Jan to Thu 25 Mar | Fri 9 Jul |
| Tormead (independent) | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 11 Dec, 12.45pm | Wed 6 Jan to Thu 25 Mar, 12.45pm | Fri 9 Jul, 12.45pm |
| Guildford High School (independent) | 19 to 30 Oct | Tue 15 Dec, 12pm | 4 Jan to Thu 25 Mar | Wed 7 Jul, 12pm |
Sources: George Abbot School, Guildford County School, Royal Grammar School, Tormead, Guildford High School.
All five take the same February (15 to 19 February) and May (31 May to 4 June) half terms as the county. The differences are at the ends of terms.
INSET days that catch families out
Schools set these themselves, and two of them sit right next to half term.
- Friday 16 October 2026 at George Abbot and Guildford County School. Both close to students that day, so their pupils start the October break on the Friday, a day before the county’s.
- Monday 2 November 2026 at the Royal Grammar School, a staff development day, so RGS boys return on the Tuesday.
- Friday 25 September 2026 at Tormead, from 2pm.
- George Abbot: also Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 September, Monday 4 January, Thursday 25 March and Monday 28 June (when Year 10 and Year 12 may still have internal assessments).
- Guildford County School: also 1 September (and 2 September for all but Years 7 and 12), 4 January, 25 March and 28 June, and the school is closed on 26, 27 and 28 July.
- Guildford High School: 1 and 2 September and Friday 28 May.
- Tormead: Monday 19 April and Friday 28 May.
Primary schools
Most Guildford primaries are community or voluntary controlled schools that follow the county dates. Academy primaries and church schools can differ, and INSET days vary from school to school. Check the school’s own website, or its entry in the county’s directory of Surrey schools.
Planning around the break
Our October half term in Guildford page lists what is actually on across the fortnight. Christmas brings its own changes: see Christmas bin collections and the tip opening times. School-run traffic is back on Monday 2 November; the roadworks page has what is booked for that week.
Still to confirm
- St Peter’s Catholic School’s term dates page carried no 2026/27 dates we could read on 25 September. We will add it, and other Guildford secondaries, as we check them.
- 2027/28: the county’s dates are already out (autumn term 1 September to 21 December 2027, one-week half term 25 to 29 October). The 2028/29 dates are due before 10 May 2027.
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