Essex schools break 26 to 30 October, but three big Brentwood secondaries are off two weeks from 19 October. Every 2026/27 date and INSET day, by school.
Essex County Council’s October half term for 2026 is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October. That is the date most primary schools in Brentwood borough follow. It is not the date several of the biggest secondaries follow.
Brentwood County High, Shenfield High and Brentwood School all close for two weeks, Monday 19 to Friday 30 October. The Anglo European School in Ingatestone breaks from Friday 23 October. Families with children at two different schools can find their half terms only half overlap.
The quick answer
- Essex half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026. Christmas holiday Monday 21 to Thursday 31 December, back on Monday 4 January 2027.
- Brentwood County High, Shenfield High and Brentwood School: off from Monday 19 October, a week earlier than the county, back on Monday 2 November.
- February half term is the same everywhere we checked: 15 to 19 February 2027.
Essex County Council dates for 2026/27
These are set for community and voluntary controlled schools. The county says academies, foundation and voluntary-aided schools can set their own, so check with the school (Essex County Council, Academic year 2026 to 2027).
| Term or holiday | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term 1 | Tuesday 1 September 2026 | Friday 23 October 2026 |
| October half term | Monday 26 October 2026 | Friday 30 October 2026 |
| Autumn term 2 | Monday 2 November 2026 | Friday 18 December 2026 |
| Christmas holiday | Monday 21 December 2026 | Thursday 31 December 2026 |
| Spring term 3 | Monday 4 January 2027 | Friday 12 February 2027 |
| February half term | Monday 15 February 2027 | Friday 19 February 2027 |
| Spring term 4 | Monday 22 February 2027 | Thursday 25 March 2027 |
| Easter bank holiday | Friday 26 March 2027 | Monday 29 March 2027 |
| Easter holiday | Tuesday 30 March 2027 | Friday 9 April 2027 |
| Summer term 5 | Monday 12 April 2027 | Friday 28 May 2027 |
| May half term | Monday 31 May 2027 | Friday 4 June 2027 |
| Summer term 6 | Monday 7 June 2027 | Wednesday 21 July 2027 |
| Summer holiday | Thursday 22 July 2027 | Tuesday 31 August 2027 |
There are 195 school days, plus five staff training (INSET) days that each school picks for itself. The early May bank holiday is Monday 3 May 2027.
The big local schools that differ
We checked the published calendars of four of the largest secondary schools in the borough on 25 September 2026. All four differ from the county in October, and all four set their own INSET days.
| School | October half term | Last day before Christmas | Back in January |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County Council | 26 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Mon 4 Jan |
| Brentwood County High | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Mon 4 Jan |
| Shenfield High | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Tue 5 Jan (4 Jan is INSET) |
| Brentwood School | 19 to 30 Oct | Fri 11 Dec (half day) | Tue 5 Jan (4 Jan is INSET) |
| Anglo European School | Fri 23 to Fri 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec (12.30pm) | Tue 5 Jan (4 Jan is a non-pupil day) |
Brentwood County High School. Non-pupil days on Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 September, and a Trust conference day on Monday 22 February 2027, the day after February half term. Winter holiday 21 December to 1 January. Summer term ends Friday 16 July 2027, five days before the county (Brentwood County High School, Term dates).
Shenfield High School. INSET on Tuesday 1 September, Monday 4 January, and Monday 19 to Wednesday 21 July 2027, so the summer term ends for pupils on Friday 16 July in practice. Christmas holiday 21 December to 1 January (Shenfield High School, School dates and times).
Brentwood School (independent). Michaelmas term breaks on Friday 11 December at midday, a week before the state schools, with an early finish and staff INSET on the afternoon of Friday 16 October. Lent term starts Tuesday 5 January and ends Thursday 25 March; Trinity term runs from Wednesday 14 April to Friday 2 July 2027 (Brentwood School, Term dates).
Anglo European School, Ingatestone. Non-pupil days on 1 and 2 September, Friday 25 September (with a 12.30pm finish the day before), and Monday 4 January. Half term runs from Friday 23 October, so pupils lose the last day of the first half term. Summer term ends Wednesday 21 July at 12.30pm (Anglo European School, term and holiday dates September 2026 to July 2028, PDF).
What it means for October
If one child is at a county-calendar primary and another is at Brentwood County High or Shenfield High, you have one week with both off (26 to 30 October) and one week with only the older child off (19 to 23 October). Holiday clubs and the local Halloween events are listed on our October half term in Brentwood page.
Taking a child out in term time needs the head teacher’s permission (Essex County Council, taking holidays in term time).
Still to be confirmed
Primary schools that are academies may publish their own INSET days during the autumn term. This page will be rechecked before February half term. If your school’s dates differ from the county’s and are not listed here, tell us at hello@brentwoodonline.co.uk.
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