Hampshire County Council has confirmed the term dates for the 2027–2028 academic year. Below you’ll find every term start and end date, half term, and holiday period — plus a few pointers on booking group breaks when the schools are off.
These dates apply to community and voluntary-controlled schools in Hampshire. Academies, free schools, and faith schools may set slightly different dates, so it’s always worth checking your school’s own calendar.
Hampshire term dates 2027–2028 at a glance
| Term | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn term | Wednesday 1 September 2027 | Friday 17 December 2027 |
| Spring term | Tuesday 4 January 2028 | Friday 31 March 2028 |
| Summer term | Tuesday 18 April 2028 | Friday 21 July 2028 |
Hampshire school holidays 2027–2028
| Holiday | Starts | Ends | Schools reopen |
|---|---|---|---|
| October half term | Monday 25 October 2027 | Friday 29 October 2027 | Monday 1 November 2027 |
| Christmas holiday | Monday 20 December 2027 | Monday 3 January 2028 | Tuesday 4 January 2028 |
| February half term | Monday 14 February 2028 | Friday 18 February 2028 | Monday 21 February 2028 |
| Easter holiday | Monday 3 April 2028 | Monday 17 April 2028 | Tuesday 18 April 2028 |
| May half term | Monday 29 May 2028 | Friday 2 June 2028 | Monday 5 June 2028 |
| Summer holiday | Monday 24 July 2028 | Sunday 3 September 2028 | – |
Key dates worth noting
Easter 2028 falls on Sunday 16 April, which makes the Easter break a full two-week window. That’s one of the best stretches for a group trip — long enough for a proper break, early enough in the year that you’re not competing with peak summer pricing. See our full Easter 2028 dates guide for more.
May half term 2028 is a short week (29 May–2 June) but falls alongside the spring bank holiday on Monday 29 May, giving children a full school holiday week; working adults may still need annual leave. Worth booking early — these weeks fill fast.
Summer 2028 runs from 24 July to 3 September, a solid six weeks. The first and last weeks of the summer holiday tend to be quieter for group bookings, with the middle four weeks carrying the highest demand.
Planning a group break around Hampshire school holidays
Hampshire sits in a useful spot for group weekends. The South of England has a strong mix of coast and countryside, and the county itself covers everything from the New Forest to the South Downs.
A few things to keep in mind when booking:
Half terms book out fast. October and February half terms are just one week each, and every family in the county is looking at the same window. If you’re organising a group of 10 or more, start looking at least three months ahead.
Mix your group across counties? Hampshire’s dates don’t always align exactly with neighbouring Surrey, Dorset or West Sussex. If your group spans two counties, check both sets of dates before committing. Our Surrey school holidays and national school holidays 2027–2028 guides can help you find the overlap.
Easter is prime booking territory. Two weeks off, mild spring weather, and the Easter bank holiday weekend at the end. A Friday-to-Monday in a large group house over Good Friday to Easter Monday is one of the most popular bookings of the year.
Inset days and staff training days
Hampshire County Council allocates five staff training days (INSET days) per year. Individual schools choose when to take them, and they’re usually tacked onto the start or end of a term. Your school will confirm these separately — they’re not included in the table above because they vary from school to school.
If your school takes an INSET day on a Friday before half term, you’ve effectively got an extra day for a long weekend. Keep an eye on your school’s newsletter for these — they can turn a standard half term into a nine-day break.
Bank holidays falling during term time
Two bank holidays fall during term time in 2027–2028:
- May Day: Monday 1 May 2028 — a standalone day off during summer term.
- Spring bank holiday: Monday 29 May 2028 — immediately followed by May half term, creating a full week off.
May Day on its own gives you a three-day weekend. Pair it with a Friday off (or an INSET day if you’re lucky) and you’ve got a four-day window for a short break. Our family holiday houses work well for these quick getaways.
Where to stay for a Hampshire group break
Hampshire and the surrounding area offer plenty for group weekends. The New Forest is the obvious draw — big houses with land, walking, cycling, and enough space that a group of 15 doesn’t feel on top of each other. The South Downs give you rolling chalk hills and quieter villages.
For a group that wants a mix of coast and countryside, the Solent coast (Lymington, Milford on Sea) puts beaches within reach of New Forest walks. And if you’re heading further afield, Brighton is under two hours east, and the Cotswolds about the same distance north.
Browse all our group houses to find something that fits your dates and group size. If you need a house with a hot tub or swimming pool, filter by feature to narrow it down.
