Chichester School Term Dates 2026-27 (West Sussex)
The term and half-term dates for the 2026-27 school year as published by West Sussex County Council, plus the important caveat for academies and voluntary aided schools.
What are the 2026-27 term dates?
West Sussex County Council publishes the term dates for the county, which cover schools in Chichester, Fishbourne, Bosham, Lavant, Tangmere and Summersdale. The dates below are as published on the county's school term dates page, which was last updated on 17 September 2026.
Autumn term 2026
- Starts: Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Half term: Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026
- Ends: Friday 18 December 2026
Spring term 2027
- Starts: Monday 4 January 2027
- Half term: Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027
- Ends: Thursday 25 March 2027
Summer term 2027
- Starts: Monday 12 April 2027
- Half term: Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027
- Ends: Wednesday 21 July 2027
And the following year?
The same page lists the autumn term for 2027, which starts on Wednesday 1 September 2027, with half term from Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027 and the term ending on Friday 17 December 2027. The county council also offers calendar view PDFs for the 2026 to 2027 and 2027 to 2028 academic years on that page.
Do these dates apply to every school?
Not necessarily. The county council says it is required to set term and holiday dates for maintained and voluntary controlled schools. It states that the dates may not apply to academies, voluntary aided schools, further education and sixth form colleges in West Sussex, or schools in the independent sector, and advises checking with those schools directly. Many schools in the Chichester area are academies, so confirm your own school's dates on its website before you book a holiday or childcare.
What about inset days?
The county explains that term dates are based on a school year of around 195 days, and that individual schools can use 5 of those days for staff training (inset) days. Inset days vary school by school and are not in the county list. The county's directory page for each school, reached through find a school, academy or college, links to the school's own site where inset dates are normally published, and the county also has a school inset days page.
How are the dates decided?
According to the county council, term dates are usually set more than 18 months before the academic year, after liaising with neighbouring authorities, headteachers, union representatives and the Diocese so that dates line up across the region.
Where else should I check before planning?
If your school is a Church of England school or an academy, look at its own calendar. If you have children at different schools, for example a primary school in Fishbourne and a secondary school in Chichester, compare the dates of each, since they may not match. Our schools guide explains admissions and lists schools around Chichester with their official addresses.
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