Kent's half term is 26 to 30 October, but Tonbridge Grammar, Weald of Kent, both Leigh academies and Tonbridge School finish on 16 October. Every date here.
Kent County Council publishes one set of term dates for the county, and only three of the eight Tonbridge and Malling secondary schools we checked keep to them for the October break. Tonbridge Grammar School, Weald of Kent Grammar School, Leigh Academy Tonbridge, Leigh Academy Hugh Christie and Tonbridge School all finish on Friday 16 October 2026, a week before Kent’s Term 1 ends. The Judd School, Hillview School for Girls and The Malling School stay in until 22 or 23 October and take the county’s single week. Every date on this page comes from the council’s or the school’s own published calendar, fetched on 25 September 2026.
The quick answer
- Kent’s dates: Term 1 runs Tuesday 1 September to Friday 23 October 2026, half term is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October, and Term 2 runs Monday 2 November to Friday 18 December. Schools reopen on Monday 4 January 2027.
- Five Tonbridge schools take two weeks in October. Tonbridge Grammar, Weald of Kent, Leigh Academy Tonbridge, Leigh Academy Hugh Christie and Tonbridge School are all off from 17 October to 1 November.
- Christmas: every state school here finishes on Friday 18 December, most of them early. Tonbridge School boarders go home on Thursday 10 December. Judd and both Leigh academies do not reopen until Tuesday 5 January because Monday 4 January is a training day.
Kent County Council’s dates for 2026/27
Kent runs a six-term year. These are the dates the county council has determined for the schools it maintains, published on its term dates page. The council’s own caveat is worth repeating: “Term dates for some schools may be different. Contact your child’s school to check staff training days, individual half term breaks or if your child’s school is private or independent.”
| Term | Starts | Ends | Holiday that follows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Tuesday 1 September 2026 | Friday 23 October 2026 | Mon 26 to Fri 30 October |
| Term 2 | Monday 2 November 2026 | Friday 18 December 2026 | Mon 21 December to Fri 1 January |
| Term 3 | Monday 4 January 2027 | Friday 12 February 2027 | Mon 15 to Fri 19 February |
| Term 4 | Monday 22 February 2027 | Thursday 25 March 2027 | Fri 26 March to Fri 9 April |
| Term 5 | Monday 12 April 2027 | Friday 28 May 2027 | Mon 31 May to Fri 4 June |
| Term 6 | Monday 7 June 2027 | Wednesday 21 July 2027 | Thu 22 July to Tue 31 August |
The bank holidays inside the year are Friday 25 December, Monday 28 December (the Boxing Day substitute, because 26 December is a Saturday), Friday 1 January, Good Friday 26 March, Easter Monday 29 March, Monday 3 May and Monday 31 May 2027.
October: two weeks at five schools, one week at three
This is the one to check before booking anything. Kent’s holiday is the single week of 26 to 30 October. Five local secondaries end their first term on Friday 16 October instead and reopen on Monday 2 November.
| School | Last day of Term 1 | Pupils return | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leigh Academy Tonbridge | Fri 16 October | Mon 2 November | Two weeks |
| Leigh Academy Hugh Christie | Fri 16 October | Mon 2 November | Two weeks |
| Tonbridge Grammar School | Fri 16 October | Mon 2 November | Two weeks |
| Weald of Kent Grammar School | Fri 16 October | Tue 3 November | Two weeks and a day |
| Tonbridge School | Sat 17 October, 12.45pm | Sun 1 November, 9pm | Two weeks |
| The Judd School | Fri 23 October | Mon 2 November | One week |
| Hillview School for Girls | Thu 22 October | Tue 3 November | One week plus two INSET days |
| The Malling School | Fri 23 October | Mon 2 November | One week |
Both Leigh academies publish the break outright as “Monday 19th October 2026 to Friday 30th October 2026” (Leigh Academy Tonbridge, Leigh Academy Hugh Christie). Tonbridge Grammar simply ends Term 1 on 16 October (Tonbridge Grammar School). Weald of Kent ends on 16 October and then makes Monday 2 November an INSET day, so its students, including those at the Tonbridge annexe, are off until Tuesday 3 November (Weald of Kent Grammar School). Tonbridge School’s half term runs from 12.45pm on Saturday 17 October to 9pm on Sunday 1 November (Tonbridge School).
Hillview stays closest to Kent but still adds two days: Term 1 ends on Thursday 22 October, Friday 23 October and Monday 2 November are both INSET days, and pupils return on Tuesday 3 November (Hillview School for Girls). Judd and The Malling School run to 23 October (The Judd School, The Malling School).
What it means for you: a household with one child at Judd and another at Tonbridge Grammar has one off from 19 October and the other in school until the 23rd. Our October half term page sets out what is on in each of the two weeks. Note that the Hastings line through Tonbridge is closed for nine days from 24 October, which is covered on our autumn rail closures page.
Christmas: 18 December for the state schools, 10 December at Tonbridge School
| School | Last day of term | Pupils return |
|---|---|---|
| Kent County Council | Fri 18 December | Mon 4 January |
| The Judd School | Fri 18 December | Tue 5 January (INSET Mon 4) |
| Tonbridge Grammar School | Fri 18 December, early finish | Mon 4 January |
| Weald of Kent Grammar School | Fri 18 December, 12.30pm | Mon 4 January |
| Hillview School for Girls | Fri 18 December, 12.30pm | Mon 4 January |
| Leigh Academy Tonbridge | Fri 18 December | Tue 5 January (INSET Mon 4) |
| Leigh Academy Hugh Christie | Fri 18 December, 1.45pm | Tue 5 January (INSET Mon 4) |
| The Malling School | Fri 18 December | Mon 4 January |
| Tonbridge School | Thu 10 December, 5.30pm | Mon 4 January, 8pm |
Three of the schools send pupils home at lunchtime on the last day. Anyone relying on a school bus or a lift on 18 December should check the finish time rather than the date.
Training days still to come
Every INSET day below is a day Kent’s calendar counts as a school day. The first ones are only weeks away.
- The Judd School: Monday 4 January 2027, then 19, 20 and 21 July 2027 (Judd).
- Tonbridge Grammar School: “Academy Days” on Friday 27 November 2026, Monday 15 March 2027 and Friday 25 June 2027. Term 6 ends on Friday 16 July 2027, three school days before Kent’s date (TGS).
- Weald of Kent Grammar School: Monday 2 November 2026, Monday 18 January 2027 and Wednesday 17 March 2027. Term 4 ends at 12.30pm on 25 March and the year ends at 12.30pm on Friday 16 July 2027 (Weald of Kent).
- Hillview School for Girls: Friday 23 October 2026, Monday 2 November 2026, Friday 20 November 2026 and Wednesday 30 June 2027 (Hillview).
- Leigh Academy Tonbridge and Leigh Academy Hugh Christie: Monday 4 January 2027 and Friday 12 February 2027, so the February half term at both starts on the Friday (Leigh Academy Tonbridge, Leigh Academy Hugh Christie).
- The Malling School: its calendar shows students’ last day of the year as Monday 19 July 2027, with the two days after as training days, and states plainly that “The Malling School does not follow the Kent published dates” (The Malling School).
The rest of the year, school by school
For the terms after Christmas the schools line up more closely with Kent. The exceptions worth noting:
- February half term is 15 to 19 February 2027 everywhere, except at Tonbridge School (Friday 12 February, 4.30pm to Sunday 21 February) and at the two Leigh academies, where the INSET day on Friday 12 February makes it a week and a day.
- Easter: Kent’s Term 4 ends on Thursday 25 March 2027 and every state school here matches it. Judd’s spring term also ends on 25 March. Tonbridge School’s Lent term ends on Wednesday 24 March and its summer term does not begin until Sunday 18 April, a week after everyone else.
- May half term is 31 May to 4 June 2027 at every school. Judd, the Leigh academies and Hillview all list Monday 31 May separately because it is a bank holiday.
- End of the year: Kent finishes on Wednesday 21 July 2027. Judd, Tonbridge Grammar and Weald of Kent all finish on Friday 16 July; Tonbridge School’s Skinners’ Day is Saturday 3 July; The Malling School’s students finish on 19 July.
Primary schools
Most Tonbridge primaries are Kent-maintained or in trusts that follow the county’s dates, but each publishes its own INSET days and several add a training day either side of the October week. Check your own school’s calendar; the county page is a starting point, not the final word.
Sources: Kent County Council term dates page and each school’s published 2026/27 calendar, all fetched on 25 September 2026. We will update this page if any school changes a date; if yours has, tell us.
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