Surrey schools break for a two-week October half term, 19 to 30 October 2026, but not every Woking school does. Term dates school by school, plus INSET days.
This year’s October half term in Woking is two weeks long, not one. Surrey County Council has moved its community and voluntary controlled schools to a Monday 19 October to Friday 30 October 2026 break, paid for by taking five days off the summer holiday in July 2027. Several Woking secondaries, including two academies, do something different, so check your child’s school below before you book anything.
The quick answer
- October half term (Surrey dates): Monday 19 to Friday 30 October 2026. Pupils go back on Monday 2 November.
- Christmas: term ends Friday 18 December 2026, back on Monday 4 January 2027.
- Not everyone follows it. St John the Baptist and Winston Churchill have a shorter October break; Woking College and Hoe Bridge differ at the ends of terms.
Surrey County Council term dates 2026/27
These are the dates for Surrey’s community and voluntary controlled schools. Academies, voluntary aided and foundation schools set their own but are encouraged to follow them (Surrey County Council).
| Term | Starts | Half term | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2026 | Tue 1 Sep 2026 | Mon 19 to Fri 30 Oct 2026 | Fri 18 Dec 2026 |
| Spring 2027 | Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Mon 15 to Fri 19 Feb 2027 | Thu 25 Mar 2027 |
| Summer 2027 | Mon 12 Apr 2027 | Mon 31 May to Fri 4 Jun 2027 | Wed 28 Jul 2027 |
The year still has 195 days, including five INSET days, which schools set themselves. The county’s dates do not include INSET days, so a school’s own calendar can add a day off either side of these.
The two-week autumn break is a one-year change. From September 2027 Surrey reverts to a one-week October half term, 25 to 29 October 2027, and the autumn term ends on 21 December 2027.
Woking secondary schools, school by school
We checked each school’s own published calendar on 24 September 2026.
| School | October half term | Last day before Christmas | Summer term ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woking High, Horsell | Mon 19 to Fri 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Thu 22 Jul 2027 |
| Hoe Valley | Mon 19 to Fri 30 Oct | Fri 11 Dec | Fri 23 Jul 2027 |
| Bishop David Brown, Sheerwater | Mon 19 to Fri 30 Oct (second week is INSET) | Fri 18 Dec | See trust calendar |
| St John the Baptist | Fri 23 Oct to Mon 2 Nov | Fri 18 Dec (12pm) | Fri 16 Jul 2027 |
| Winston Churchill, St John's | Fri 23 to Fri 30 Oct | Fri 18 Dec | Thu 22 Jul 2027 |
| Woking College | Sat 17 Oct to Sun 1 Nov, then INSET Mon 2 Nov | Fri 18 Dec | Wed 14 Jul 2027 |
| Hoe Bridge (independent) | Mon 19 to Fri 30 Oct | Fri 11 Dec | Fri 9 Jul 2027 |
What the table means in practice:
- St John the Baptist keeps a one-week-and-a-bit break. Its calendar says the half term “is inclusive of the Fri 23 Oct and Mon 2 Nov”, so students return on Tuesday 3 November. The school is also closed on Monday 30 November for its Xavier Feast Day, and INSET days fall on Friday 2 October, Wednesday 3 February, Friday 12 March and Friday 2 July.
- Winston Churchill says plainly that it is “not using the Surrey school calendar dates”. Its October break runs Friday 23 to Friday 30 October, “1 week 1 day only”. INSET days are 1 September, Thursday 26 November, Wednesday 13 January and Thursday 17 and Friday 18 June 2027.
- Bishop David Brown follows the common calendar of its academy trust, Unity Schools Trust. Pupils are off for the full two weeks, but the trust marks Tuesday 27 to Friday 30 October as INSET days rather than holiday.
- Hoe Valley lists the end of the autumn term as Friday 11 December, a week earlier than the county. Its INSET days are 1 and 2 September, Friday 9 October, Friday 12 February and Friday 2 July. If the 11 December date matters to your plans, confirm it with the school.
- Woking High has INSET days on 2 and 3 September and closes early on Thursday 1 October for its open evening. A third INSET day is still marked “tbc”.
- Woking College started its year early, on 25 August, and ends it early too, on 14 July 2027. Its February half term runs Saturday 13 to Sunday 21 February.
Primary schools in Woking are mostly community, voluntary controlled or academy schools. Most will follow the county dates, but INSET days vary school to school: the county’s term dates page links to its directory of every Surrey school.
What the two-week half term means for families
The long break is a first for Surrey, and it means holiday clubs, childcare and activities all need to stretch across ten weekdays instead of five. Our October half term in Woking page lists what is actually on locally across both weeks. The trade-off comes next summer: county schools now break up on Wednesday 28 July 2027, later than most families are used to.
Still to be confirmed
- Remaining INSET days at some schools, including Woking High’s third.
- 2028/29 dates, which Surrey says will be published before 10 May 2027.
Doing the school run in the dark evenings? Our roadworks and parking pages are updated through the term.
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