West Sussex half term is 26 to 30 October and Christmas term ends Friday 18 December. INSET days for Bishop Luffa, Chichester High and Midhurst Rother College.

October half term in Chichester is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, and the autumn term ends on Friday 18 December. Those are West Sussex County Council’s dates for the schools it sets them for. Academies and independent schools can differ, and three of the district’s big secondaries share one extra day off: Friday 27 November.

The quick answer

  • October half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026.
  • Christmas holiday: term ends Friday 18 December; spring term starts Monday 4 January 2027.
  • INSET warning: Bishop Luffa, Chichester High School and Midhurst Rother College are all closed to pupils on Friday 27 November.

Checked on 25 September 2026.

West Sussex term dates 2026/27

From the county council’s school term dates page, last updated 17 September 2026. There is also a printable calendar for 2026/27.

Term Starts Half term Ends
Autumn 2026 Tuesday 1 September Monday 26 to Friday 30 October Friday 18 December
Spring 2027 Monday 4 January Monday 15 to Friday 19 February Thursday 25 March
Summer 2027 Monday 12 April Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June Wednesday 21 July

The county sets these dates for maintained and voluntary-controlled schools only. It says they “may not apply to academies, voluntary aided schools, further education and sixth form colleges in West Sussex, or to schools in the independent sector”. Schools can also use up to five of the year’s 195 days as staff training (INSET) days, and each school picks its own.

Looking further ahead, the county has already set the start of 2027/28: autumn term runs from Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027, with half term from 25 to 29 October.

School by school: where the dates differ

We checked the published calendars of three large state secondaries and the city’s best-known prep school on 25 September 2026.

School Holiday dates INSET days (no pupils)
Bishop Luffa School, Chichester Same as West Sussex Tue 1 Sep, Wed 2 Sep, Fri 27 Nov, Fri 5 Feb; one more “will be set shortly”
Chichester High School Same as West Sussex Tue 1 Sep, Wed 23 Sep, Fri 27 Nov, Mon 4 Jan, Fri 12 Feb, Mon 5 Jul
Midhurst Rother College Summer half term starts Tue 1 June Tue 1 Sep, Wed 2 Sep, Fri 2 Oct, Fri 27 Nov, Mon 4 Jan, Tue 5 Jan, Mon 12 Apr, Tue 13 Apr, Wed 21 Jul
The Prebendal School (independent) Very different, see below Thu 3 Sep, Fri 4 Sep, Mon 4 Jan, Tue 5 Jan, Mon 12 Apr

Three details worth knowing:

  • Chichester High School lists six INSET days and Midhurst Rother College lists nine days marked INSET across the year, more than the county’s five. Neither page explains the difference, so check with the school before booking time off.
  • Midhurst Rother College comes back on Wednesday 6 January in practice, because 4 and 5 January are both INSET days there, and after Easter pupils return on Wednesday 14 April.
  • Chichester High School had Years 7, 11 and 12 only on Wednesday 2 September, with everyone back on Thursday 3 September.

The Prebendal School breaks earlier

The Prebendal School, the cathedral’s prep school, runs its own calendar (2026-27 term dates PDF):

  • Michaelmas term: starts Monday 7 September. Half term from Friday 16 October, back Monday 2 November, so two weeks. Term ends Friday 11 December, a week before the state schools.
  • Lent term: starts Wednesday 6 January. Half term from Friday 12 February, back Monday 22 February. Ends Friday 19 March.
  • Summer term: starts Tuesday 13 April. Half term from Friday 28 May, back Monday 7 June. Last day Friday 9 July, prizegiving Saturday 10 July.

Its Pelicans Nursery keeps longer terms: half term from Friday 23 October and Christmas from Friday 18 December.

Planning the holidays

For what is actually on in Chichester that week, see our October half term guide. The Christmas holiday runs into the bin collection changes, covered on our Christmas bin collections page, and the rail engineering season on our Christmas travel page.

Still to be confirmed

  • Bishop Luffa’s fifth INSET day.
  • Any change to the county’s calendar: West Sussex usually sets dates 18 months ahead, so the 2026/27 dates are firm. We will re-check the school pages before the spring term.