Lewes district schools break for half term 26 to 30 October and for Christmas on 18 December. Peacehaven and Lewes Old Grammar start October a week early.

Most schools in Lewes district break up for October half term on Friday 23 October 2026 and go back on Monday 2 November. The Christmas holidays start after Friday 18 December, and most pupils return on Monday 4 or Tuesday 5 January 2027. Those are East Sussex County Council’s dates, and every secondary school we checked follows them for Christmas. October is where they split: Peacehaven Community School and Lewes Old Grammar School both break a week early.

The quick answer

  • October half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 for council-dated schools, Priory, Seaford Head, Seahaven and Chailey.
  • Christmas: last day Friday 18 December 2026; back Monday 4 January 2027, or Tuesday 5 January where the Monday is an INSET day.
  • February half term: 15 to 19 February 2027. Easter: 30 March to 9 April 2027. Summer term ends Thursday 22 July 2027.

The East Sussex County Council dates

These come from the council’s 2026 to 2027 term and holiday dates PDF, checked on 25 September 2026. The council’s term dates page says they apply to community and voluntary controlled schools, and “may not apply” to voluntary aided schools, academies, free schools, colleges or independent schools. Schools also set their own INSET days.

Term Pupils in school Holiday after it
Term 1 2 September to 23 October 2026 26 to 30 October 2026
Term 2 2 November to 18 December 2026 21 December 2026 to 1 January 2027
Term 3 4 January to 12 February 2027 15 to 19 February 2027
Term 4 22 February to 25 March 2027 30 March to 9 April 2027 (Good Friday is 26 March)
Term 5 12 April to 28 May 2027 1 to 4 June 2027 (bank holiday 31 May)
Term 6 7 June to 22 July 2027 Summer, from 23 July 2027

The council’s only fixed INSET day is Wednesday 2 September 2026. The year is 195 days. Bank holidays in the school year: Christmas Day (Friday 25 December), the Boxing Day substitute (Monday 28 December), New Year’s Day, Good Friday (26 March 2027), Easter Monday (29 March), and the May bank holidays on 3 and 31 May.

School by school

Each school’s own dates, from its own website, checked on 25 September 2026:

School October half term Christmas: last day, back Summer: last day
Priory School, Lewes 26 to 30 Oct 18 Dec; Tue 5 Jan Thu 22 Jul
Seaford Head School 26 to 30 Oct 18 Dec; Tue 5 Jan Thu 22 Jul
Seahaven Academy, Newhaven 26 to 30 Oct 18 Dec; Tue 5 Jan Wed 21 Jul
Chailey School 26 to 30 Oct 18 Dec; Mon 4 Jan Tue 20 Jul
Peacehaven Community School 20 to 30 Oct (see below) 18 Dec; Tue 5 Jan see below
Lewes Old Grammar School 19 to 30 Oct Fri 11 Dec (12.30pm); Tue 5 Jan Fri 9 Jul

INSET days still to come, when pupils stay at home:

  • Priory: Friday 6 November 2026, Monday 4 January 2027 and Monday 12 April 2027.
  • Seahaven Academy: Friday 27 November 2026, Monday 4 January, Friday 12 March, Monday 12 April, Friday 25 June and Thursday 22 July 2027.
  • Chailey: Friday 27 November and Monday 30 November 2026, and Friday 12 February 2027, which makes the February break start a day early.
  • Peacehaven: Tuesday 20 October 2026, Monday 4 January, Friday 30 April, Friday 9 July and Monday 26 July 2027.
  • Seaford Head shows its INSET days only as coloured squares on the calendar PDF, and warns they are “subject to change”. Term 3 starts on Tuesday 5 January, so the Monday is not a school day for pupils. Check the school calendar for the others.

Peacehaven’s calendar reads differently. The school lists Tuesday 20 October as both the last day of Term 1 and an INSET day with “no students in school”, and the holiday running from Wednesday 21 October. In practice pupils finish on Monday 19 October, a week before most of the district. Term 6 runs to Monday 26 July 2027, also an INSET day, so pupils finish on Friday 23 July.

Lewes Old Grammar School, the independent school on the High Street, gives a two-week October break, ends the autumn term at 12.30pm on Friday 11 December, starts the summer term later (Monday 19 April) and breaks up for the summer on Friday 9 July 2027.

Seaford Head’s PDF has a typo worth knowing about: its April break line reads “30 March 2027 to 9 March 2027”. Term 5 starts on 12 April, so the break ends on 9 April.

Primary schools mostly follow the council dates, but academies among them can differ. Check your child’s school on the council’s find local schools page.

What is on in the holidays

Our October half term in Lewes page lists what is on locally that week. For the Christmas break, see Lewes Christmas trains and buses, the bin collection changes and the Lewes Christmas lights switch-on.

Still to be confirmed

  • 2027/28 dates: Lewes Old Grammar School has published provisional ones; the council’s PDF gives only the first INSET day, Wednesday 1 September 2027.
  • Seaford Head’s INSET days in text form. We will add them when the school publishes a list.