Where Liverpool’s schools put their inset days, and what the 16 July finish is worth
We checked 163 Liverpool state schools for 2026/27. 43 of the 122 that publish their dates finish the summer term on Friday 16 July 2027, three school days before Liverpool City Council’s last day. Here’s what that’s worth, and where the inset days fall. See Liverpool’s 2026/27 term dates.
43 of 122 Liverpool schools that publish their dates finish on Friday 16 July 2027
43of 122
That’s three school days before Liverpool City Council’s last day, Wednesday 21 July, and the Friday before the most common term end in England. 38 of the 43 say so on their own page or calendar.
Last day Fri 16 JulA later last day
Source: Inset Offset survey of 163 Liverpool state schools; 122 publish their dates. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
Liverpool City Council marks its 2026/27 calendar as proposed, and some Catholic, Church of England and Hebrew schools may set different dates.
What a 16 July finish is worth
Flights for the week starting Saturday 17 July cost 26–30% less than the week starting Saturday 24 July, the earliest full week for schools that finish on 21 July.
26–30% less
Same week’s flights from Liverpool John Lennon, same airline and flight times, flights only
The week starting Sat 24 Jul
The week starting Sat 17 Jul (school finished Fri 16 Jul)
26–30% less19–31% less
Same 7-night trip from Liverpool John Lennon, same airline, flights only
Sun 27 Dec – Sun 3 Jan
A day later: Mon 28 Dec – Mon 4 Jan (inset day)
19–31% lessPrices checked 16 Oct 2026, family of 4, same booking on both dates.
UK breaks move less: at Center Parcs Whinfell Forest the earlier week was 6–9% cheaper (£100–£200).
Monday 4 January
50 of 118 Liverpool schools that list their inset days are closed on Monday 4 January
50of 118
It’s the first day back after Christmas. Flying out on Monday 28 December and home on Monday 4 January, the same week a day later, flights from Liverpool were 19–31% cheaper than Sunday to Sunday in our checks (same airline, family of 4, Oct 2026).
Inset day on Mon 4 JanOpen
Source: Inset Offset survey of 163 Liverpool state schools; 118 list their inset days. Checked 16 Oct 2026. Saving: Prices checked 16 Oct 2026, family of 4, same booking on both dates.
Check your school’s own dates
38 schools have at least one main holiday on different weeks from the council’s (72 counting the end of the summer term), so check your school’s own dates rather than the council’s.
Schools whose holiday weeks differ from the council’s
Counted only where the school publishes that break.
- October half-term14 of 118
- Christmas0 of 122
- February half-term0 of 118
- Easter16 of 117
- May half-term23 of 119
- End of the summer term45 of 119
The numbers
| Break | Schools with different weeks | Schools that publish this break |
|---|---|---|
| October half-term | 14 | 118 |
| Christmas | 0 | 122 |
| February half-term | 0 | 118 |
| Easter | 16 | 117 |
| May half-term | 23 | 119 |
| End of the summer term | 45 | 119 |
Source: Inset Offset survey of 163 Liverpool state schools; 118 list their inset days. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
Most inset days sit next to a holiday
79% of the inset days Liverpool schools list sit straight before or after a holiday, not counting the start of September (304 of 383).
Schools with an inset day next to each holiday
- October40 schools23Fri 23Half-term16Mon 2
- Christmas56 schools6Fri 18Christmas50Mon 45Tue 5
- February19 schools14Fri 12Half-term5Mon 22
- Easter19 schools5Thu 25Easter7Mon 12
- May43 schools21Fri 28Half-term5Fri 423Mon 7
HolidayInset day (number = schools)
Source: Inset Offset survey of 163 Liverpool state schools; 118 list their inset days. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
The 2026/27 school year, shaded by inset days
Darker green means more schools closed that day. Hover or tap a day.
The numbers
| Inset day | Schools | Share of 118 | Where it falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 1 Sep 2026 | 113 | 96% | first days of term |
| Mon 4 Jan 2027 | 50 | 42% | next to Christmas |
| Wed 2 Sep 2026 | 43 | 36% | first days of term |
| Wed 21 Jul 2027 | 38 | 32% | last days of term |
| Mon 19 Jul 2027 | 33 | 28% | last days of term |
| Tue 20 Jul 2027 | 31 | 26% | last days of term |
| Fri 23 Oct 2026 | 23 | 19% | next to October half-term |
| Mon 7 Jun 2027 | 23 | 19% | next to May half-term |
| Fri 28 May 2027 | 21 | 18% | next to May half-term |
| Mon 2 Nov 2026 | 16 | 14% | next to October half-term |
| Fri 12 Feb 2027 | 14 | 12% | next to February half-term |
| Fri 9 Jul 2027 | 8 | 7% | during term |
| Fri 27 Nov 2026 | 7 | 6% | during term |
| Mon 12 Apr 2027 | 7 | 6% | next to Easter |
| Fri 18 Dec 2026 | 6 | 5% | next to Christmas |
| Tue 8 Jun 2027 | 6 | 5% | two days after May half-term |
| Fri 25 Sep 2026 | 5 | 4% | during term |
| Tue 5 Jan 2027 | 5 | 4% | two days after Christmas |
| Mon 22 Feb 2027 | 5 | 4% | next to February half-term |
| Thu 25 Mar 2027 | 5 | 4% | next to Easter |
| Fri 4 Jun 2027 | 5 | 4% | next to May half-term |
| Mon 5 Apr 2027 | 4 | 3% | next to Easter |
| Fri 25 Jun 2027 | 4 | 3% | during term |
| Fri 2 Jul 2027 | 4 | 3% | during term |
| Thu 22 Oct 2026 | 3 | 3% | two days before October half-term |
| Thu 12 Nov 2026 | 3 | 3% | during term |
| Fri 13 Nov 2026 | 3 | 3% | during term |
| Thu 4 Mar 2027 | 3 | 3% | during term |
| Fri 5 Mar 2027 | 3 | 3% | during term |
| Thu 27 May 2027 | 3 | 3% | two days before May half-term |
| Fri 20 Nov 2026 | 2 | 2% | during term |
| Mon 8 Mar 2027 | 2 | 2% | during term |
| Wed 10 Mar 2027 | 2 | 2% | during term |
| Wed 7 Apr 2027 | 2 | 2% | next to Easter |
| Fri 9 Apr 2027 | 2 | 2% | next to Easter |
| Fri 30 Apr 2027 | 2 | 2% | during term |
| Tue 4 May 2027 | 2 | 2% | during term |
| Thu 6 May 2027 | 2 | 2% | during term |
| Thu 3 Jun 2027 | 2 | 2% | next to May half-term |
| Thu 3 Sep 2026 | 1 | 1% | first days of term |
| Wed 23 Sep 2026 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Mon 28 Sep 2026 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Wed 30 Sep 2026 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Fri 16 Oct 2026 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Mon 19 Oct 2026 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Tue 20 Oct 2026 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Wed 21 Oct 2026 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Mon 26 Oct 2026 | 1 | 1% | next to October half-term |
| Tue 3 Nov 2026 | 1 | 1% | two days after October half-term |
| Mon 9 Nov 2026 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Tue 10 Nov 2026 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Mon 23 Nov 2026 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Fri 4 Dec 2026 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Mon 21 Dec 2026 | 1 | 1% | next to Christmas |
| Mon 25 Jan 2027 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Tue 30 Mar 2027 | 1 | 1% | next to Easter |
| Tue 6 Apr 2027 | 1 | 1% | next to Easter |
| Thu 8 Apr 2027 | 1 | 1% | next to Easter |
| Wed 5 May 2027 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Fri 7 May 2027 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Mon 17 May 2027 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Wed 26 May 2027 | 1 | 1% | during term |
| Tue 1 Jun 2027 | 1 | 1% | next to May half-term |
| Wed 2 Jun 2027 | 1 | 1% | next to May half-term |
| Mon 12 Jul 2027 | 1 | 1% | during term |
Source: Inset Offset survey of 163 Liverpool state schools; 118 list their inset days. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
Is your school one of them?
Pick a date your school has as an inset day.
42%of Liverpool schools
50 of 118 list Mon 4 Jan as an inset day
Next to Christmas
WHAT WE FOUND
19–31% less
A week away from Liverpool John Lennon, shifted by a day (out Mon 28 Dec, home Mon 4 Jan instead of Sunday to Sunday). Same airline, flights only. Prices checked 16 Oct 2026, family of 4, same booking on both dates.
Or find your cheaper windows →
The numbers
| Inset day | Schools | Share | Where it falls | What we found |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 4 Jan | 50 of 118 | 42% | Next to Christmas | 19–31% less |
| Tue 1 Sep | 113 of 118 | 96% | First days of term | Not priced yet |
| Wed 2 Sep | 43 of 118 | 36% | First days of term | Not priced yet |
| Mon 19 Jul | 33 of 118 | 28% | Last days of term | Not priced yet |
| Wed 21 Jul | 38 of 118 | 32% | Last days of term | Not priced yet |
| Fri 23 Oct | 23 of 118 | 19% | Next to October half-term | Not priced yet |
Source: Inset Offset survey of 163 Liverpool state schools; 118 list their inset days. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
How we checked
- 163 Liverpool state-funded schools checked for 2026/27 (Liverpool City Council, LA 341).
- 122 publish their 2026/27 dates on their own website; 118 list their inset days; for 38 we couldn’t tell from what they publish.
- 19 schools publish their calendar only as an image or a colour-coded grid: each was read twice, by two independent readers, and counted only when both agreed.
- Schools that don’t publish aren’t counted, so every count is a minimum.
- School dates checked 16 October 2026.
- Prices checked 16 October 2026 on Skyscanner (flights) and Center Parcs, for 2 adults and 2 children, comparing the same booking on both dates.
- No individual school is named.
- Counts are minimums: they count only schools that publish their inset days on their own website, and some of those lists are incomplete.
Full data available to journalists on request: [email protected]
Press pack
Every chart in this post as a 1200 × 675 image, free to use with a credit to Inset Offset (insetoffset.co.uk). Full data available to journalists on request: [email protected].
Liverpool schools finishing the summer term on Friday 16 July 2027liverpool-16-july.png · PNG 1200 × 675
What Liverpool’s school dates are worth on flightsliverpool-flight-prices.png · PNG 1200 × 675
Liverpool schools closed for an inset day on Monday 4 January 2027liverpool-4-january.png · PNG 1200 × 675
Key lines
43 of the 122 Liverpool state schools that publish their dates finish the summer term on Friday 16 July 2027, three school days before Liverpool City Council’s last day (Wednesday 21 July).
Flights from Liverpool John Lennon for the week starting Saturday 17 July 2027 cost 26–30% less than the week starting Saturday 24 July (same airline and flight times, family of four, checked 16 October 2026).
50 of the 118 Liverpool schools that list their inset days are closed on Monday 4 January 2027, the first day back after Christmas.
38 Liverpool schools have at least one main holiday on different weeks from the council’s: parents should check their own school’s dates.
79% of the inset days Liverpool schools list sit straight before or after a holiday, not counting the start of September.