North Ayrshire schools to get longer October break

School holidays across North Ayrshire are set for a significant change from the 2027/28 academic year following a consultation involving parents, pupils and staff.

North Ayrshire Council plans to introduce a single holiday calendar covering mainland schools, Cumbrae and Arran.

Under the proposals, the October break would increase from one week to two weeks, while the summer holiday would be reduced from seven weeks to six.

More than 6,800 responses were received during the consultation, with strong support for aligning holiday dates across the authority.

Education officials believe the changes could benefit pupil wellbeing, improve planning across schools and potentially reduce holiday costs for some families.