Bracknell Forest schools break 26 to 30 October 2026, Brakenhale a week earlier. The Lexicon's pumpkin Giants from 19 October, The Look Out show, Coral Reef.
October half term in Bracknell Forest is the week of Monday 26 October 2026 for the council’s schools and most of the academies, which makes the break Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November. Brakenhale pupils get the week before as well, Ranelagh’s start on the Thursday, and Wellington College’s fortnight begins on 17 October. Halloween falls on the Saturday at the end of the week. This page has the dates by school and what the borough’s own venues have published for the week, checked on 25 September and again on 11 October. The Lexicon has now announced its programme; the council usually publishes its half term round-up in mid-October, and we will add it.
The quick answer
Half term is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 for Bracknell Forest Council schools, Garth Hill, Edgbarrow and Sandhurst. Brakenhale breaks from Monday 19 October, Ranelagh from Thursday 22 October, and Wellington College from Saturday 17 October to Sunday 1 November. Garth Hill and Ranelagh pupils go back on Tuesday 3 November after a training day. On the week itself: The Look Out’s Splash, Bubbles and Balloons show runs five times a day at £2.30, Coral Reef normally shuts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and has not yet published holiday pool hours, Go Ape’s junior course is from £21.95, The Lexicon’s Halloween Giants and pumpkin trail start on Monday 19 October, and Sandhurst Town Council’s fireworks are on Saturday 31 October.
Updated 11 October: The Lexicon has announced its Halloween programme, from Monday 19 October, with free face painting on 26, 28 and 30 October.
The dates, school by school
| School | Last day before half term | First day back |
|---|---|---|
| Bracknell Forest Council schools | Friday 23 October | Monday 2 November |
| Garth Hill College | Friday 23 October | Tuesday 3 November (INSET Monday 2 November) |
| Edgbarrow School | Friday 23 October | Monday 2 November |
| Sandhurst School | Friday 23 October | Monday 2 November |
| Ranelagh School | Wednesday 21 October | Tuesday 3 November (INSET Monday 2 November) |
| Brakenhale School | Friday 16 October | Monday 2 November |
| Wellington College | Saturday 17 October, after sport | Monday 2 November |
Sources: Bracknell Forest Council, Garth Hill College, Edgbarrow School, Sandhurst School, Ranelagh School, Brakenhale School (PDF), Wellington College. The full year, including Christmas and INSET days, is on our term dates page.
What is on in the borough that week
The Look Out Discovery Centre, Nine Mile Ride
The council-run science centre’s current show, The Splash, Bubbles and Balloons Show, runs until Sunday 8 November, so it covers the whole of half term. It lasts about 35 minutes, is pitched at 4 to 11 year olds, and tickets are £2.30 each, for adults as well as children, with babes in arms free. In holiday periods it runs at 10.45am, 11.45am, 12.45pm, 1.45pm and 2.45pm, and the centre warns that show times can change. Pushchairs are not allowed in the show room (Bracknell Forest Council, science discovery shows). The car park is open 7am to 8.30pm at £4 for four hours or £7.90 all day (Bracknell Forest Council, The Look Out).
Coral Reef Waterworld, Nine Mile Ride
Everyone Active’s normal week has the pool shut on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, opening 9am to 8.45pm on Mondays and Fridays, 10.30am to 8.45pm on Thursdays and 8am to 8pm at weekends. The centre’s page gives holiday hours only for the Coral Spa, which moves from its term-time pattern to 9am to 8.30pm in school holiday periods; it does not say whether the pool opens on the Tuesday and Wednesday of half term, so check before travelling. All visits must be booked online in advance (Everyone Active, Coral Reef Waterworld). Prices are shown at the point of booking rather than on the centre’s page.
Go Ape, Swinley Forest
The high-ropes site next to The Look Out lists its Treetop Challenge for ages 10 and over from £36.95, the Treetop Adventure for ages 4 to 10 from £21.95, and the Treetop Adventure Plus for ages 6 and over from £25.95, with Forest Segway and axe throwing alongside. Parking is in The Look Out car park, at the charges above (Go Ape, Bracknell).
The Lexicon’s Halloween week
The town centre’s programme starts on Monday 19 October, the first day of Brakenhale’s break and a week before most schools. The Lexicon’s three Giants are back for a third appearance, dressed in leaves and pumpkins for the first time; the Lexicon Express runs through one of two 4.5-metre pumpkin tunnels and gives every rider a limited-edition sticker; a pumpkin trail through shop windows has a leaflet to fill in for prizes; and there is free Halloween face painting between Mango and Fenwick on Monday 26, Wednesday 28 and Friday 30 October, 11am to 5pm (The Lexicon, Giant Halloween fun, 7 October 2026). The announcement gives no end date and no Lexicon Express fare. Our Halloween page has the rest of the week’s Halloween events, including South Hill Park’s £4 mansion trail on Thursday 29 October.
Bracknell Forest Council’s own list
The council published its October 2025 half term round-up on 16 October last year, covering free spooky craft sessions in the libraries, free family hub sessions, conservation volunteering at Buckler’s Forest, Worlds End playground and Garth Meadows, and the Look Out and Lexicon programmes (Bracknell Forest Council, half-term activities, 16 October 2025). Expect the 2026 version in the same week. So far its events calendar has one free session on the first Saturday of the break: make a book bag from an old T-shirt at Bracknell, Sandhurst and Crowthorne libraries on Saturday 24 October from 10am (Bracknell Forest Council, T-shirt book bag at Bracknell Library).
The Saturday at the end: fireworks
Half term ends with Halloween on Saturday 31 October, and Sandhurst Town Council’s diary lists its Sandhurst Fireworks Event at Brookside Field that evening (Sandhurst Town Council diary). Our fireworks page has every display in and around the borough as they are announced.
After half term
Lapland UK’s Ascot season in Whitmoor Forest opens the following Saturday, 7 November, and standard tickets are already sold out: see our Lapland UK page. South Hill Park’s Winter Craft Fair is on 14 and 15 November (South Hill Park, festivals and fairs).
What is still to be confirmed, and when
- The Lexicon’s Halloween end date and Lexicon Express fare: not in the 7 October announcement.
- The council’s half term round-up: mid-October, going by last year’s 16 October date.
- South Hill Park’s half term workshops: not listed on its festivals page; check its what’s on nearer the time.
Have your say