School holidays in your social media calendar

Key takeaways

School holidays social media content should start before the holiday, because parents plan days out, childcare and bookings one to three weeks ahead. Use your local council's term dates, since they vary across England and are earlier in Scotland. For businesses whose customers are parents, holidays are peaks; for B2B firms, they are quieter weeks to plan around.

• Post 1 to 3 weeks before each holiday, when parents plan.
• Term dates vary by council; Scotland's summer starts earlier.
• Family businesses: holidays are peaks, so plan more posts.
• B2B firms: expect quieter weeks and plan lighter content.

Why do school holidays matter for social media?

School holidays change what a large share of customers do: their days, their spending, their availability and their time online. Parents look for activities, childcare and family meals; staff and decision-makers take leave. A calendar that ignores them posts the wrong things at the wrong time for several weeks of the year.

• How to build a monthly social media content calendar
• Buying triggers: time content to when customers are ready

Where do you find the right term dates?

Use your local council's term dates, which GOV.UK links to by area. Dates differ between councils in England, many academies set their own, and Scotland's summer holiday usually starts in late June or early July, weeks before England's. If you serve a wide area, plan for the overlap rather than one exact week.

• UK key dates to mark on a social media calendar

What should family-facing businesses post?

Post what parents need to plan: what is on, opening times, how to book, prices and practical details such as parking and accessibility. Start one to three weeks before the holiday, then switch to reminders, availability and photos during it. Activities that sell out need the longest lead time.

• Local events in your content calendar

What about businesses with no family link?

For B2B and most professional services, school holidays mean quieter weeks: buyers and staff are away, and responses slow down. Plan lighter content, avoid launching anything important in the middle of August, and use the quieter time to build your evergreen bank for the busy autumn.

• Social media in your slow season: keep going or pause?

What should you avoid in school holiday posts?

Avoid posting photos of identifiable children without written permission from a parent or guardian, and think carefully about whether you need them at all. Keep claims about activities accurate and include key terms, such as age limits or booking conditions, in the post.

• GDPR and social media marketing in the UK

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern with attractions and cafés: half-term posts that go out on the first day of half term, after most families have made plans. Moving the 'what's on' post two weeks earlier, with a reminder the week before, usually brings more bookings from the same posts.

• See client work
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School holidays checklist

• Put your council's term dates on the annual view.
• Post one to three weeks before each holiday.
• Switch to reminders and availability during it.
• Get written permission for any child's photo.
• B2B: plan lighter weeks and avoid mid-August launches.

• Bank holiday social media: post, pause or schedule?
• Local events in your content calendar

Next step

Find your council's term dates for the next school year and mark the start of each holiday, plus a 'plan post' reminder two weeks before.