October half term in Worthing is 26 to 30 October 2026, but Worthing High and Sion break earlier. Museum workshops from £5.75, and free Highdown Gardens.
October half term for Worthing’s state schools is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026. Two local schools break earlier, and the list of things to do that week is still short: Worthing’s venues have published only a handful of half-term events so far.
The quick answer
- Half term is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October for West Sussex council schools, Durrington, Bohunt, Davison and Worthing College.
- Worthing High pupils are off from Thursday 22 October (two INSET days), and Our Lady of Sion’s half term runs two weeks, 19 to 30 October.
- Worthing Museum has children’s workshops on 28 and 29 October at £5.75, Sompting’s pumpkin field is open every day of half term, and Highdown Gardens is free every day.
Updated 5 October: added Sompting Pumpkins, open daily 24 to 31 October, and the confirmed fireworks date, Thursday 5 November.
Which days your school is off
| School | Off school | Back |
|---|---|---|
| West Sussex council schools | Mon 26 to Fri 30 Oct | Mon 2 Nov |
| Worthing High School | Thu 22 Oct to Fri 30 Oct | Mon 2 Nov |
| Durrington High School | Mon 26 to Fri 30 Oct | Mon 2 Nov |
| Bohunt Worthing | Mon 26 to Fri 30 Oct (last day of term Fri 23 Oct) | Mon 2 Nov |
| Davison CE High School | Mon 26 to Fri 30 Oct | Mon 2 Nov |
| Our Lady of Sion (independent) | Fri 16 Oct (staff day, work set at home), then Mon 19 to Fri 30 Oct | Mon 2 Nov |
| Worthing College | Mon 26 to Fri 30 Oct | Mon 2 Nov |
Sources: West Sussex County Council, Worthing High, Durrington High, Bohunt Worthing, Davison, Our Lady of Sion, Worthing College. Primary schools follow the county dates but set their own INSET days, so check your school’s newsletter. The full year, with every INSET day we could find, is on Worthing school term dates.
What’s on in half term week
Every event below is from the organiser’s own listing, checked on 5 October.
| When | What | Where | Ages and price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 28 Oct, 11am | Kids Workshop: Lantern Making with Twigs and Tissue | Worthing Museum and Art Gallery | 7 to 11; from £5.75 plus 75p fee |
| Thu 29 Oct, 11am | Kids Workshop: Autumn Crafts | Worthing Museum and Art Gallery | 5 to 7; from £5.75 plus 75p fee |
| Thu 29 Oct, 2pm | Kids Workshop: Spooky Crafts | Worthing Museum and Art Gallery | 7 to 11; from £5.75 plus 75p fee |
| Every day, 24 to 31 Oct, 10am to 4pm (last entry 3.30pm) | Sompting Pumpkins, pick your own, with a crafts marquee and a face painter each day | Halewick Lane, Sompting, BN15 0NE | All ages; free entry and parking, pumpkins priced by size |
| Every day, 10am to 4.30pm | Highdown Gardens, with a free Junior Tree Trail to download | Top of Highdown Rise, off the A259 | All ages; free |
The museum workshops each last 90 minutes and include all materials. The lantern session uses willow rods, twigs and tissue paper to build a lantern that is lit at the end. Autumn Crafts uses leaves, pine cones and twigs. Spooky Crafts makes pumpkins, witches, bats and cats. Each is booked through Worthing Theatres and Museum (lantern making, autumn crafts, spooky crafts).
Sompting Pumpkins is open every day from Saturday 24 to Saturday 31 October, gates 10am to 4pm, after weekend-only opening earlier in the month. The marquee has Halloween crafts to paint and make, and tractor rides run at weekends (Sompting Pumpkins, FAQs). More Halloween options are on our Worthing Halloween page.
Highdown Gardens is the chalk garden at the top of Highdown Rise. Entry to the gardens and the visitor centre is free. In October and November it opens 10am to 4.30pm every day. Under-16s must be with an adult. The gardens publish a Junior Tree Trail and a Plant Hunter’s Trail to print at home before you go (Highdown Gardens, opening times; trails).
Parking is limited at the top of Highdown Rise, with an overflow car park beside it and a third at the bottom near the A259. The gardens say the Highdown pub’s car park is not for garden visitors. By bus, Stagecoach’s 9 stops at Northbrook College, about a mile’s walk away, and Goring-by-Sea is the nearest station. The gardens can close at short notice in bad weather and post updates on their Facebook page.
Just before half term
- Halloween in Concert, Thursday 22 October, 7.30pm, Assembly Hall: a live band and cast playing Halloween hits, with a prize for the best costume. From £23.75 plus a £1.75 fee; under-14s must be with an adult (Worthing Theatres and Museum). Worthing High and Sion pupils are already off that day.
- Minions & Monsters, Saturday 17 October, 10.15am, Connaught Cinema, from £4 plus 75p fee (Worthing Theatres and Museum).
The week after
- Fireworks, Thursday 5 November, 7.30pm. Worthing Lions have confirmed their free display from the end of the pier (Worthing Lions). See Worthing fireworks.
- No trains between Brighton and Worthing on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November. Buses replace them (National Rail); our roadworks and travel page has the rest of the autumn’s rail changes.
Not published yet
- Family films at the Connaught Cinema in half term week. WTM’s listings for 24 October to 1 November carry only Horror-Fest screenings for older audiences so far.
We will add half-term events to this page as organisers publish them. For year-round ideas, see things to do in Worthing.
Frequently asked questions
When is October half term 2026 in Worthing?
Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026. Pupils go back on Monday 2 November.
Why is my child off school before half term?
Some schools add INSET days next to the holiday. Worthing High is closed to pupils on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 October, and Our Lady of Sion closes on Friday 16 October and has a two-week half term from 19 October.
What is on for children in Worthing at half term?
Worthing Museum has craft workshops on Wednesday 28 October at 11am and Thursday 29 October at 11am and 2pm, from £5.75. Sompting Pumpkins is open every day from 24 to 31 October, and Highdown Gardens is free and open every day from 10am to 4.30pm.
Is Highdown Gardens free?
Yes. Entry to the gardens and the visitor centre is free; donations help pay for their upkeep.
Sources
- West Sussex County Council, school term dates and the schools’ own term date pages, linked above
- Worthing Theatres and Museum event pages, linked above
- Highdown Gardens, how to find us and opening times and download trails
- Sompting Pumpkins, FAQs
- Worthing Lions, November fireworks
- All read 5 October 2026
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