THOUSANDS of children across Cumberland are preparing to begin secondary school this week as the new academic year gets under way.
Cumberland Council’s published term dates state that the autumn term for the 2026-27 school year starts on Wednesday, September 2.
But parents and carers have been urged to check directly with their child’s new school, as individual academies can set their own arrangements for staff training days, staggered returns and Year 7 induction.
For new pupils in Carlisle, Trinity School has confirmed that its autumn term begins on Wednesday, September 2, with the school’s 2026-27 calendar listing that date as the start of term.
The date also provides the expected starting point for many other secondaries in the city, although schools may invite Year 7 pupils in at a different time from older year groups to help them settle in, meet tutors and learn their way around a much larger site.
In Whitehaven, pupils joining The Whitehaven Academy are expected to start on Thursday, September 3. The academy’s Year 7 transition information describes Thursday, September 3, as the first day of the autumn term for its new intake.
The academy has previously used a dedicated Year 7 arrival arrangement, with pupils meeting in the main hall at 8.45am. Families should await or check their own transition correspondence for the precise time and location for this year’s intake, rather than relying on arrangements from earlier years.
In Workington, the council’s overall term date of Wednesday, September 2, remains the key date for families whose children are joining Workington Academy. The academy has not yet published a specific 2026 Year 7 first-day timetable on its term-dates page, so parents are advised to check messages from the school or contact its office before setting off.
The council says its dates are intended as a guide and that there can be “slight variation” between schools. That can be particularly important for Year 7 pupils, who are often brought in separately before the rest of the school returns.
Parents are advised to confirm uniform requirements, travel arrangements, lunch accounts, arrival points and whether pupils need to bring equipment on their first day.
Share