November 16 - November 20
| Date | Monday 16 November to Friday 20 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Where | International |
About Anti-Bullying Week 2026: 16 to 20 November
Anti-Bullying Week 2026 runs from Monday 16 to Friday 20 November 2026, and Odd Socks Day is on Monday 16 November 2026. The week is a national campaign to prevent and respond to bullying among children and young people. It is organised in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA).
| Year | Dates |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Monday 16 to Friday 20 November 2026 (Odd Socks Day: Monday 16 November) |
| 2027 | Not yet announced by the Anti-Bullying Alliance |
| 2028 | Not yet announced by the Anti-Bullying Alliance |
What’s happening in 2026
- The theme is “Break the Silence”. The ABA says the campaign will encourage children, young people and adults to start conversations about bullying, speak up, listen and act together.
- Young people shaped it. The theme was developed with the anti-bullying sector and more than 200 children and young people, many of whom described the silence that can surround bullying and the barriers to asking for help.
- Odd Socks Day opens the week on Monday 16 November. Children and adults wear odd socks to celebrate what makes everyone unique. ABA patron Andy Day, of CBBC and CBeebies, leads the celebrity support with his band Andy and the Odd Socks, who are releasing a song for the day.
- Extras for 2026: schools and organisations can sign up as an Anti-Bullying Week 2026 supporter to receive a certificate, the School Staff Award returns, and Break the Silence merchandise is on sale from the ABA.
The ABA’s role as official organiser covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland, so schools in Scotland may be following different local materials that week.
How to take part in 2026
- Primary schools: hold Odd Socks Day on Monday 16 November, then use the rest of the week for circle time on one question from the theme: “Who could you tell?”
- Secondary schools: map every route a pupil has to report bullying, anonymous ones included, and publish them in assembly during the week. Breaking the silence only works if pupils know where to go.
- Staff: nominate a colleague for the returning School Staff Award, and brief tutors on how to respond when a pupil does speak up.
- Workplaces: wear odd socks on the 16th and use it to remind staff how to raise concerns about bullying at work, including through HR or a union.
- Parents and carers: ask one open question at home that week, such as “Is anyone being left out at school?”, and listen rather than solve straight away.
Key dates around Anti-Bullying Week 2026
- Thursday 5 November: International Day against Violence and Bullying at School, including Cyberbullying (UNESCO, the first Thursday of November)
- Friday 13 November: World Kindness Day
- Monday 16 November: Odd Socks Day
- Monday 16 November: International Day for Tolerance
- Thursday 19 November: International Men’s Day
- Friday 20 November: Universal Children’s Day
For the history of Anti-Bullying Week and ideas that work every year, see our guide to Anti-Bullying Week. For everything else happening this month, see November awareness days and weeks.
Plan around Anti-Bullying Week 2026: 16 to 20 November and every key date in November
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