School calendar 2026 to 2027: awareness days and national days for schools
The school year of awareness days, national days and observances that teachers, PTAs and school comms teams plan assemblies, spirit days, fundraisers and newsletters around. 111 dates over the next twelve months, UK and US, with a one-line idea for each. Toolkit membership adds spirit week and assembly ideas, downloads and all the planning tools. For campaign dates see the marketing calendar.
How to use the school calendar
Pick one or two dates a month, not all of them. Give each a home: an assembly, a form-time activity, a spirit day, a fundraiser or a newsletter item. Shaded rows are the dates most schools mark; the rest are optional extras from our Education and Youth listings. Dates marked UK or US are mainly observed in that country.
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The full school calendar in Google Sheets and Excel, with printable calendars and a calendar feed, plus all six specialist calendars, member-only event guides, the Awareness Database and planning tools.
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Term dates and school holidays are set by your local authority or district. This calendar covers the days you plan activities around.
October 2026
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct to 31 Oct | Black History Month | UK in October: assemblies, displays and curriculum links across the month. | UK |
| 1 Oct | National Poetry Day 2026 | Poem-a-day in form time, a poetry slam and display work. | UK |
| 1 Oct to 31 Oct | International School Library Month 2026 | Library challenges, reading passports and author visits. | UK and US |
| 1 Oct to 31 Oct | International Walk to School Month | UK and US | |
| 1 Oct to 31 Oct | National Book Month | UK and US | |
| 1 Oct to 31 Oct | Dyslexia Awareness Month | UK and US | |
| 4 Oct to 10 Oct | World Space Week 2026 | Rocket building, planetarium visits and space-themed STEM lessons. | UK and US |
| 5 Oct | World Teachers Day 2026 | Student-led thank-you messages; a PTA-friendly appreciation moment. | UK and US |
| 5 Oct to 9 Oct | Cycle To School Week 2026 | UK and US | |
| 11 Oct | International Day of the Girl Child 2026 | Assembly on girls' education worldwide; links to careers and STEM. | US |
| 23 Oct | Wear It Pink 2026 | Pink non-uniform day for Breast Cancer Now; simple staff and pupil fundraiser. | UK |
| 31 Oct | Halloween | Costume day or pumpkin trail; keep it inclusive for pupils who do not take part. | UK and US |
November 2026
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov to 30 Nov | Movember 2026 – Men’s Health Awareness Month | Staff fundraiser and a sixth-form wellbeing talk. | UK and US |
| 5 Nov | Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night) | Firework safety assembly and the history of 1605. | UK |
| 8 Nov | Diwali | Festival of lights: rangoli art, diya making and an assembly on the story of Rama. | US |
| 8 Nov | Remembrance Sunday 2026 | Two-minute silence, poppy appeal and a whole-school remembrance assembly. | UK |
| 11 Nov | Veterans Day | US: invite veterans to speak, letters of thanks, flag ceremony. | US |
| 13 Nov | World Kindness Day | Kindness bingo, compliment walls and random acts across the school. | UK and US |
| 13 Nov | BBC Children in Need 2026 | Pudsey non-uniform day, bake sale and a fundraising assembly; the biggest UK school fundraiser of the autumn. | UK |
| 16 Nov to 20 Nov | Anti-Bullying Week | UK: Odd Socks Day kicks it off; assemblies, pledges and peer mentoring. | UK |
| 16 Nov | Odd Socks Day 2026 | Wear odd socks to celebrate difference; the easiest spirit day in the calendar. | UK |
| 20 Nov | Universal Children’s Day 2026 | Rights of the child assembly; links to UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools. | US |
| 21 Nov | World Hello Day | Greet everyone in a different language; a kindness starter for younger years. | US |
| 26 Nov | Thanksgiving 2026 | US: gratitude projects, food drives, early-release planning. | US |
December 2026
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Dec to 24 Dec | Advent 2026 | Kindness advent calendar: one act a day until the end of term. | UK and US |
| 3 Dec | International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2026 | Inclusion assembly and accessibility audit led by pupils. | US |
| 4 Dec to 12 Dec | Hanukkah 2026 | Festival of lights assembly; menorah crafts and the story of the oil. | US |
| 10 Dec | Christmas Jumper Day 2026 | Save the Children jumper day; the biggest school fundraiser of the term. | UK |
| 10 Dec | Human Rights Day 2026 | Rights and responsibilities assembly for secondary. | US |
January 2027
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jan | World Religion Day 2027 | RE link: a faith-a-week display across the term. | US |
| 18 Jan | Martin Luther King Day 2027 | US: assembly, "I have a dream" writing and service projects. | US |
| 18 Jan | Blue Monday 2027 | A wellbeing week hook for staff and sixth form, handled carefully. | UK and US |
| 23 Jan | National Reading Day 2027 | UK and US | |
| 24 Jan | International Day of Education 2027 | UK and US | |
| 27 Jan | Holocaust Memorial Day 2027 | Secondary assembly and survivor testimony; UK theme announced each year. | UK |
| 30 Jan to 5 Feb | National Storytelling Week 2027 | Storytelling assemblies, older pupils reading to younger ones. | UK |
February 2027
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Feb to 7 Feb | Children’s Mental Health Week 2027 | Place2Be week: assemblies, dress to express day, class activities. | UK |
| 1 Feb to 28 Feb | LGBT History Month 2027 | UK in February: displays, assemblies and curriculum links. | UK |
| 1 Feb to 7 Feb | Schools Football Week 2027 | UK and US | |
| 5 Feb | NSPCC Number Day 2027 | Maths dress-up day and a fundraiser for the NSPCC. | UK |
| 6 Feb | Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) | Lunar New Year assembly, lanterns and zodiac art. | US |
| 8 Feb to 8 Mar | Ramadan 2027 | Support fasting pupils: PE, exams and lunch arrangements; assembly on Ramadan. | US |
| 9 Feb | Safer Internet Day 2027 | Online safety lessons and a parent session; the biggest e-safety date. | UK |
| 9 Feb | Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day 2027 | Pancake races and the meaning of Lent. | UK |
| 11 Feb | International Day of Women and girls in science 2027 | Women in STEM assembly, role model visits. | US |
| 14 Feb | Valentine’s Day 2027 | Kindness-grams and friendship focus rather than romance for younger years. | UK and US |
| 15 Feb | Presidents’ Day 2027 | US: history projects and a long weekend to plan around. | US |
| 17 Feb | Random Acts of Kindness Day 2027 | Kindness challenge across the school. | UK and US |
March 2027
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar to 6 Mar | National Careers Week 2027 | Careers talks and alumni visits for secondary. | UK |
| 2 Mar | Read Across America Day / Dr Seuss Day 2027 | US: Dr Seuss reading day, guest readers and hat day. | US |
| 4 Mar | World Book Day 2027 | Dress as a character, book tokens and author events; the biggest primary date. | UK |
| 5 Mar to 14 Mar | British Science Week 2027 | Experiments, science fair and STEM careers talks. | UK |
| 8 Mar | International Women’s Day 2027 | Women who changed the world assembly and careers links. | US |
| 9 Mar | Eid al-Fitr 2027 | Eid celebration assembly; absence planning for the day. | US |
| 14 Mar | Pi Day 2027 | Maths day: pi recitals, circle challenges and a pie sale for the PTA. | US |
| 15 Mar to 19 Mar | Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2027 | Assemblies and staff CPD on neurodiversity; pupil voice. | UK |
| 17 Mar | St Patricks Day 2027 | Green day, Irish culture and music. | UK and US |
| 19 Mar | Comic Relief / Red Nose Day UK 2027 | Comic Relief fundraiser, talent show and red noses. | UK |
| 21 Mar | World Poetry Day 2027 | Poetry writing across year groups. | UK and US |
| 22 Mar | World Water Day 2027 | Water usage audit and a global citizenship lesson. | UK and US |
| 27 Mar | World Theatre Day 2027 | Drama showcases and a trip. | UK and US |
| 28 Mar | Easter Sunday 2027 | Easter service, egg hunts and the end of spring term. | UK and US |
| 29 Mar to 4 Apr | World Autism Acceptance Week 2027 | Autism acceptance assembly and sensory-friendly week. | US |
April 2027
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr to 30 Apr | Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month 2027 | UK and US | |
| 1 Apr to 30 Apr | National Poetry Month | UK and US | |
| 2 Apr | World Autism Awareness Day 2027 | Autism acceptance assembly and sensory-friendly day. | US |
| 11 Apr to 17 Apr | National Library Week 2027 | UK and US | |
| 18 Apr | Education and Sharing Day 2027 | UK and US | |
| 21 Apr | National Early Years Teacher Day 2027 | UK and US | |
| 22 Apr | International Mother Earth Day 2027 | Earth Day: litter picks, eco-council projects and a green assembly. | UK and US |
| 29 Apr | International Dance Day 2027 | Dance showcase or a flash mob at lunch. | UK and US |
May 2027
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May to 7 May | Teacher Appreciation Week 2027 | US: PTA-led thank-yous and treats for staff. | US |
| 3 May to 9 May | Deaf Awareness Week 2027 | Learn some BSL, subtitled assembly, sound awareness. | UK |
| 3 May to 9 May | Children’s Book Week 2027 | UK and US | |
| 4 May | National Teacher Day in the USA 2027 | UK and US | |
| 9 May | National Children’s Day UK 2027 | UK and US | |
| 10 May to 16 May | Mental Health Awareness Week 2027 | Themed week with assemblies, wellbeing walks and staff support. | UK |
| 13 May | Writing for Health & Healing Day 2027 | UK and US | |
| 17 May to 21 May | Walk To School Week 2027 | Living Streets challenge: walking, wheeling and scooting to school. | UK |
| 17 May to 23 May | Learning At Work Week 2027 | UK and US | |
| 20 May | World Bee Day 2027 | Bee-friendly planting and a science link. | UK and US |
| 29 May to 6 Jun | National Children’s Gardening Week 2027 | UK and US |
June 2027
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jun to 30 Jun | Pride Month 2027 | Inclusion assemblies and displays; pupil-led groups. | US |
| 1 Jun | International Children’s Day | UK and US | |
| 4 Jun | National School Business Leaders’ Day 2027 | UK and US | |
| 5 Jun | World Environment Day 2027 | Eco-council action day and an environment assembly. | UK and US |
| 5 Jun | Butterfly Education and Awareness Day (BEAD) 2027 | UK and US | |
| 7 Jun to 13 Jun | Child Safety Week 2027 | UK and US | |
| 8 Jun | World Oceans Day 2027 | Plastic audit and ocean science. | UK and US |
| 12 Jun | World Day Against Child Labour 2027 | UK and US | |
| 14 Jun to 20 Jun | Refugee Week 2027 | Stories of sanctuary; a compassion assembly. | UK |
| 19 Jun | Juneteenth | US: history assembly and community links. | US |
| 21 Jun | World Music Day | Lunchtime concerts and busking in the playground. | UK and US |
| 30 Jun | National Writing Day | Whole-school writing challenge. | UK |
July 2027
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jul | World Youth Skills Day 2027 | UK and US |
August 2027
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug to 31 Aug | National Back-to-School Month | US: a month of first-week routines, open houses and supply drives. | US |
| 4 Aug | Hooray for Kids Day | UK and US | |
| 12 Aug | International Youth Day 2027 | Summer school and youth voice projects. | US |
| 12 Aug | National Middle Child Day | UK and US | |
| 15 Aug | National Back-to-School Prep Day | UK and US | |
| 23 Aug to 6 Sep | Back to School 2027 | Set the tone for the year: welcome assemblies, classroom expectations, and the first newsletter home. | UK and US |
September 2027
| Date | Awareness day | For schools | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Sep | National Read A Book Day 2026 | Drop everything and read for 20 minutes across the whole school. | US |
| 6 Sep | Labor Day 2027 | US: the back-to-school marker in many districts. | US |
| 7 Sep | National Buy a Book Day | UK and US | |
| 8 Sep | International Literacy Day 2027 | Reading challenge launch, book swaps and a library assembly. | UK and US |
| 9 Sep | International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2027 | UK and US | |
| 13 Sep | Roald Dahl Story Day 2027 | Dress-up day, story writing and a Dahl-themed assembly for primary. | UK |
| 15 Sep | National Online Learning Day | UK and US | |
| 16 Sep | International Day of Science, Technology and Innovation for the South 2027 | UK and US | |
| 21 Sep | International Day of Peace 2027 | Peace pledges, poetry and a reflective assembly. | US |
| 26 Sep | European Day of Languages 2027 | Language taster sessions, greetings in every language spoken in school. | UK |
Take this calendar with you
Sign up for the Toolkit
The full school calendar in Google Sheets and Excel, with printable calendars and a calendar feed, plus all six specialist calendars, member-only event guides, the Awareness Database and planning tools.
£39 a year
Billed annually; renews automatically.
Sign up for the ToolkitAlready a member? Log in for your downloads and tools.
Take the school year with you
Keep school dates and useful classroom ideas together. The free May–June 2027 School Classroom Calendar has 74 dates on one tab, with subjects, supporting information, classroom activity ideas, space for your own notes and images where available. The full September 2026–August 2027 edition has 331 dates, included with the Awareness Calendar, Planner, searchable Database and connected updates in the Toolkit.
Get the general Calendar and printable monthly/event-list PDFs.
Frequently asked questions
What is included in the free School Classroom Calendar?
The May–June 2027 edition includes 74 school-relevant dates on one tab: date, subject, supporting information, classroom activity ideas, your own notes and an image where available. Choose Google Sheets or Excel. The full September 2026–August 2027 edition has 331 dates and is included in the paid Toolkit. Teachers adapt ideas to their pupils and school.
What can I browse for free?
The whole school calendar is free to browse online, with a classroom planning idea for each date. Toolkit membership adds spirit week and assembly ideas, planning tools, downloads and calendar sync. The separate fixed School Calendar sample remains free with your email.
What awareness days should a school mark?
Most UK schools mark Anti-Bullying Week, Children's Mental Health Week, Safer Internet Day, World Book Day, Science Week, Remembrance and Christmas Jumper Day; most US schools mark Red Ribbon Week, Unity Day, Read Across America Day and Teacher Appreciation Week. Add two or three that fit your school's values and leave the rest.
Does this page include term dates and school holidays?
No. Term dates are set by your local authority, academy trust or school district and change by area. This page is the days you plan activities, assemblies and fundraisers around within the term.
What is a spirit week?
A week of themed dress-up days, usually before a holiday, a big fixture or the end of term, to build school community. The best themes cost nothing and include every pupil. Toolkit membership includes our spirit week and assembly ideas.
Can I print or download the school calendar?
Yes. The free May–June 2027 edition comes in Google Sheets, Excel, a monthly School Calendar PDF and a classroom activities PDF. The full September 2026–August 2027 School Calendar and classroom activities are included with the Toolkit. Choose the clearly dated format that suits your planning or printing.
Is this for UK or US schools?
Both. Dates only widely observed in one country are marked UK or US; unmarked dates work in both.
