Key dates for the school year 2024/25

It’s a new school year, and planning is well underway. Read on to find out how now>press>play’s 100+ Experiences can be mapped to your key dates and events across the school year.

Our full Academic Calendar 2024/25, available to download now.

Key dates by month:

Key dates in September

4th September: Back to School

  • now>press>play’s KS2 Transition Experience can help you reassure new year 6 students about their time at primary school coming to an end.

5th September: Anniversary of the Great Fire of London

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A painting of the Great Fire of London, as seen from the banks of the River Thames on a dark night.

22nd September: Autumn Equinox

  • Celebrate the start of autumn by with our brand-new Autumn Experience for EYFS, exploring weather, animal behaviour, and why the leaves turn brown.
  • Explore the differences and effects of autumn, winter, spring, and summer in our KS1 Seasons Experience.

26th September: European Day of Languages

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Key dates in October

Black History Month

  • Learn about the extraordinary achievements Rosa Parks (KS1 and KS2), Mary Seacole (KS1) and Harriet Tubman (KS2), celebrating these important Black historical figures while exploring the oppression they faced during their lives.

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Black and white portrait of Mary Seacole sitting.
Learn about Mary Seacole for Black History Month

4th October: World Animal Day

  • Celebrate all creatures great and small with our KS1 Animals and EYFS Minibeasts Experiences. Learn what different animals do for us, and how to care for them properly.

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10th October: World Mental Health Day

  • Help students explore the things that affect mental, emotional, and physical health, and the importance of talking to people about how we feel. Try now>press>play’s Feelings Experiences for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
  • Explore the impact that our actions can have on others with our Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Anti-Bullying Experiences.

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13-20th October: Recycle Week

  • Travel to the future in now>press>play’s KS2 Recycling Experience, and experience a world ruined by wasted resources.
  • With our KS1 Everyday Materials Experience, examine the different properties of plastic, glass, metal, paper, and wood, as well as how to sort these materials when recycling.

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Recycle Week, a pile of wasted resources in a landfill site.
14-20th September: Recycle Week

Key dates in November

1st November: Diwali

  • Celebrate the religious festival of lights with now>press>play’s KS2 Diwali Experience, immersing students in the traditional story of the Ramayana.

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24th October: Diwali

5th November: Guy Fawkes Day

  • Try our KS1 Guy Fawkes Experience, and plunge students into the murky world of the Gunpowder Plot.

10th November: Remembrance Sunday

  • Give KS2 children an experience of life during World War 2, as they learn about evacuation, the Blitz, and historical figures such as Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler.

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A red poppy stuck to a war memorial to honour the dead on Armistice Day.
11th November: Armistice Day

11-15th November: Anti-Bullying Week

  • Use now>press>play’s Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Anti-Bullying Experiences to show children the impact of bullying — and how people can become bullies.
  • Explore the effect other people’s actions can have on our emotions with the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Feelings Experiences.
  • Our Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Online Safety Experiences can help children learn the dangers of the internet and how to themselves – and others – safe.

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19-25th November: Road Safety Week

  • Teach EYFS classes about how lollipop people help children cross the road safely as part of our People Who Help Us Experience.
  • Take a trip by bus, bicycle, car, ferry, hot air balloon, and more in our EYFS Transport Experience.

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Key dates in December

1st December: Beginning of Advent

  • Start counting down the days until Christmas by exploring the now>press>play Christmas Story Experience for EYFS learners.
  • Explore the wonders of Winter with our brand-new EYFS Experience, investigating the weather, nature changes, and popular winter activities.

21st December: Winter Solstice

  • Fortunately for teachers, the last day of term this year is also the shortest. Mark the winter solstice with the now>press>play Stone Age Experience, where your class can join an ancient celebratory feast at Stonehenge.

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Christmas

Enjoy the holiday season with now>press>play’s selection of festive Experiences, including:

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A small wooden carving of the nativity scene is hung from a Christmas tree.
Celebrate Christmas and Hannukah with now>press>play's festive Experiences

Key dates in January

19th January: World Religion Day

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25th January: Burns Night

  • Explore the culture, national symbols, and geography of Scotland (as well as England, Wales and Northern Ireland) in now>press>play’s KS1 The UK Experience.

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29th January: Chinese New Year

  • Kick-start the Year of the Rabbit and discover the advances in technology, knowledge and art that happened in China’s Shang Dynasty.

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Key dates in February

3-9th February: Children’s Mental Health Week

  • Help students explore the things that affect mental health and the importance of talking to people about how we feel. Try now>press>play’s Feelings Experiences for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
  • Explore the impact that our actions can have on others with our Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Anti-Bullying Experiences.
  • Having a balanced diet is vital to wellbeing. Find out how as you explore our KS1 Healthy Living Experience.
  • Give your students superpowers with the now>press>play KS1 Superheroes Experience, exploring friendship, kindness and who to trust.

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11th February: Safer Internet Day

  • Our Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Online Safety Experiences can help children learn the dangers of the internet and how to themselves – and others – safe.
  • With our KS2 Anti-Bullying Experience, your class can explore the impact that cyberbullying can have on us and others.

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28th February: Start of Ramadan

  • Learn about the importance of fasting to Muslims with our KS2 The Five Pillars Experience, exploring the main beliefs and traditions of Islam.

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Key dates in March

6th March: World Book Day

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8th March: International Women’s Day

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7-16th March: British Science Week

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17th March: St. Patrick’s Day

  • Explore the culture, national symbols, and geography of Northern Ireland (as well as England, Scotland and Wales) in now>press>play’s KS1 The UK Experience.

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20th March: Spring Equinox

  • Explore the differences and effects of autumn, winter, spring, and summer in our KS1 Seasons Experience.
  • Celebrate the start of autumn by with our brand-new Spring Experience for EYFS, exploring weather, animal behaviour, and why the flowers start to grow back.

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30th March: End of Ramadan / Eid al-Fitr

  • Explore the main beliefs and traditions of Islam across the world with our KS2 The Five Pillars Experience.

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Key dates in April

12-20th April: Passover

  • Discover the origins of the Jewish Passover festival by travelling back in time to Ancient Egypt. Our KS2 The Ten Plagues Experience places children at the heart of Moses’ story.

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19th-21st April: Easter Weekend

  • Our KS2 Easter Story Experience transports children to Biblical Jerusalem, as they witness the narrative of Jesus’ betrayal, sacrifice on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday.

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22nd April: Earth Day

  • KS2 learners can explore the vibrant Rainforests found across the world. In our brand-new Climate Crisis Experience, you can examine the causes and effects of climate change and the role of government – and public activism – in solving it.
  • With our EYFS Weather Experience, compare and become the different kinds of weather that occur around the world.
  • Observe Earth’s different animals and environments – and the importance of protecting them – in our KS1 Habitats Experience.

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Key dates in May

1st May: SATs revision begins

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8th May: VE Day

  • To mark the anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, take your class back in time to the original VE Day and explore what it was like during the Blitz in Britain. In our KS2 Relative Clauses Experience you can cross the channel and explore what life was like in Germany during World War II. 

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12-18th May: Mental Health Awareness Week

  • Support wellbeing with active PSHE learning that teaches through sound, story and movement. Embed social and emotional learning with 12 PSHE Experiences including Healthy Relationships for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
  • Develop emotional regulation and articulation with the Feelings Experiences for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

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Key dates in June

5th June: World Environment Day

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9-14th June: Healthy Eating Week

  • What makes a balanced diet? Discover how food affects us by exploring the inside of the human body in our KS1 Healthy Living Experience.
  • After your Aunt has been captured by the Rock Monster Queen of another planet, you’ll need to learn what food Humans need to survive so you can save her.
  • Help EYFS learn about how food is made in On The Farm or The Gingerbread Man.

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20th June: Summer Solstice

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Key dates in July

Summer Reading Challenge

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7th July: Secondary School Induction starts

  • Our Transition Experience can help your Year 6s get used to the new things in secondary school (e.g. subjects, form tutor, a large campus, making friends), as well as provide strategies and organisational tips to cope with the new challenges.

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